Museum gives kids a March break
Kids went full-on medieval, complete with jousting and model catapults flinging balls at their parents for March break, at Stellarton’s Museum of Industry on Saturday.
While the snow kept some people away, plenty of children chilled out building Lego castles or exploring the waterwheels and mining exhibits after a spot of dueling or seeing a little dress-up skit in the main hall.
“We have a theme called Once Upon a Castle going on right throughout the period of March break. Everything is open, nothing’s really scheduled per se during the day, so parents and kids are free to stop in and take part in whatever activities they like,” said Andrew Phillips, curator of education and public programs.
With a heavy focus on interactive activities, children and families could test their wayfinding skills in a dungeon maze or their architectural prowess by building their own model castles.
Others enjoyed a museum treasure hunt, or a little visit with Thor, a bearded dragon lizard.
Would-be medieval soldiers could adjust the settings on wooden model catapults to hurl the balls, a vastly scaled-down version of the real things used to breach city walls hundreds of years ago.
Back then, flaming boulders and even dead bodies were hurled at castles or cities, the aim being to break down the fortifications and spread plague or other sicknesses by hurling corpses.
For the real weapons enthusiasts, Loyalist Arms and Repair laid on a special display of swords and armor.
“In Pictou County we like to put something on at the museum that invites parents in, bring their kids, have a little activity together and see the museum, sometimes for the first time,” said Phillips.
The March break fun runs from the 10th to the 18th. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all days except Sundays, when it runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, please visit https://museumofindustry.novascotia.ca.