Imperial War Museum Duxford - Press Release

Imperial War Museum Duxford has lots on offer for all the family this February halfterm, with a host of imaginative activities available every day between Saturday 13 and Sunday 21 February, bringing Second World War history vividly to life. Half-term activities on offer:

Make do and Mend on the Home Front
Experience life on the Home Front with hands-on craft activities creating ‘Make Do and Mend’ wartime toys, propaganda posters and rag rugs. All items created can be taken home to be displayed in pride of place! (Saturday 13, Monday 15, Tuesday 16,Wednesday 17, Thursday 18, Friday 19, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 February. 12.30pm to 4.00pm in Hangar 4 – The Battle of Britain Hangar.)

The Real Dad’s Army
Meet a costumed interpreter acting the role of a member of the Local Defence Volunteers, or as they were known during the Second World War, ‘Look-Duck-Vanish’. Find out more about the role of the Home Guard, the secondary defence force against wartime invasion for Home Front Britain. There is also the opportunity to handle artefacts from the Museum’s collections relating to Local Defence Volunteers and the Home Guard. (Sunday 14 February. 11.00am to 4.00pm in Hangar 4 – The Battle of Britain Hangar.)

Land Girls
The Women’s Land Army formed an integral part of the war effort on the Home Front. By 1944, over 80,000 Land Girls were tilling the land to ensure that the British population did not go hungry. Meet a costumed interpreter acting the role of a Land Girl and find out about the back-breaking work and long hours that the Women’s Land Army endured in order to put food on the tables of Britain. (Sunday 14 February. 11.00am to 4.00pm in Hangar 4 - The Battle of Britain Hangar.)

Legendary Lancaster
Learn what it was like to fly in the legendary Lancaster bomber during the Second World War. Meet a costumed interpreter acting the role of a Lancaster rear turret gunner and hear all about life as a member of Bomber Command. Discover more about the aircraft and its crew, hear about the dangerous missions flown over occupied Europe, handle original objects associated with the Lancaster bomber and try on authentic equipment worn by Second World War pilots. (Monday 15, Tuesday 16, Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Friday 19 February. 10.30am to 12 noon in AirSpace.)

Victory Begins at Home
Discover more about the Home Front, with its gas masks, rationing and black-out precautions. See the amount of food that your weekly ration would have allowed, learn about the type of gas mask that you would have worn and find out all about the black-out precautions that had to be followed every night during the Second World War. You can even pick up some wartime recipe cards and try your hand at 1940sstyle cookery at home. (3.00pm in Hangar 4 – The Battle of Britain Hangar.)

Bombs Away
Meet a costumed interpreter acting the role of a Bomb Disposal Officer and learn all about the danger and excitement of defusing a Second World War German bomb. You can even have a go at defusing a practice bomb! (Wednesday 17 February. 11.00am to 4.00pm in Hangar 4 – The Battle of Britain Hangar.)

All activities are included in the standard admission to the Museum and, as usual, children go free. No booking is required and all sessions are drop in. All information on Half Term activities is correct at the time of going to press. Imperial War Museum Duxford reserves the right to alter activities where necessary. We advise that visitors contact the Museum on 01223 835 000 or go to www.iwm.org.uk/duxford in advance of events in order to obtain up to date information. Imperial War Museum Duxford is just south of Cambridge at junction 10 of the M11. Ample free parking is available. For a full list of Duxford’s air shows and other exciting events in 2010, including half term activities for families, visit www.iwm.org.uk/duxford or telephone 01223 835 000.