Guides’ night at the Museum!

The movie franchise ‘Night at the Museum’ became reality for 2nd Broadbridge Heath Guides recently when they spent a night at Horsham Museum & Art Gallery. Luckily none of the artefacts came to life and everyone had a fun time. Below is a report from the Guides by Sharon Newman.

‘Whilst on a monopoly type trail around Horsham one of the ‘properties’ was the Horsham Museum. I asked my group of guides if they had visited the museum, unfortunately only one or two had!

‘I thought what a wonderful opportunity it would be if we could have a sleepover at the
museum. I contacted Nikki Caxton (Museum Curator) through Horsham District Council, who also thought it would be a great way to get young people into the Museum.

‘Nikki completed all the behind the scenes checks with insurance and the council and I arranged for the Museum to become a Girlguiding approved venue. Six months later, our Night at the Museum event started.

‘Twenty very excited guides and four leaders arrived at the museum at 7pm. After the house-keeping rules, Nikki started the guides off on a ‘who done it’ type trail around the museum. Once the girls had completed this they could either go off on another trail or make a trail up of their own.

‘The guides soon found the dressing up clothes and spent the rest of the evening role playing
historical events.

‘Hot chocolate was served at 9pm and lights out at 10.30pm. The guides slept well, although it was an early start to the following day – 5.45am!

‘After dressing and tidying their bedding the girls headed downstairs for a continental breakfast. After breakfast we set the girls one last challenge – in groups they were to find a Horsham fact that would wow the leaders – before they were picked up at 10am.

Our thanks to Nikki for making this event happen. I know all the girls had a great time as my
phone was pinging all day with complimentary comments from parents.’