Carlisle’s starry starry night ceiling is about to take on a whole new meaning when the Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram lands there in October.
Carlisle Cathedral – Luke Jerram, Museum of the Moon – Thursday 1 October – Sunday 1 November
The Moon will be suspended from the clerestory in Carlisle Cathedral throughout October and will rest under the starry ceiling for which Carlisle Cathedral is well known.
A special events programme will also be on offer, which will include talks, concerts, late night openings (with optional, at-height “Moon View Tours”), children’s workshops, PJ parties, an exhibition, and more.
Luke Jerram said
“I hope visitors enjoy having the opportunity to see the Moon up close – to inspect all its craters, valleys and mountains, and to see the far side of the Moon for the first time. It’s a great pleasure to present the Museum of the Moon in Carlisle Cathedral which will frame the artwork so well. Thanks to all the invigilators and staff involved!”
The Venerable Michael Everitt, Interim Dean of Carlisle, added
“Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon inside Carlisle Cathedral – along with our stellar ceiling – will enable us to see in close detail its landscape. There will no longer be an obstacle for us to see it up close. In the setting of our stars, it will be as if the heavens are close at hand. A divine view, accessible to all, in the heart of our city.”
Museum of the Moon is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter, the moon features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 5km of the moon’s surface.
To experience Museum of the Moon, admission will be by invited voluntary donation, suggested at £5 per adult or £12 per family. No pre-booking is required during daytime opening hours.
Donations will enable Carlisle Cathedral to host events like this in the future, whilst also supporting their mission.
Museum of the Moon will be on display from Thursday 1 October – Sunday 1 November. Mondays to Saturdays it will be open from 10am – 5pm (last entry 4.30pm) and on Sundays around the normal pattern of worship. Please check the Cathedral website for more details. Please note, there may be limited access during preparations for services and events. If you are making a special journey, please check the Cathedral website and social media feeds.
To complement Museum of the Moon, an exhibition in the South Aisle will explore our fascination with the night sky and the creation of Carlisle’s own celestial masterpiece: the ceiling of Carlisle Cathedral. We have delved deep into the Cathedral’s historic collections in order to showcase our history with the night sky and the ways in which we have studied the universe as a bridge between faith and science through the ages here at Carlisle.
In addition, to celebrate theMuseum of the Moon, the Cathedral team launched “The Moon and I” Photography Competition inviting the public’s best photographs of the Moon taken in Cumbria.
The top five entries will be professionally exhibited during the opening of Museum of the Moon, with visitors invited to vote for their favourite.
The special events programme offers a variety of opportunities to experience Museum of the Moon. Pre-booking is required, please click here for more information.
