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Grant Museum presents: Snakes and Ladders with Sacha Coward
Suitable for ages 18+
Immerse yourself in a night full of adventure where game play, poetry and object-handling converge in a life-sized version of Snakes and Ladders.
The Game
For one night only we invite you to explore a mysterious snake-riddled temple as one of four adventurers questing through time and space in the Grant Museum of Zoology.
As a member of a fictional television film crew making a documentary about the discovery of a new species of snake in a mythical rainforest, each participating visitor takes on the role of a randomly assigned character. Each has its own background and privileges: white male presenter, local researcher, black scientist, LGBTQ+ cameraperson, and older white female academic. Rolling the dice, each player moves across a giant illustrated board stretching the length of the Museum, following a tailored set of instructions, and solving cryptic clues related to colonialism, imperial power, collecting and racial prejudice.
The event is complemented with spoken word poetry and object-handling presented by the Grant Museum curatorial team.
Sacha Coward
Snakes and Ladders is designed and curated by the renowned escape room creator and queer folklorist Sacha Coward. Sacha is a researcher, historian and public speaker. He has worked in museums and heritage for 15 years, running tours focused on LGBTQ+ history for museums, cemeteries, archives and cities all around the world.
Event times
Sessions start at 18:30 and 19:30. The game lasts for approximately 60 minutes.
18:15 Museum doors open
18:30 Snakes & Ladders - Session 1 begins
19:30 Snakes & Ladders - Session 2 begins
21:00 Museum closes
Background
Snakes and Ladders is a simple game with a complex history. It was introduced to Britain from India in the late 19th century, during a period of intense scientific exploration and the obsessive collecting of zoological and anthropological specimens from across the globe. Many of these specimens can be viewed on display in the Grant Museum of Zoology.
Snakes and Ladders is the opener to our event series En/countering Colonialities: Legacies in the Museum which runs from 1 February to 28 March 2025. It’s part of our Architecting Futures season, bringing together art, collections and research towards common hopeful futures.
Audience
Suitable for ages 18+
Access
Access to the museum, and all public areas within it, is step-free. Further information can be found here.
Finding us
The Museum is located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of central London. The nearest tube stations are Euston Square (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City), Goodge Street (Northern Line), Warren Street (Victoria Line), and buses 18, 30, 73, 134 and 205 stop 3-5 minutes away on Euston Road.
Here's the location on Google to help you find your preferred route.
Immerse yourself in a night full of adventure where game play, poetry and object-handling converge in a life-sized version of Snakes and Ladders.
The Game
For one night only we invite you to explore a mysterious snake-riddled temple as one of four adventurers questing through time and space in the Grant Museum of Zoology.
As a member of a fictional television film crew making a documentary about the discovery of a new species of snake in a mythical rainforest, each participating visitor takes on the role of a randomly assigned character. Each has its own background and privileges: white male presenter, local researcher, black scientist, LGBTQ+ cameraperson, and older white female academic. Rolling the dice, each player moves across a giant illustrated board stretching the length of the Museum, following a tailored set of instructions, and solving cryptic clues related to colonialism, imperial power, collecting and racial prejudice.
The event is complemented with spoken word poetry and object-handling presented by the Grant Museum curatorial team.
Sacha Coward
Snakes and Ladders is designed and curated by the renowned escape room creator and queer folklorist Sacha Coward. Sacha is a researcher, historian and public speaker. He has worked in museums and heritage for 15 years, running tours focused on LGBTQ+ history for museums, cemeteries, archives and cities all around the world.
Event times
Sessions start at 18:30 and 19:30. The game lasts for approximately 60 minutes.
18:15 Museum doors open
18:30 Snakes & Ladders - Session 1 begins
19:30 Snakes & Ladders - Session 2 begins
21:00 Museum closes
Background
Snakes and Ladders is a simple game with a complex history. It was introduced to Britain from India in the late 19th century, during a period of intense scientific exploration and the obsessive collecting of zoological and anthropological specimens from across the globe. Many of these specimens can be viewed on display in the Grant Museum of Zoology.
Snakes and Ladders is the opener to our event series En/countering Colonialities: Legacies in the Museum which runs from 1 February to 28 March 2025. It’s part of our Architecting Futures season, bringing together art, collections and research towards common hopeful futures.
Audience
Suitable for ages 18+
Access
Access to the museum, and all public areas within it, is step-free. Further information can be found here.
Finding us
The Museum is located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of central London. The nearest tube stations are Euston Square (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City), Goodge Street (Northern Line), Warren Street (Victoria Line), and buses 18, 30, 73, 134 and 205 stop 3-5 minutes away on Euston Road.
Here's the location on Google to help you find your preferred route.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 18:15 to 21:00
Grant Museum of Zoology Event Grant Museum