Leeds Castle is joining other heritage properties for this year’s UK-wide Museums at Night festival on 16 May

You can enjoy an exclusive evening at The Gatehouse showcasing the new exhibition of the history of Leeds Castle and a private talk with the Head Gardener in the beautiful Culpeper Garden.

The event will take place from 6.30pm to 8.30pm for the special ticket price of £7 including a drink, bookable in advance on the Leeds Castle website www.leeds-castle.com/events.

Guests will be treated to an evening preview of The Gatehouse, a new exhibition on the history of the Castle, including the first public viewing of the incredible Virtual Model, a computer-generated fly-through history of the Castle from its 12th-century origins as a stone fortress on the River Len.

This is the chance for an in-depth look at some of the Castle’s finest treasures, including a medieval crusader’s sword from the Arsenal of Alexandria, a missal box said to have belonged to Anne Boleyn, and a buff leather jacket worn at the Battle of Maidstone in 1648.

Curator, Tori Reeve, will be leading the tour with expert costume conservator, Zenzie Tinker, who will be talking about her work on Lady Baillie’s sequinned taffeta evening gown, and sculptor Gary Hall, on mannequin-making for historic armour and military clothing.

Museums at Night guests will be able to meet the Head Gardener to hear about the history and maintenance of the formal gardens at Leeds Castle with an inspiring talk in the English cottage garden-style Culpeper Garden and Lady Baillie Mediterranean Garden.

This is not only the perfect opportunity for people who do not normally have the chance to visit the Castle grounds during usual open hours to discover over 900 years of history in the course of an evening, but also for them to visit during the very first week that the new exhibition at The Gatehouse will be open to the public.

Tickets are £7 per person including a glass of wine for over 18s only and the evening runs from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Tickets must be pre-booked online and spaces are limited. Please note the Castle building will not be open during the evening event.

? For more information visit www.leeds-castle.com/events or call 01622 765400. Leeds Castle is located near Maidstone, just off Junction 8 of the M20.