History enthusiasts will be able to brush up on the island’s heritage free of charge from today.

The National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) is opening its doors for free to all Bermuda residents during February.

Throughout the month, NMB will roll out free activity guides for small groups. Activities will feature close-looking, critical thinking and reflection exercises to help visitors to dive deeper into the museum’s collection and Bermuda’s history.

A museum spokeswoman said: “With over 80,000 artefacts in its collection, NMB’s exhibits cover a range of diverse topics including Bermuda’s cultural links with the West Indies and Azores, transatlantic slavery and slavery in Bermuda, Bermuda’s defence heritage, shipwrecks and early Bermuda settlement, the building of Dockyard and much more.

“NMB’s 16-acre property also contains jaw-dropping views, massive cannon, local watercraft, a stunning mural and a children’s playground.

“In addition to our permanent collection, highlights at NMB include our newest contemporary art exhibition, Traces and Pastimes, by local artist Gherdai Hassell which traces Ms Hassell’s family history back to West Africa through stunning, colourful installations that transform the first floor of Commissioner’s House.

“I also encourage everyone in Bermuda to visit the second floor of the house to see the 2021 Dr Reg Grundy Annual Youth Photography Competition finalists – all photographs are by local students aged seven to 18 and the calibre is truly incredible.”

The NMB, located at The Keep in the Royal Naval Dockyard, is offering the free service through sponsorship by insurance company BF&M.

Abigail Clifford, president and COO of BF&M, said: “We believe that sharing the island’s legacy and diverse, rich stories with the broader community is important, so we are excited to sponsor Free for February for our community and support the National Museum.

“We encourage everyone to visit the museum this February and enjoy the many activities on offer.”

NMB executive director Elena Strong added: “Non-profit and private partnerships like this are so important to allow NMB to carry out its work.

“Being able to continue opening our doors for free in February allows us to better connect residents to Bermuda’s past so that learning Bermuda history can be a part of every educational journey on island.”

For more information, visit www.nmb.bm.