LAWRENCE House is due to close for winter at the end of October, to re-open again at the beginning of April 2017, but there will still be lots of things to see and do before the museum closes.

There will be an exhibition of 70 paintings by local artists of the Grattons Art Group, which was developed from art workshops run by Jacquie Perkin at her home, Grattons, near Launceston.

This continued for many years as part of the Cornwall Adult Education programme, consisting of amateur artists who have attended and benefitted from the workshops over the years.

They are all either local to Launceston or from North and West Devon or North Cornwall. Jacquie is a skilled artist who has exhibited in Devon and Cornwall, and her work has been shown in the Mall Gallery, London.

Their exhibition will open on Tuesday, October 18 and will last until the museum closes on Friday, October 28.

It will be a last chance to see the special exhibition ‘How Cooking Made Us Human’, and this year’s selection of wedding dresses. Visitors can still play the polyphon and purchase this year’s must have double CD of all 50 of the museum’s polyphon discs. It would make the ideal whimsical Christmas present for a ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ fan.

After the museum closes, the discs will be available to purchase at Launceston Tourist Information Centre, as well as by mail order.

To buy, simply send a cheque for £12.20, which includes post and packaging, to Friends of Lawrence House Museum, with a clear note of your name and address, to Cherry Warne, Lawrence House Museum, 9 Castle Street, Launceston, PL15 8BA, and she will be happy to send copies without delay. Cash or cheque payments can only be taken.

The Mermaid of Widemouth Bay revealed her real name at the end of the summer as promised. A wide variety of very imaginative names were entered, including one comedian who suggested ‘Dave’.

The mermaid was finally called ‘Pearl’ and she and her pet seahorse, Hippy, now live in the toy room. There is still time to enter the colouring and painting competitions as these won’t close until the museum reopens in April.

The lovely colouring sheets were specially designed by Launceston artist, Karen Farrington, and are such fun to colour in.

It is also hoped that enough good stories will be entered so the winners can be published in a book, but more entries are still required.

Children are encouraged to come to the museum during half term week to collect a kit, and then spend some rainy winter days colouring and story writing.

Finally, on Wednesday, October 26, people are being encouraged to be a part of this year’s Big Draw at the museum.

Local artist and designer, David Eno, will be giving everyone a free opportunity to draw and paint. For more information, visit the museum’s website.

The museum is open every weekday from 10.30am until 4.30pm, with the last admission being at 4pm.

Members of the public can keep up to date with the website, www.lawrencehousemuseum.org.uk. The museum is signposted from all the town’s car parks, and has a ramp for wheelchair access to the ground floor.