Make Plastic History Piecing together human civilization with plastic through creativity and play

Disabled Students Weekly Social: 29th May 6pm - 9pm; Catalyst Building (Stoke Campus); Weekly socials covering all kinds of topics from bingo, social games, logo competitions and more; Health and Wellbeing | Inclusion | Better Staffs

The Full House Deal: 29th May 6pm - 8pm; Ember Lounge; Buy any Burger or Pizza and get a pint for only £2; Ember Lounge

GRADEX DEGREE SHOW OPENING CEREMONY 2026: 29th May 6:30pm - 9pm; Ember square; Creative Industries Degree Show 2026 Official Opening and Awards Ceremony, Ember Square, College Road; Family Friendly | University events | Stoke Campus

SUDC end of year Showcase 2026: 30th May noon - 2pm; Leek Road Venue; Come and see the result of a hard year's work and fun in the dance studio!! From groups to duets & solos, our team is proud to show off our skills. We're also featuring the Idol society in this year's showcase!; Family Friendly | Sport

Bingo!: 1st June 8pm - 10pm; Ember Lounge; Brand new Bingo night, Cash and on the spot prizes and special rounds!; Ember Lounge | Evening Entertainments | Featured Events | Stoke Campus

Karaoke: 2nd June 9pm - 1am; Ember Lounge; Karaoke hosted by the one and only DJ Sherz! Reckon you've got the pipes to impress others, or you and your housemates really want to bond over some terrible singing? Come join us for karaoke at Ember!; Ember Lounge | Evening Entertainments | Music and Dance | Featured Events

Free Pool: 3rd June 4pm - 7pm; Ember Lounge; Why not avoid the rush-hour traffic and come and play pool in Ember, absolutely FREE!; Ember Lounge

Cheap as Chips! 25% OFF EVERYTHING!!!: 3rd June 5pm - 8pm; Ember Lounge; EVERY FOOD ITEM! EVERY DRINK!; Ember Lounge

DJ Open Deck Night: 3rd June 8pm - 11pm; Ember Lounge; Show off your DJ skills, or come and watch what talent Staffs has to offer; Ember Lounge | Evening Entertainments | Music and Dance | Give it a Go

Darts Competition: 4th June 8pm - 10pm; Ember Lounge; Brand new weekly darts competition; Ember Lounge | Evening Entertainments | Sport | Featured Events

Pool Competition: 4th June 8pm - 10pm; Ember Lounge; £1 entry, winner takes all!; Ember Lounge | Evening Entertainments | Sport | Featured Events

The Full House Deal: 5th June 6pm - 8pm; Ember Lounge; Buy any Burger or Pizza and get a pint for only £2; Ember Lounge

SUMMER CLOSEDOWN BAR STOCK EXCHANGE!: 5th June 8pm - midnight; Ember Lounge; Huge discounts, all stock must go!; Ember Lounge | Evening Entertainments | Featured Events

Summer Bird Walk with Vicky Broad at Ford Green North: 8th June 10am - noon; Whitfield Valley Nature Reserve; Wanting to know which birds can be found in the Whitfield Valley Nature Reserve? Join us at Ford Green Brook to find out which birds we can spot, how to recognise their calls and whether they live here all year round or are summer visitors.; Sustainable Union | Off Campus

June River Monitoring Walk at University of Staffordshire Nature Reserve: 10th June 10am - noon; University of Staffordshire Nature Reserve; A gentle stroll introducing people to ways of recording wildlife, birds and plants along the riverside.; Sustainable Union | Off Campus

Tree Identification Walk - Ford Green Brook South: 23rd June 10am - noon; Ford Green Brook South; A gentle walk introducing people to the types of trees growing along Ford Green Brook.; Sustainable Union | Off Campus

Community River Monitoring Walk at Bucknall Park: 24th June 10am - noon; Bucknall Park; A gentle walk through Bucknall Park spotting and identifying birds, insects, plants and trees living along the river Trent.; Sustainable Union | Off Campus

Dragon fly Identification walk - Ford Green Brook North: 29th June 10am - noon; Ford Green Brook North; Have you ever wanted to know what dragonflies and damselflies live around our urban nature reserves? We will be joined by Eleanor Winnett (British Dragonfly Society) sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm!; Sustainable Union | Off Campus

Staffordshire Vegan Festival: 27th September 10:30am - 4:30pm; LRV & VERVE; 50+ fantastic stalls, world food caterers, exciting and inspirational talks / workshops running throughout the day; LRV | Open Lecture or Talk | Verve | Featured Events | Welcome Events | Sustainable Union | Stoke Campus

Mind, Body and Spirit Fair: 28th November 10am - 5pm; Leek Road Venue; Discover holistic wellness through inspiring talks on mindfulness, spirituality, and health; LRV | Stoke Campus

Description

Date: Saturday 20 April 2024
Time: 10am to 5pm
Location: Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3DW
Admission: FREE
Suitable for: Families (activities are suitable for children aged between five and 13)

Make Plastic History with Staffordshire University and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.

Join us in this engaging and educational event, celebrating the ingenuity of human history in combating plastic pollution.

Let your family embark on a positive journey, exploring the archaeological finds of the Anthropocene era, and discover the brilliance of human creativity in shaping solutions to the plastic waste crisis.

It's a full day of interactive microplastic activities at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, promising an experience that's both guilt-free and empowering.

Be part of the movement to shape a sustainable future.???

Events and Activities:

Dive into the adventure!
Head inside our Interactive Whale for an oceanic story telling theatre experience that brings plastic pollution to life, featuring talented actors and singers.

Archaeological dig for plastic
Embark on an archaeological dig at the PMAG sand pits! Use shovels and sieves to excavate plastic artifacts and completing a 'bingo' list for stickers.

Create your own creature
Unleash your creativity at Creature Creations! Recycle plastic waste into clay bugs and let your imagination soar.

Original function challenge
Test your skills in "Guess the Original Function" and discover the hidden stories behind various plastic items.

Ocean bauble crafting
Participate in our citizen science challenge, by creating ocean-themed baubles from cleaned microplastics collected from UK beaches.

Microplastics science experiment
Unravel the secrets of microplastic fibres from your clothes by shaking your way through our interactive Science experiment.

Eco glitter face painting
Get glamorous with eco glitter face painting! Transform yourself while learning about glitter and its connection to microplastics.

Puzzle retreat
Relax in our puzzle zone, solving paper-based puzzles related to animals, plastic pollution, and recycling. Complete at least one puzzle to earn a sticker.

Sustainable straw showdown
Dive into the world of sustainable straws! Guess materials, explore their sustainability, and pick your favourite. Try it out with a refreshing drink from the café.

Plastic alternatives treasure hunt
Embark on a historical journey! Follow the treasure map to discover alternatives to plastic used throughout the ages.

Creative writing and poetry corner
Engage in discussions, receive feedback, or try a writing exercise exploring plastic pollution at our Creative writing and poetry station.

Fossil exploration
Unearth the past with Carboniferous fossils! Museum educators will showcase real fossils, explaining their significance in industrial history and the origins of coal and oil used to make plastic.