Families experienced their local library as they’d never seen it before at an action-packed event. 

Art and science joined forces as Weymouth Library took part in Fun Palaces 2017, an international celebration of culture and community bringing people together through a host of fun activities. 

Hundreds of children and adults alike were welcomed through the doors on Saturday (8) as they enjoyed everything from arts and crafts to science and technology. 

Amazing creatures were on display courtesy of Bugfest, there was an opportunity to learn to play the ukulele with the Daisy Ukuladies, and write a poem with the Harbour Poets. 

Glenn Porter from the Sea Life Centre brought a mobile rockpool where there was a chance to see and feel starfish, sea anemones and other aquatic creatures, and people could take part in a community art project painting a picture of Weymouth.

As well as all of this, there was the chance to learn Spanish, knitting, play with Ozobots and create a fantastic ‘altered book’ into the shape of a hedgehog. A pop-up café also served refreshments with cakes and biscuits donated by Asda.

Nathalie Carter from the library, who helped direct the event, said: “We’re overwhelmed with the amount of people that have turned out to support this community event. 

“It’s fantastic to see so many people interacting with each other through all the activities we’ve got for all ages. It’s lovely to see children and their parents joining in activities together.”

Fun Palaces is based on an idea by the theatre director Joan Littlewood who in 1961 wanted to create a free community arts centre – a '"laboratory of fun".

The idea was revived by writer and theatre-maker Stella Duffy who invited interest from communities to create their own Fun Palaces. By 2016, 292 Fun Palaces across the world were made by 4,800 people with 124,000 taking part.

Victoria Andrews, from Weymouth, went along to the event with daughters Eleanor, Amelia and Penelope. 

She said: “It’s been lovely. We usually come here on a Saturday morning for the children’s activity that they run and we thought we’d missed it, so we’re chuffed to have found this here.

Victoria and her daughters particularly enjoyed the ukulele lesson and mobile rock pool. She added: “It’s nice to have interactive things going on in our library. If you don’t use them you lose them.”