Messages in Beads: Adornment, Identity & Meaning

27th August 2026

Quex House and Gardens, Home to the Powell-Cotton Museum

South African artist and facilitator Nomakhwezi Becker invites participants to connect with museum collections through poetry, reflection and collaborative making at Quex House

Drop-in from 11am to 2pm (times subject to change)

Explore the stories held within Zulu beadwork and textiles alongside your own memories and experiences.

Through guided writing exercises and collective making, you are invited to contribute to a large-scale collaborative weaving installation inspired by traditions of textile-making, storytelling and connection.

Using fabrics, ribbons, threads and written fragments, you’ll weave personal reflections, memories, hopes and messages into an evolving communal artwork. Inspired by the museum’s textile and beadwork collections, the installation will grow throughout the exhibition period, becoming a living archive of visitor voices.

Contributions can be as simple as a single word, a short poem, a memory or a symbolic gesture woven into the structure.

Together, these individual responses will create a collective piece that reflects the many stories, connections and experiences shared through the project.

All drop-ins are included with standard museum admission. Simply book tickets for your preferred date to take part.

Click here to find out more about Quex House and Gardens, Home to the Powell-Cotton Museum

Tickets and Pricing

£6.13 plus booking fee

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Location

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Address

Messages in Beads: Adornment, Identity & Meaning (Aug 2026) The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex Park, Birchington-on-Sea, Birchington
CT7 0BH

Contact

enquiries@powell-cottonmuseum.org 01843 842168

Links

Website

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Free car parking

Gift shop

Groups welcome

Restaurant / Cafe / Tea shop

Suitable for families