Barnsley Bright Nights – 'Museum of the Moon' and 'We Are Stardust'
About the event
Barnsley Bright Nights returns to Barnsley town centre on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 November 2026, from 5.00pm to 8.30pm on both days. Inspired by this year’s theme, Between Earth and Sky, Barnsley College will host a free, family-friendly evening of art, creativity and student-led activities.
Visit our Old Mill Lane campus to experience two major art installations: Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram and We Are Stardust by Daksha Patel. Craft activities will take place at Barnsley College University Centre. ReLoved Boutique will also be open during the event, so make sure you call in and take a look while you are visiting.
Food and refreshments
Visitors will be able to purchase food and drinks from The Open Kitchen. Refreshments will also be available at Barnsley College University Centre.
Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram
Measuring seven metres in diameter, the moon features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 5km of the moon’s surface.
Over its lifetime, the Museum of the Moon will be presented in a number of different ways both indoors and outdoors, so altering the experience and interpretation of the artwork. As it travels from place to place, it will gather new musical compositions and an ongoing collection of personal responses, stories and mythologies, as well as highlighting the latest moon science.
The installation is a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and a newly created surround sound composition by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson. Each venue also programmes their own series lunar inspired events beneath the moon.
Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live arts projects. Living in the UK but working internationally for 19 years, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the globe. Jerram has a set of different narratives that make up his practice which are developing in parallel with one another. He is known worldwide for his large scale public artworks. Visit http://my-moon.org/ for further details.
We Are Stardust by Daksha Patel
We Are Stardust by Daksha Patel is a light projection revealing the magical world of galaxies and stars. Accompanied by an original soundtrack, the artwork explores the origins of planets, stars and life itself. As two galaxies merge, intense starbursts create the conditions for new elements, such as carbon – the basis of all life on Earth – to be formed. The cosmic processes at work in the birth of new planets are brought to life through dynamic simulations of interacting particles. We Are Stardust captures the wonder of gazing at the night sky and reflecting on our place in the universe.
Visitors can enjoy both installations at the Old Mill Lane campus, with creative activities taking place at Barnsley College University Centre. Come along to explore inspiring artwork, discover the science behind the installations and take part in activities for all ages.
This page was last updated on: 22nd October 2026 4:05pm
