DATE: 14 January 2020

We have a wide range of events happening at all our sites including York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum and York Art Gallery throughout February and March! See them all below.

If you want entry into all sites, why not buy a YMT card that gives you access to all three sites for a whole year! Find out more here.

 

York Castle Museum

Meet Dick Turpin!

Saturday 8^th and Sunday 9^th February
Saturday 29^th Feb and Sunday 1^st March
Saturday 14^th and Sunday 15^th March

11am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm

Highwayman Dick Turpin, was held in the prison buildings which now house York Castle Museum for the last six months of his life, and would have spent his last few hours alive in the Condemned Cell. Although known as a highwayman and a robber, he was sentenced to death for horse stealing and was hanged at York’s Knavesmire. On certain weekends throughout February and March; Turpin, alias actor Gary Goldthorpe, will be in the spooky cell telling families about his exploits. Included in admission.

 

Catnapped!

Saturday 15^th – Sunday 23^rd February
All day

A  Victorian feline thief is on the loose at York Castle Museum this February half term and the Police need your help to put the hoodlum behind bars. The thief has struck on the Victorian street Kirkgate, stealing the defenceless moggy – which belongs to the Lord Mayor – with no apparent motive. We need visitors to become ‘young detectives’ and help police to return the cat to its owner and catch the thief. Included in admission.

 

Rat Catcher

Sunday 22^nd March

11am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm

The streets of Kirkgate need you help! Overrun with rats, the Mayor has employed Jim Snatch to rid the streets of them. Jim has been a rat catcher since he was a boy. It is a highly skilled trade not for the faint hearted; a profession that needs much learning and courage. Join him on Kirkgate to take up the challenge of mastering these most cunning creatures and become a rat catcher yourself! Included in admission.

Storytelling

Saturday 21^st March and Sunday 22^nd March

A treat awaits for our youngest audiences in the form of Lucy Ridley who returns to the Castle Museum to entertain and amuse you with an interactive story time! With props and activities timetabled throughout the day, join us for just the story or for the full 40 minutes of activities.

Story telling takes place in the workhouse at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:30pm

No need to book, free, museum admission applies.

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Yorkshire Museum

 

Vikings Sword & Drill

Weekends (8^th February – 22^nd March)

11am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm

Be put through your paces with our resident Viking as you take part in our Viking Sword and Drill sessions. Included in museum admission. No need to book.

 

Viking Play Area

Everyday 1 February – 29 March

Discover our Medieval York: Capital of the North Gallery and investigate our Museum Monkeys Under 5s play area to discover Viking themed toys & books. Included in museum admission. No need to book.

 

Viking Trail

Everyday 1 February – 29 March

Take a trail around the museum and see if you can spot our seven Viking characters to find the missing letters that spell a special Viking word. Hand it in to our Visitor Experience team for a little chocolate treat and to enter our prize draw to win a Viking game! 50p per trail, no need to book.

 

February Half term

Saturday 15 February – Sunday 23 February

 

Viking Rune Making

The Vikings had their own system of writing called Runes. Join us this half term as we celebrate the Viking Festival with Rune Making. Learn the Runic Alphabet; it’s as easy as A, B, C! Choose your stones and write your name or make a simple message for a friend. Pick up a hessian drawstring bag on the way out to take them home and keep them safe. Museum admission applies. £1.50 charge. No need to book.

 

Viking Voyages

Imagine travelling back 1000 years in time to experience Viking life first hand in this interactive storytelling journey. Act out a saga of a perilous voyage to Jorvik wearing Viking costumes and role play setting sail in a longboat for a new life. Included in museum admission. No need to book.

 

Kids Collections Corner: Vikings

Tuesday, 18 February
12.30pm – 1pm

Join us for our new style of Kids Curators Talks. Taking place in a dedicated room, the talk takes the form of participatory involvement including hands on activity or a demonstration. It is led by curatorial and learning members of staff and suitable for 7 – 11 year olds with provisions included for our early years visitors. Included in museum admission. No need to book.

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York Art Gallery

Prop Making, Characters from the Snail and the Whale

Saturday 15^th & 16^th February

11am- 1pm & 2pm- 4pm

Join our prop making workshops where we will be inspired by characters from the Snail and the Whale. Why not come back during the week with your hand made prop to play the part of one of the characters in our interactive storytelling sessions held Monday to Friday. Enjoy our week day storytelling sessions based on the Snail and the Whale surrounded by our Coast to Coast sea images! Perfect for snails with itchy feet! Free family friendly drop in work shop. All material included. Gallery admission applies.

 

Weekdays Interactive Storytelling, The Snail and the Whale

17, 18, 19, 20 & 21 February

10:45am-1pm & 2pm-4pm

Join explorer Sailor Sally as she tells this heart- warming adventure, based on Julia Donaldson much loved picture book, The Snail and the Whale.

At the end of the storytelling there will be the opportunity to stay and play, meeting the characters and perhaps creating your own adventure! So why not come and enjoy our week day interactive storytelling sessions surrounded by our Coast to Coast sea images in the Upper North Gallery. Perfect for snails with itchy feet!

For story lovers aged 3+ and their families. Free drop in. Gallery admission applies.

 

Painted Pebbles-ART ROCKS!

Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 February

11am- 1pm & 2pm- 4pm

In celebration of the last weekend of our Coast to Coast exhibition, join us in these free Family Friendly drop in sessions in the learning studio. Decorate your own beach pebble in this creative activity suitable for both adults and children, and discover that ART ROCKS!

All material included. Gallery admission applies.

 

Monsters in the making….join us for a series of Monster Making workshops on weekends up to the 22 March. Look out for the extra special Golden Monster!

 

Monsters in the Making…

Saturday 29 February & Sunday 1 March

11:00 am- 1pm & 2 pm- 4 pm

There’s a mini monster! Where? There! WHERE? In the artist garden….

This activity offers the excitement of discovering a monster hidden in the Artist Garden, and the opportunity to create your own individual narratives and a 3D friend for your found monster. Be encouraged to develop stories and make your own clay creation back in the Learning Studio. Where did you spot your monster? Did you take a photo of them? What do they look like? What do they like to eat? Is your Monster good at art? Is that why they were in the artist garden or perhaps they like to sit and look at the shapes in clouds/a day dreamer? Free family friendly drop in work shop. All material included. Gallery admission applies.

 

Whacky and Wonderful

Saturday 7 & 8 March

11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm

Create whacky and wonderful textured creations using air drying clay and combinations of everyday materials in this family friendly workshop inspired by Gillian Lowndes. One of the most unusual things about Gillian Lowndes work is the different materials she uses. She called herself a “materials-driven artist” and she experimented with lots of new techniques and ways of working with clay, often including other types of materials and ‘found’ objects in her work. Why not come along and be inspired! Free family friendly drop in work shop. All material included. Gallery admission applies.

 

Monsters in the Making

Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 March

11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm

There’s a mini monster! Where? There! WHERE? In the artist garden….

This activity offers the excitement of discovering a monster hidden in the Artist Garden, and the opportunity to create your own individual narratives and a 3D friend for your found monster. Be encouraged to develop stories and make your own clay creation back in the Learning Studio. Where did you spot your monster? Did you take a photo of them? What do they look like? What do they like to eat? Is your Monster good at art? Is that why they were in the artist garden or perhaps they like to sit and look at the shapes in clouds/a day dreamer? Free family friendly drop in work shop. All material included. Gallery admission applies.

 

Junk Monster

Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 March

11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm

Using a wide variety of recycling materials let your imaginations fly and cut and glue egg boxes and kitchen roll tubes together to create your own unique monster body. Decorate and add monster features using the googly eyes-don’t forget to give your monster a name! Free family friendly drop in work shop. All material included. Gallery admission applies.