York Museums Trust

Events

Viking North Creative Workshop: Ceramics – Sat 28 Mar 2026

Viking North Creative Workshop: Ceramics

Date: Saturday 28 March 2026, 10:30 am-4:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

Viking North Creative Workshop: Ceramics
Saturday 28 March 2026,
10.30am- 4.00pm
Suitable for 16+ | £55 per person  | Book here
Join us for a full-day ceramics workshop, where history and hands-on creativity come together in an inspiring and relaxed setting. Guided by ceramicist Emily Stubbs, you’ll learn a range of handbuilding techniques – including slab building, coiling, and pinching – to create your own unique clay vessel.
Taking inspiration from one of the star objects in the Viking North exhibition – a remarkable vessel that once held silver coins from the Vale of York Hoard – you’ll be encouraged to explore your own interpretations of form, function, and decoration. Emily will also guide you through surface design using slips and underglazes, introducing techniques such as monoprinting, screenprinting, and sgraffito to help you add texture, pattern, and meaning to your final piece.
The workshop is designed for a small group of 12 participants, ensuring individual support throughout the day. All materials, tools, and refreshments are included, and your finished pots will be kiln-fired and available to collect at a later date. Just bring yourself and an apron – everything else is provided!
All materials will be provided. No experience is necessary
Ages 16+ (under 18 must be accompanied by an adult)

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Life Drawing – Model as Muse – Sat 11 Apr 2026

Life Drawing - Model as Muse

Date: Saturday 11 April 2026, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Life Drawing – Model as Muse
Saturday 11 April  2026, 2pm – 4pm
Adult only (18+) | £15 per person* | Tickets coming soon 
*General admission to York Art Gallery is included.
Join us at York Art Gallery for Life Drawing Workshops; whether you are a regular participant, would like to hone your skills, or try life drawing for the first time. These 2-hour immersive Saturday sessions, led by York based artist and tutor Rob Oldfield, are a wonderful way to experience life drawing in a supportive and friendly environment.

Rob himself has modelled for life classes for many years, as well as teaching life drawing to his students. As workshop leader, Rob encourages, advises and listens, so come along and take advantage of his skills and experience.

Each month alongside our live model muse, there will be an appropriate reproduction of a work specially selected from the Art Gallery collection which we will reference to potentially inspire our activity.

Life Drawing Workshops take place on the second Saturday of each month, tickets will become available approximately a month in advance.

Important information:

Our Life Drawing sessions are suitable for adults only. By booking, you are confirming that you are over 18. Proof of age may be required.

Basic drawing materials will be supplied, but please feel free to bring your own too.

If you’re more than 15 minutes late for your workshop, unfortunately we may not be able to guarantee entry. This is to ensure that participants have the best experience.

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Community Birdwatching – Wed 15 Apr 2026

Community Birdwatching

Date: Wednesday 15 April 2026, 10:30 am-11:30 am
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Community Birdwatching  

Wednesday 15  April 2026 | 10:30-11:30  | Free 

Join our Gardens Duty Manager Isabelle for a community bird watch, and spot some of the various bird species in the gardens

Suitable for all ages, no pre booking required.

Please meet at the bird feeding station next to the rock garden.

 

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Gallery Babies – Thu 16 Apr 2026

Gallery Babies

Date: Thursday 16 April 2026, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Babies
Thursday 16 April 2026, 10am – 12pm
Free | Pre-booking required | Tickets coming soon 
Burton Gallery

Drop-in sensory play sessions every Thursday during term-time, for pre-walking babies and their grown-ups, set in the atmospheric surroundings of York Art Gallery.

Using our beautiful sensory toolkit, a collection of colourful squishy sculptural objects, sessions will be gently facilitated, exploring shape, colour and texture.

Gallery Babies is a welcoming and supportive space to relax, bond with your baby and meet other parents and carers, providing a bit of calm and care to your daily routine.

The session starts at 10am and finishes at 12pm, but you can drop in and out at any time. Even after the session has finished, our sensory toolkit will remain on gallery for you to continue to explore with your baby.

These sessions are designed for pre-walking babies, however we understand that you may have your hands full with more than one child! If that’s the case the Studio will be open and can be used as a space to play, read and eat much needed snacks outside of the galleries if needed. Buggy parking and baby changing facilities available.

We are also offering a special offer in Sketch café for anybody attending a session: Hot drink and cake £7.00 and lunch and drink £15.00.

Please note: Gallery Babies admission includes free access to the permanent gallery spaces, tickets for temporary exhibitions require a separate admissions ticket. 

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An Introduction to Sashiko and Boro – Sun 19 Apr 2026

An Introduction to Sashiko and Boro

Date: Sunday 19 April 2026, 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

An Introduction to Sashiko and Boro
Sunday 19 April 2026 | 10am – 4pm
£ 60 pp | Tickets coming soon 
Suitable for ages 16+
An opportunity to learn the traditional Japanese textile mending method of ‘Sashiko and Boro’ stitching with artist Seiko Kinoshita. In this creative workshop you’ll be introduced to the basic techniques, using traditional tools and materials, and will create your own unique textile hanging to take home.
Sashiko means “little stabs” in Japanese or “little pierce” and is a way of decorating fabric by sewing small, repetitive stitches that started out of practical need during the Edo era (1615-1868) in Japan.
All materials and light refreshments are provided.
Participants aged under 18 must be accompanied by an adult

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Gallery Babies – Thu 23 Apr 2026

Gallery Babies

Date: Thursday 23 April 2026, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Babies
Thursday 23 April 2026, 10am – 12pm
Free | Pre-booking required | Tickets coming soon 
Burton Gallery

Drop-in sensory play sessions every Thursday during term-time, for pre-walking babies and their grown-ups, set in the atmospheric surroundings of York Art Gallery.

Using our beautiful sensory toolkit, a collection of colourful squishy sculptural objects, sessions will be gently facilitated, exploring shape, colour and texture.

Gallery Babies is a welcoming and supportive space to relax, bond with your baby and meet other parents and carers, providing a bit of calm and care to your daily routine.

The session starts at 10am and finishes at 12pm, but you can drop in and out at any time. Even after the session has finished, our sensory toolkit will remain on gallery for you to continue to explore with your baby.

These sessions are designed for pre-walking babies, however we understand that you may have your hands full with more than one child! If that’s the case the Studio will be open and can be used as a space to play, read and eat much needed snacks outside of the galleries if needed. Buggy parking and baby changing facilities available.

We are also offering a special offer in Sketch café for anybody attending a session: Hot drink and cake £7.00 and lunch and drink £15.00.

Please note: Gallery Babies admission includes free access to the permanent gallery spaces, tickets for temporary exhibitions require a separate admissions ticket. 

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Art for Wellbeing – Sun 26 Apr 2026

Art for Wellbeing

Date: Sunday 26 April 2026, 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Art for Wellbeing
Sunday 26 April 2026, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Suitable for ages 16+ Included in general admission | Booking not required

Art activities to release your creative energy!
Set in the beautiful surroundings of York Art Gallery’s Studio space, this 2-hour workshop gives opportunity for discovery and time to explore a variety of art materials and inspiring themes designed to promote wellbeing.
Enjoy the company of others, creating art with gentle guidance from artist Griselda Goldsbrough.
Please note: This practical art workshop is for ages 16+ and runs one Sunday each month. There is no need to pre-book for this session and it is suitable for all abilities.

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Gallery Babies – Thu 30 Apr 2026

Gallery Babies

Date: Thursday 30 April 2026, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Babies
Thursday 30 April 2026, 10am – 12pm
Free | Pre-booking required | Tickets coming soon 
Burton Gallery

Drop-in sensory play sessions every Thursday during term-time, for pre-walking babies and their grown-ups, set in the atmospheric surroundings of York Art Gallery.

Using our beautiful sensory toolkit, a collection of colourful squishy sculptural objects, sessions will be gently facilitated, exploring shape, colour and texture.

Gallery Babies is a welcoming and supportive space to relax, bond with your baby and meet other parents and carers, providing a bit of calm and care to your daily routine.

The session starts at 10am and finishes at 12pm, but you can drop in and out at any time. Even after the session has finished, our sensory toolkit will remain on gallery for you to continue to explore with your baby.

These sessions are designed for pre-walking babies, however we understand that you may have your hands full with more than one child! If that’s the case the Studio will be open and can be used as a space to play, read and eat much needed snacks outside of the galleries if needed. Buggy parking and baby changing facilities available.

We are also offering a special offer in Sketch café for anybody attending a session: Hot drink and cake £7.00 and lunch and drink £15.00.

Please note: Gallery Babies admission includes free access to the permanent gallery spaces, tickets for temporary exhibitions require a separate admissions ticket. 

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An Introduction to Japanese Woodblock Printing – Sun 17 May 2026

An Introduction to Japanese Woodblock Printing

Date: Sunday 17 May 2026, 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

An Introduction to Japanese Woodblock Printing 
Sunday 17 May 2026 | 10am – 4pm 
£60 pp | Tickets coming soon  
Suitable for ages 16+
Create a small edition of A5 woodblock prints to take home with you in this taster course with tutor Kathryn Desforges.
Made famous by artists such as Hokusai who created The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Japanese woodblock printing, or ‘Mokuhanga’ technique, dates back hundreds of years and is still used by contemporary artists all over the world today.
You’ll be guided through designing an image and transferring it to a wood block, carving the design using specialist tools, and printing your image by hand with watercolour paints. There will also be the opportunity to experiment with using creative inking techniques such as ‘bokashi’ to achieve gradients and multi-coloured prints.
Please note this method of printing requires a degree of arm, wrist and finger dexterity and strength.
All materials and light refreshments are provided. Suitable for beginners or those looking for a refresher.
Participants aged under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

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Ikebana Floral Design – Sun 21 Jun 2026

Ikebana Floral Design

Date: Sunday 21 June 2026, 10:00 am-12:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Ikebana Floral Design 
Sunday 21 June 2026  | 10am – 12.30pm
£50 pp |  Tickets coming soon
Suitable for ages 16+

Celebrate the summer solstice with this Japanese inspired floral design workshop, equipping you with the practical skills needed to create stunning displays at home.

Learn the main principals of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, with floral design studio Terra Flora. Create a beautiful bowl display whilst learning about how to work seasonally to make naturalistic florals and botanical installation spaces for occasions and events. You’ll take home your creation and a basic kit to get you started on your floral journey which includes a kenzan (flower pin frog) and a simple display bowl.

A modern approach to using fresh cut flowers, this technique emphasises finding inspiration in the natural world, and, in part demonstrates a modern interpretation of this ancient tradition.

Tools and materials are provided. You’ll take home with your creations that will include a basic kit to get you started on your floral journey. The kit includes a kenzan (flower pin frog) and a simple display bowl.
All materials and light refreshments are provided.
Participants aged under 18 must be accompanied by an adult

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