York Museums Trust

Events

Gallery Babies – Thu 12 Mar 2026

Gallery Babies

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

Gallery Babies
Thursday 12 March 2026, 10am – 12pm
Free | Pre-booking required | Sold Out 
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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Life Drawing – Model as Muse – Sat 14 Mar 2026

Life Drawing - Model as Muse

Date: Saturday 14 March 2026, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Life Drawing – Model as Muse
Saturday 14 March 2026, 2pm – 4pm
Adult only (18+) | £15 per person* | Book Now 
*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 18 Mar 2026

Community Birdwatching

Date: Wednesday 18 March 2026, 10:30 am-11:30 am
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Community Birdwatching  

Wednesday 18  March 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 19 Mar 2026

Gallery Babies

Date: Thursday 19 March 2026, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Babies
Thursday 19 March 2026, 10am – 12pm
Free | Pre-booking required | Sold Out 
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 22 Mar 2026

Art for Wellbeing

Date: Sunday 22 March 2026, 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Art for Wellbeing
Sunday 22 March 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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Sketchbook Circle at York Art Gallery – Wed 25 Mar 2026

Sketchbook Circle at York Art Gallery

Date: Wednesday 25 March 2026, 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Sketchbook Circle
Wednesday 25 March 2026 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Suitable for ages 16+ | £5 per person* | Book Now
*General admission to York Art Gallery is included.

Pick up a pencil – draw and discover!

Give yourself time to sharpen and share your drawing skills in this 2-hour sketching workshop with artist Griselda Goldsbrough.

Enjoy working in sketchbooks in a relaxed and friendly group, taking inspiration from the collections at York Art Gallery.

These informal practical art sessions run one Wednesday each month for beginners or those who create regularly. Suitable for ages 16+. Materials are provided. Please book separately for each session.

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Gallery Babies – Thu 26 Mar 2026

Gallery Babies

Date: Thursday 26 March 2026, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Babies
Thursday 26 March 2026, 10am – 12pm
Free | Pre-booking required | Sold Out
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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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  | Tickets coming soon
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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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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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 | 10.00am-4.00pm
Suitable for those aged 16+| £ 60 per person | Tickets coming soon 
An opportunity to learn the traditonal Japanese textle mending method of Sashiko and Boro stiching led by artist Seiko Kinoshita. 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.
In this workshop you’ll be introduced to the basic techniques, using tradtional tools and materials, to create your own unique textile hanging to take home.
Seiko completed a BA in Formative Art at Kinki University, Japan and worked as a printed textile designer and CAD operator for 4 years. On gaining a Rotary International Scholarship, she came to the UK to study an MA in Textile Design at Nottingham Trent University. After finishing her MA, she moved to Sheffield to take a two year Starter Studio Programme at Yorkshire Artspace, Persistence Works. Seiko has her own studio there and enjoys working towards exhibitions, commissions and educational art workshops with schools and community groups.
All materials provided
Suitable for those aged 16+ (under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult)
Refreshments provided by Sketch Cafe.

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