Dates: Thursday 24 April 2025–Friday 20 June 2025, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Venue: DIG

24 April – 20 June 2025 | 10am – 4pm | DIG | Included in admission price | Book now

Step into the world of ancient gladiators and uncover a truly unique encounter at DIG! While gladiators battling lions and bears have long captured the imagination, evidence of these fierce encounters has been limited to historical texts and artistic depictions—until now.

This spring, DIG is proud to present an extraordinary display: skeletal remains believed to bear genuine lion bite marks. Alongside this discovery, witness a stunning facial reconstruction that brings history vividly to life.

Join our Dig Deeper tours—an exclusive, adult-focused experience held at the end of each day. These tours spotlight the gladiator remains and other fascinating artifacts from our collection. Learn from real archaeologists, ask your burning questions about life on a dig, and handle replica artifacts. You’ll also gain hands-on experience in our interactive dig pits, discovering what it’s like to uncover the past.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to come face-to-face with history. Book your visit today!

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Date: Wednesday 7 May 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Venue: Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum

Join Mike Bamforth (Department of Archaeology at the University of York) for the next in our series of free talks in association with our current exhibition, Star Carr: Life after the ice.

About the Talk

Star Carr is renowned for the exceptional survival of organic artefacts. The waterlogged wood excavated at the site allows an incredibly rare glimpse into the use of a material that, whilst used ubiquitously in the Mesolithic, almost never survives. Large deposits of wood describe lake edge platforms and possible trackways into the lake, with many well preserved wooden artefacts recovered, including a bow, digging sticks and probable spear shafts. The wood assemblage helps our understanding of the type of woodland being exploited and the ancient woodworking techniques people used to shape and form this versatile material.

From the challenges of excavating and recording 11,000 year old wood, to the experimental programmes devised to better understand what was discovered and  ultimately to some of the reconstructions this led to, this lecture aims to give a broad overview of the study of wood and woodworking technology at Star Carr and how it can help us to better understand the lives of the people who lived there.

Image credit: Cambridge Archaeological Unit

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Date: Saturday 10 May 2025, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Explore this end of project exhibition by the young participants of our weekly National Saturday Club arts course.

On display in our newly upgraded Art Studio. Open to the public from 12pm onwards on Saturday 10th May.

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Date: Wednesday 14 May 2025, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Fundraiser: In Conversation With Harland Miller, hosted by Tim Marlow
14 May 2025 | York Art Gallery | 6.30pm | £60 for one ticket, £100 for two tickets | Book here

Join us for an engaging evening with renowned artist and writer Harland Miller, hosted by the esteemed art historian and broadcaster Tim Marlow. This event promises a deep dive into Miller’s eclectic career, from his  critically acclaimed novel to his new exhibition showcasing paintings and works on paper from his renowned ‘Letter Paintings’ series.

Inspired by his upbringing in 1970s Yorkshire and an itinerant lifestyle in New York, New Orleans, Berlin and Paris during the 1980s and ’90s, Miller creates colourful and graphically vernacular works that convey his love of popular language and attest to his enduring engagement with its narrative, aural and typographical possibilities.

Harland Miller is known for his unique blend of visual art and literature, often infusing his works with sardonic humour and poignant social commentary.

Tim Marlow, Director and Chief Executive of the Design Museum, brings his extensive knowledge and charismatic presentation style to the conversation.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear first-hand from Harland Miller about his creative process, inspirations, and the stories behind his iconic works. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a literature lover, or simply curious, this event is sure to be both enlightening and entertaining.

The evening will feature a book signing for Harland’s new book, XXX, published by Phaidon. This book, the first to focus solely on Miller’s ‘Letter Paintings’, showcases over 100 artworks and new photos of the artist in his studio, providing a unique glimpse into Miller’s world. Books will be available for purchase during the event.

This is an intimate evening, with limited tickets –  so secure yours now, for an evening of art, literature, and lively discussion!

This event will be raising funds for York Museums Trust – Charity number: 1092466

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Date: Thursday 15 May 2025, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

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Date: Saturday 17 May 2025, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

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 regular two-hour immersive Saturday sessions, led by Rob Oldfield, are a wonderful way to experience life drawing in a supportive and friendly environment.

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Date: Sunday 18 May 2025, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

10.30am – 12.30pm, free

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Date: Wednesday 21 May 2025, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

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Date: Wednesday 21 May 2025, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

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Date: Wednesday 21 May 2025, 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

 1:30pm-3:30pm, £5 per person

Book tickets here

Tickets will become available approximately a month in advance.

Pick up a pencil – draw and discover!

Give yourself time to sharpen and share your drawing skills in this two-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. Materials provided.

These informal practical art sessions are for adults only (16+) and are suitable for absolute beginners or those who create regularly.

Sessions will run on one Wednesday each month.(Please book separately for each session).

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