York Museums Trust

Events

Gallery Babies – Thu 16 Jul 2026

Gallery Babies

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

Gallery Babies
Thursday 16 July 2026, 10am – 12pm
Free | Pre-booking required |Book Tickets
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 be out in the Burton 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. The session takes place in the Studio, a space with plenty of room 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: Participants must have a pre-booked ticket to attend the session. Gallery Babies admission includes free access to the permanent gallery spaces, tickets for temporary exhibitions require a separate admissions ticket. 

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Draw and Discover – Sat 18 Jul 2026

Draw and Discover

Dates: Saturday 18 July 2026–Sunday 6 September 2026, 10:00 am-4:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Draw and Discover 
Daily 
10am – 4.30pm 
Included in general admission 
Suitable for all ages  

Discover our new Draw and Discover station, where budding artists can collect materials to draw and sketch with during their visit, using the artwork on display as inspiration for their own masterpieces.  

Collect materials from the foyer and get creative!

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Open Studio: Make and Play – Sat 18 Jul 2026

Open Studio: Make and Play

Dates: Saturday 18 July 2026–Sunday 19 July 2026, 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Open Studio: Make and Play
Every Saturday and Sunday from 18 July – 6 September  except 25 July and 8 August 2026
10am – 4pm
Included in general admission
Suitable for all ages 

Discover family friendly stamp and ink activities inspired by the Making Waves: The Art of Woodblock Print exhibition in The Studio. Experiment, collaborate and create! 

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Castle Kitchen – Sat 18 Jul 2026

Castle Kitchen

Date: Saturday 18 July 2026, 10:30 am-4:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Castle Kitchen 
Saturday 18 July 2026
Drop in between 10.30am – 4pm
Suitable for all ages | Included in general admission

Come watch our cookery demonstrations throughout the day of Mrs Beeton’s picnic recipes including Balmoral tarts, Sponge Cake, Tea Cream and Apple Cheesecake. There’s a sweet treat to satisfy everyone’s palate and there’ll be samples to treat your taste buds! 

 Pick up a recipe card or scan the QR code available to get the recipes straight to your phone to try recreate yourself at home. 

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Creative Families – Sat 18 Jul 2026

Creative Families

Date: Saturday 18 July 2026, 10:30 am-3:30 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Creative Families 
Saturday 18 July 2026 
Drop in between 10.30am – 3.30pm 
Included in general admission 
Suitable for all ages 

Join artist Lendita, for a fun, family workshop inspired by the Victorian York Gala. Surrounded by a themed paper-cut installation, created by Yorkshire artist Pippa Dyrlaga, you’ll make a colourful hot air balloon creation. 

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Art Shot Talks – Sat 18 Jul 2026

Art Shot Talks

Dates: Saturday 18 July 2026–Sunday 6 September 2026, 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Art Shot Talks
Daily
11am and 2pm
Included in general admission 

Join a member of our Visitor Experience team for a short, insightful talk on their favourite artwork from the collection.  

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Gala Street Performance  – Tue 21 Jul 2026

Gala Street Performance 

Date: Tuesday 21 July 2026, All Day
Venue: York Castle Museum

Gala Street Performance 
Tuesday 21 July 2026 
Performances throughout the day 
Included in general admission 
Suitable for all ages 

The spirit of York Gala arrives on Kirkgate with live entertainment and performances. Expect fun, laughter and Victorian-inspired acts! 

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Gallery Tales – Wed 22 Jul 2026

Gallery Tales

Date: Wednesday 22 July 2026, 10:15 am-12:15 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Tales 
Wednesday 22 July 2026 
Session 1: 10.15am – 11am | Session 2: 11.30am – 12.15pm 
£7 per child* | Book Tickets
Suitable for ages 2-8  

Join the award-winning Story Craft Theatre and step into a world of imagination where art comes alive and stories leap off the walls! There’s a new interactive storytelling adventure each week, inspired by the artwork at York Art Gallery and designed to spark curiosity, creativity and joy.  

Come along to discover the secret zoo hiding inside the Gallery! Meet artsy animals hiding in the artworks and spot their friends in the galleries! 

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Due to space restrictions, a max of 1 adult per booking.  

*Admission to York Art Gallery is included.  

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Gallery Tales – Wed 22 Jul 2026

Gallery Tales

Date: Wednesday 22 July 2026, 10:15 am-12:15 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Tales 
Wednesday 29 July 2026 
Session 1: 10.15am – 11am | Session 2: 11.30am – 12.15pm 
£7 per child* | Book Tickets
Suitable for ages 2-8  

Join the award-winning Story Craft Theatre and step into a world of imagination where art comes alive and stories leap off the walls! There’s a new interactive storytelling adventure each week, inspired by the artwork at York Art Gallery and designed to spark curiosity, creativity and joy.  

Step into a magical tea party where stories sparkle and inspire.  

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Due to space restrictions, a max of 1 adult per booking.  

*Admission to York Art Gallery is included.  

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Sketchbook Circle at York Art Gallery – Wed 22 Jul 2026

Sketchbook Circle at York Art Gallery

Date: Wednesday 22 July 2026, 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Sketchbook Circle
Wednesday 22 July 2026 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Suitable for ages 16+ | £5 per person* | Book tickets here

*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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