Illustrator and inspirer Jenny Bowers will be back at the Museum with another super special workshop to accompany the ‘Earth Magic’ exhibition.

Families with children aged 5+ are invited to join Jenny and make your very own family almanac zine. Come and have fun being creative!

Free, donations very welcome, no need to book just drop in.

Part of the Earth Magic exhibition programme curated by Patricia Brien.

Gloucestershire was at the heart of the Arts and Crafts Movement, with many artists, architects and craftspeople settling in the area for life. At the same time at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th people were reviving the old folk traditions in our villages and towns, and the artists and designers of the Movement were part of that – especially at Christmas time. Discover how they spent their Christmases, the carols they sang, and the art they produced as personal gifts for each other, the books and song sheets they illustrated - as well as exploring Christmas-based art we can all visit in our churches.

• This talk takes place in the Museum’s meeting room next to the art gallery.

• Duration approximately 45 minutes to one hour.

• Tea, coffee and mince pies included.

Tickets £7 (£5 for Museum in the Park Members)

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394

Image: Stained glass by M. E. Aldrich Rope, 1939, St. John, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire © Cathy Stillman-Lowe

Please save the date!

Join Buzz Club and friends for a morning of crafts, candle dipping, an update from BuzzClub Ghana, delicious soup and rolls and more.

Family-friendly event, free entry, small charge for some activities to pay for materials, all ages welcome. Miss Daisy’s soup, cakes and sweet treats will be available to buy. Donations to support our friends BuzzClub Ghana very welcome.

This workshop with Geraldine Hudson is part of the Earth Magic exhibition programme:

MARE Workshop #1

Animism in the Contemporary Realm. Re-cognition and co-creation.

“ MARE is a nomadic art school which has at its core an intention to recognise, honour and work with the entanglements of Magick, Art & Ecology through a series of seminars and workshops, and eventually a longer course. There is no academic goal or product outcome, rather a hope to activate and facilitate individuals to realise the potential they are capable of through their art making, and how this in turn has the potential to facilitate re-alignment, re-conciliation and co-creativity with our other than human beings and the planet.”

For further details and tickets click here.

‘Earth Magic, Collective Mysteries’ shows in the Museum’s Art Gallery from 15 November to 21 December 2025.

Sorry - this workshop has been cancelled due to illness. Keep warm and well!

A workshop with Cat Rogers responding with the myth of the Caileach - in essence, a seasonal deity - she who rules the winter months in various Celtic traditions in the British Isles. Participants will be encouraged to use all their senses in a playful adventure working with their own story to weave earth magic into it. The workshop will be 2 hours and includes an invitation to bring a story to work with, an open heart to work in a small group and enjoy a place of hope and healing amidst the stress and anxiety of today's world.  

Taking inspiration from the changing seasons, and the spiral of life, time and memory, Cat seek out stories in liminal spaces, where it seems they have been waiting to weave their magic. Her process has developed through study of astrology, tarot and shamanic healing, as well as reading, researching and listening to old and familiar stories, told by different voices around the world.  

Tickets £10 (£7 concs), booking required.

Book online or call 01453 763394

Part of the Earth Magic exhibition programme

Illustrator and inspirer Jenny Bowers will be back at the Museum with a super special workshop to accompany the ‘Earth Magic’ exhibition.

Families with children aged 5+ are invited to join Jenny and make your very own family primstav, a traditional Norwegian calendar stick. As we look towards the end of the year and beginning of a new one, this is the perfect time to create a very special family calendar and learn about traditional Norwegian folk calendars as you enjoy making together.

Free, donations very welcome, no need to book just drop in.

Part of the Earth Magic exhibition programme curated by Patricia Brien.

Underworld mythos: dreaming, decomposition, regeneration

Join exhibition artists for the opening of the new exhibition, ‘Earth Magic, Collective Mysteries’.

Artists Wendy Sharpe and Louise van den Muyzenburg talk about their practices and work with curator Patricia Brien.

Musical intervention: Arbouring, Part 1.

All welcome, no need to book just come along. Free but donations appreciated to support the Art Gallery programme.

Love manga? Keen to create your own? Then you mustn’t miss this brilliant workshop with two renowned experts in the genre.

Italian graphic novel publisher Baltazar Pagani and Japanese graphic novelist and illustrator Fumio Obata, co-authors of “How to Be a Manga Artist”, are coming to Stroud Book Festival to share their inside manga knowledge: from building stories and characters to exploring what makes manga special.

You’ll learn about some of manga’s most fascinating characters as you explore the secrets of manga storytelling and how each of us can tell our own stories through comics.

All materials provided – 30 places only. Accompanying adults do not need to buy a ticket but must remain on the premises for the duration of the workshop. You can explore the museum, gallery and shop where you’ll be entitled to a 10% discount. Alternatively, if you cannot stay, you’ll need to fill out a registration form when you arrive.

For ages 10-18. Tickets £12.

Booking essential! Book online at Stroud Book Festival 

Do you love writing stories? Do you love all things thrilling and spine-chilling? Then you must not miss this spooky story Stroud Book Festival writing masterclass, led by award-winning author, Christopher Edge.

Drawing inspiration from his new book “Fear Files: Hide and Seek”, the first in a brand-new horror series, Christopher will help you beat your fear of the blank page and develop the skills you need to create spine-tingling stories! By the end of the workshop, everyone will have written the opening to their own chilling tale.

All materials provided – 30 places only. Accompanying adults do not need to buy a ticket but must remain on the premises for the duration of the workshop. You can explore the museum, gallery and shop where you’ll be entitled to a 10% discount. Alternatively, if you cannot stay, you’ll need to fill out a registration form when you arrive.

For ages 8–14. Tickets £12.

Booking essential! Book online at Stroud Book Festival

Come along to The Museum in the Park’s cozy shop and foyer café and meet legendary illustrator Tony Meeuwissen. Snap up a copy of his wonderful book ‘Remarkable Animals’ - every home should have one and it makes an ideal gift for all ages!

Museum, gallery and shop open until 5pm on 8 and 9 November as part of Stroud Book Festival, with a special 10% Festival discount on all shop and café purchases.

Discover how the art of book illustration flourished in Britain from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. From the first forays of the Pre-Raphaelites into illustration, Walter Crane's toy books, Edward Burne-Jones at William Morris's Kelmscott Press, as well as Aubrey Beardsley, Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac and many more – including people like Charles March Gere and Maxwell Armfield who worked here in the Cotswolds. This talk will uncover the new trends in art, design and technology that led to this flowering of excellence. It was an exciting time of experimentation on the one hand and lavish productions on the other - we'll explore this fascinating period when book illustration became a high art in and of itself.

This illustrated talk by Kirsty Hartsiotis is linked to Stroud Book Festival

• Event takes place in the Museum’s meeting room next to the art gallery.

• Duration approximately 45 minutes to one hour.

• Tea and coffee included.

Tickets £7 (£5 for Museum in the Park Members)

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394

Image: ‘She went along, and went along, and went along’ by Arthur Rackham for English Folk Tales by Flora Annie Webster Steel (Macmillan and Co., 1922)

Join Gaynor from Stroudwater Textile Trust and have fun with Halloween-themed crafts, making spooky spiders or scary masks or maybe even a glow-in-the-dark trick or treat bag. All ages welcome, a free family drop-in workshop in our downstairs Meeting Room, for parents/carers and children to enjoy together.

Enjoy a walk in the park collecting colourful fallen leaves and then come and join artist Corinne Hockley and make a gorgeous Autumn crown to wear!

For families with children of all ages, free but donations welcome to support the Museum.

Don’t forget to say hello to sculptor Natasha Houseago too - she’ll be showing visitors how to make charcoal with her mini forge.

Come and join Natasha Houseago who will be running an outdoor charcoal drawing workshop using her tiny Indian, jewellery making forge to make stick charcoal in old tobacco tin ovens. 

Natasha will prepare ash drawing boards so you can make some ‘Earth Fire Iron’ exhibition inspired charcoal drawings on the boards. 

It might be interesting to look at how nature has inspired Alan Evan's beautiful metal work, and work by young makers such as Neve Taylor-Bridges whose sculpture ‘Arachne’ is on display in the Walled Garden. From Spider's webs, to stalks and leaves there are so many natural references in the exhibition. 

You will be able to take your drawing home after it's been spray varnished. All ages welcome, but please wear warm layers! Hot drinks and cakes available to buy inside.

Free, donations welcome, part of the Earth Fire Iron programme.

As part of our Green Halloween event with SVP we’ll be showing this much-loved animated film based on the wonderful children's picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler

A kind witch invites a surprising collection of animals to join her on her broom, much to the frustration of her cat. The gang ultimately saves the witch from a fearsome dragon, and in gratitude she rewards them with a magnificent new broom which has room for everyone. A magical tale about friendship and family from the producers of the hugely successful The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child.

Featuring the voices of Gillian Anderson (Witch), Rob Brydon (Cat), Martin Clunes (Dog), Sally Hawkins (Bird), Simon Pegg (Narrator), Timothy Spall (Dragon) and David Walliams (Frog).

Free entry for all families and individuals who are taking part in the carved Pumpkin Lantern Trail which shows from 5.30pm to 6pm outside the Museum. No need to book, just drop off your carved pumpkin, marrow or turnip by 5pm sharp, then head to the Meeting Room and enjoy the show. All ages welcome.

As part of SVP’s Green Halloween afternoon, Miss Daisy will be selling her delicious homemade soup, sausage rolls, yummy cakes and hot drinks outside the Museum. So if you get peckish while you wait to see your pumpkin lantern glowing in the dark, be sure to say hello and treat yourselves! Cash preferred if possible please.

Carve a pumpkin lantern at home, bring it to the Museum and join our annual Autumn celebration, a family friendly event with Stroud Valleys Project. This year our theme is a Green Halloween!

Drop in from 2.30pm to enjoy creative craft activities using recycled or natural materials, making flying bats and seasonal headdresses. Get money saving tips on how to source costumes and make decorations that are planet-friendly and fun.

Don your homemade or second hand costume and bring along your carved pumpkin, marrow or turnip by 4.45pm for a chance to win a prize. This year our judges are:  

Melissa Mayer – local primary school teacher

Jim Pilston – well-known local artist who exhibited at the Museum last year

Shannon Newtown – Book Festival organiser and Museum Trustee

At 5pm, we’ll be screening ‘Room on The Broom’, a short animated film based on the much-loved book.

The afternoon will end with a chance to view your carved lantern creations lit up outside the museum between 5.30pm - 6pm.

A family friendly event for all ages. Free entry, cakes and drinks available to buy from the Museum and from Miss Daisy’s Pop Up Stall outside.

Yew Tree Press and friends will be back with an evening of poetry readings to enjoy in the Walled Garden Pavilion. Free admission, books and drinks available to buy, no need to book just come along and enjoy poetry and good company and conversation.

Doors open at 7.30pm and the event starts at 8pm.

The Earth Fire Iron exhibition will be open between 7.30pm and 8pm.

Cash donations appreciated for drinks, or bring your own to share.

For further details see Yew Tree Press.

For directions, or if you require accessible parking, please call the Museum team on 01453 763394.

With Charlotte Abrahams, Daniel Carpenter, Val Michael & Lisa Wisdom

Venue: Hawkwood Centre for Future Thinking, Painswick Old Road, Stroud GL6 7QW

Event date and time: Wednesday 22 October 2025 7:30pm - 9:00pm

As part of the Earth Fire Iron exhibition programme, this panel discussion will consider the relationship between craft and sustainability. How might a better understanding of materials and the way in which we use them lower carbon emissions?

The panel will include: Daniel Carpenter (CEO of Heritage Crafts), Val Michael (one half of Michael MacGregor leatherworkers, Tetbury) and Lisa Wisdom (artist blacksmith from Cornwall). The discussion will be chaired by freelance writer and curator, Charlotte Abrahams.

You are welcome to join the pre-event supper which will be served at 6.30pm - if you would like to add this to your booking, please choose the Supper & Event option when you book.

Book now via Hawkwood’s website.

A talk exploring the the Art School and Nurturing Creativity, Heritage & Innovation in Contemporary Metal Arts Education.

Del Done MBE, CWCB, is Head of the School of Materials and Design and Course Leader for BA(Hons) Artist Blacksmithing, has an MA in Forged Metal Arts, and an MA Contemporary Crafts. She is a globally renowned scholar and educator, deeply rooted in the discipline of forged metal arts and crafts. We are delighted to welcome her to Stroud and invite you to join us.

After the talk there will be an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and discuss today’s challenges for young people and educators.

Tea and cake at 4.30pm, talk starts at 5pm.

For teachers, teaching assistants, artists, activists, makers and anyone passionate about the importance of hands-on creative crafts and arts and crafts education.

Free but booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394 

Part of the Earth Fire Iron programme.