Are you fascinated by the magic of pop-up books and the ingenious art of paper sculpture? Want to learn some fun and fabulous paper engineering techniques?  If the answer if yes, then this day course is for you!

As part of Stroud Book Festival, we are delighted to present another opportunity to join Pop Up Book making expert Duncan Birmingham for a creative day workshop.

We’ll explore the enchanting art of paper pop-ups and aim to:
1. Make a comprehensive set of useful pop-up mechanisms
2. Play with the building techniques that can be used to enhance and develop them
3. Look at the simple underlying theory and explore the design potential

We’ll also look at and analyse a range of delightful and astounding pop-up books which Duncan will bring for you to enjoy. And fear not … beginners welcome, no maths or measuring involved!

Cost: £45
For adults and ages 18+, booking required.
Book online or call the Museum in the Park on 01453 763394

Please bring: a packed lunch, scissors, craft knife, ruler, pencil.
Card and glue will be provided, and a complimentary hot drink. 

Time to have some creative fun with the Christmas Box! We'll be using Christmassy fabrics (sourced from local charity shops) and Stroud-made felt to make mini trees, wreaths, stars, puddings and angels suitable for hanging indoors on a tree, branch or wall. All materials and tea and coffee provided, or bring your own if you wish. Suitable for all levels of sewing experience. With Sue McNamara.

Cost: £20 (£15 for Museum Members - Museum Membership is free to join).

Booking essential. Special festive offer: Bring a friend for free!

Book online or call 01453 763394

Commoners and Kings, Quarries and Cattle, Trees and Grasses, Knights and Ladies. All have played an important role in the past of Rodborough Common. In this talk, PhD researcher Sharon Gardham will delve into this rich history. Using documentary evidence as well as the clues left on the land itself, we will cover more than a millennium of history, beginning in the Iron Age, through the medieval period, to the present day. Come along and explore the ways that Rodborough Common has been (and continues to be) important to so many.

Talk lasts around 45 minutes to one hour, followed by tea and coffee.

Tickets £5. Booking recommended, book online or call 01453 763394

Travel around Great Britain with Kirsty discovering our most famous - and our strangest - ghosts in this seasonally spooky talk. Kirsty Hartsiotis will be delving deep into our collective British ghostlore in this talk to send shivers down your spine this Halloween season. From the strange happenings at Borley Rectory in Essex to the famous Cock Lane Ghost we’ll look at ghosts that may or may not have existed – and how the truth was uncovered. We’ll meet lost Roman legions, prehistoric spooks, villages busy with ghosts like Pluckley in Kent and Prestbury in Gloucestershire. We’ll discover royal ghosts from here in Gloucestershire right up to the highlands of Scotland and much more besides. There'll be grey ladies, hooded monks and phantom carriages galore - come along, if you dare!

Tickets £7 (£5 Museum in the Park Members & Concs)

Tea & Coffee included

Booking required - book online or call 01453 763394

Coinciding with the last day of the ‘Photosynthesis’ exhibition, dye-duo Mila and Daisy from Centre Half will host a natural dye workshop inspired by the colours of the seasons.

Set in the peaceful surroundings of the Walled Garden, Mila and Daisy will take you through a practical introduction to natural dyeing, using their knowledge of leaves, roots, flowers and barks to create a colour palette. You will learn about fabric preparation and mordanting techniques, and be guided through the key steps on making a simple dye vat.  

In the spirit of collaboration, all of the samples and swatches dyed throughout the session will be sewn together to create a friendship quilt. Each participant will record the dye process and keep a sample of the dyed fabric in a swatch book to take home at the end of the day. 

All materials and teas/coffee will be included. Please bring a packed lunch and dress appropriately for messy work.

This workshop is for adults. Booking required - book online or call 01453 763394.

Cost: £40 / £35 concs (£32 for Museum in the Park Members - free to join)

Melanie Backe-Hansen is a historian, writer, and speaker, who specializes in researching the social history of houses throughout the United Kingdom. She is the author of three books, House Histories: The Secrets Behind Your Front Door (2011) and Historic Streets and Squares: The Secrets on Your Doorstep (2013), and A House Through Time – with David Olusoga (2020). She was a consultant on the television series of A House Through Time. She is a member of the Royal Historical Society and an honorary teaching fellow at the University of Dundee. If you’ve ever wondered what secret histories your house could tell, this event is for you! Books will be available to buy and have signed.

This event is part of Jo Durrant’s ‘Our Beautiful Universe’ series. The conversation will be followed by a chance to ask questions and share ideas if you wish, and enjoy hot and cold drinks and a wander around the Museum, Gallery or Walled Garden.

Tickets cost £7.50, or £5 for Museum in the Park Members (Membership is free to join).

Advance booking recommended – book online or call 01453 763394. For adults and ages 16+.

Lucy Jane is a writer, presenter, and historical consultant, and she specialises in health, beauty, and leisure and where they crossover. She is the author of ‘Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium’ and her new book is ‘Chain Reactions: A Hopeful History of Uranium’ which is out at the start of July this year. Tracing uranium's past, and how it intersects with our understanding of other radioactive elements, this book aims to disentangle our attitudes and to unpick the atomic mindset. Chain Reactions looks at the fascinating, often-forgotten, stories that can be found throughout the history of the element.

Copies of the new book will be available to buy and have signed.

This event is part of Jo Durrant’s ‘Our Beautiful Universe’ series. The conversation will be followed by a chance to ask questions and share ideas if you wish, and enjoy hot and cold drinks and a wander around the Museum, Gallery or Walled Garden.

Tickets cost £7.50, or £5 for Museum in the Park Members (Membership is free to join).

Advance booking recommended – book online or call 01453 763394. For adults and ages 16+.

Build a rocket from building blocks and create a paper rocket to take home with you. Think about what Earth might look like from space as you use some cool science to make your own mini Earth. Carry out an experiment to think about how rockets launch using things we might have at home, try creating your own chalk galaxy artwork, and add a planet, star or moon to our paper universe. Tell us whether you would like to go to space by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum with a special themed trail about science.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘space’ alive in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free.

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394.

Build a rocket from building blocks and create a paper rocket to take home with you. Think about what Earth might look like from space as you use some cool science to make your own mini Earth. Carry out an experiment to think about how rockets launch using things we might have at home, try creating your own chalk galaxy artwork, and add a planet, star or moon to our paper universe. Tell us whether you would like to go to space by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum with a special themed trail about science.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘space’ alive in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free.

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394.

Sort the sparkly gemstones, find the buried ‘treasure’ and investigate some really old coins. Learn about the Anglo-Saxon brooch on display and be inspired as you make your own brooch to take home with you. Think about coin hoards as you experiment to find out what liquid cleans pennies best, challenge each other by playing simple old-fashioned penny games and use your imagination to help us create a treasure map. Tell us where you would hide some buried treasure by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum to think about coins and treasure using our special themed trail.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘treasure’ alive in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free.

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394. 

Sort the sparkly gemstones, find the buried ‘treasure’ and investigate some really old coins. Learn about the Anglo-Saxon brooch on display and be inspired as you make your own brooch to take home with you. Think about coin hoards as you experiment to find out what liquid cleans pennies best, challenge each other by playing simple old-fashioned penny games and use your imagination to help us create a treasure map. Tell us where you would hide some buried treasure by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum to think about coins and treasure using our special themed trail.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘treasure’ alive in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free.

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394. 

On Christmas Eve 1983, along with one donkey, two dogs, two cats and seven chickens, artist and gardener Charlotte Molesworth and her husband Donald moved into their dilapidated cottage. Join us on the 11 August 2024 to hear Charlotte explain how over the next 40 years they created one of the UK’s most enchanting, creative and magical gardens from cuttings from family and friend’s.

Charlotte’s talk will be followed by a panel discussion on whether gardening should be considered an art form. The panel will include Charlotte Molesworth, artist Cleo Mussi, who designed the planting in the Walled Garden, and Fiona Haser Bizony, founder of Electric Daisy Flower Farm. There will also be a chance to view Cleo Mussi and Fiona Haser Bizony’s exhibition ‘Photosynthesis’ in the gallery space.

Doors open at 6pm giving you a chance to explore the Walled Garden.

Advance booking essential for this special event.

Tickets £25 (£20 for Museum in the Park Members)

Book online here or call 01453 763394.

Photograph of Charlotte Molesworth by Paul Wetherell

Dr Daisy Dunn is a classicist and award-winning author. Her first two books, ‘Catullus’ Bedspread: The Life of Rome’s Most Erotic Poet’ and ‘The Poems of Catullus: A New Translation’, both published in 2016, led the Guardian to name her one of the country’s leading historians. Her new book, published in May, is called ‘The Missing Thread: A New History of the Ancient World Through The Women Who Shaped It’.  While Penelope and Helen of Troy live on in the imagination, their real-life counterparts have been relegated to the margins. Daisy’s new book inverts this tradition and puts the women of history at the centre of the narrative.

Daisy’s new book will be available to buy and have signed.

This event is part of Jo Durrant’s ‘Our Beautiful Universe’ series. The conversation will be followed by a chance to ask questions and share ideas if you wish, and enjoy hot and cold drinks and a wander around the Museum, Gallery or Walled Garden.

Tickets cost £7.50, or £5 for Museum in the Park Members (Membership is free to join).

Advance booking recommended – book online or call 01453 763394. For adults and ages 16+.

Get up close with some of real fossils and use some cool science skills to help a dino egg ‘hatch’.

Think about how fossils were made with a seashell fossil activity and explore our natural sensory exploration tray. Make a game to help you challenge yourself to move like a dinosaur, create a stegosaurus headdress to wear and add a prehistoric marine creature to our seascape. Tell us what your favourite dinosaur is by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum to see the fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures with our themed trail.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘dinosaurs’ alive in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free.

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394.

Get up close with some of real fossils and use some cool science skills to help a dino egg ‘hatch’.

Think about how fossils were made with a seashell fossil activity and explore our natural sensory exploration tray. Make a game to help you challenge yourself to move like a dinosaur, create a stegosaurus headdress to wear and add a prehistoric marine creature to our seascape. Tell us what your favourite dinosaur is by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum to see the fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures with our themed trail.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘dinosaurs’ alive in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free.

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394.

Many years ago when Theo was a young student he said ‘Maybe I could have an exhibition at The Museum in the Park one day’ … Roll forward to 2020 and what turned out to be an aptly named solo show: ‘Lost In Time’ was a collaboration with the Museum focusing on the large and eclectic stored collection not on public display - exploring the beautiful, the slightly unsavoury and the frankly bizarre. Theo’s striking images offered a window into the surreal, unexpected world that the objects found themselves in – inviting us to look again at the world around us. Hear about Theo’s work and ideas, and see some of the ‘Lost in Time’ objects up close.

This event is part of Jo Durrant’s ‘Our Beautiful Universe’ series. The conversation will be followed by a chance to ask questions and share ideas if you wish, and enjoy hot and cold drinks and a wander around the Museum, Gallery or Walled Garden.

Tickets cost £7.50, or £5 for Museum in the Park Members (Membership is free to join).

Advance booking recommended – book online or call 01453 763394. For adults and ages 16+.

Join us to find out about washdays past. Explore different ways to make bubbles, get hands on with how people in the past washed their clothes. Smell the soap, try out an old fashioned ‘dolly tub’ and hang the washing out to dry. Experiment with creating bubbles using things we might have at home. Create a bubble wand to try out, make a peg dolly using an old-fashioned clothes peg to take home with you and add to our big bubble art. Tell us what household gadget you like the most by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum with a special themed trail about household jobs in the past.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘washdays long ago’ alive, in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394.

Join us to find out about washdays past. Explore different ways to make bubbles, get hands on with how people in the past washed their clothes. Smell the soap, try out an old fashioned ‘dolly tub’ and hang the washing out to dry. Experiment with creating bubbles using things we might have at home. Create a bubble wand to try out, make a peg dolly using an old-fashioned clothes peg to take home with you and add to our big bubble art. Tell us what household gadget you like the most by adding to our voting wall, before exploring the museum with a special themed trail about household jobs in the past.

We invite you to discover and explore together through this range of family-friendly activities designed to bring the theme of ‘washdays long ago’ alive, in a relaxed session designed for families with children over 5 years old.

Cost: £7.50 per child (£5 for MiP Members), accompanying adults free

Booking required. Book online or call 01453 763394.

Ever since the days of Queen Victoria, Christmas has traditionally been the time of year to gather around a blazing fire, turn the lights down low and tell tales of ghosts and hauntings. Award-winning Gothic entertainer Dr Nicolas Grimoire presents a varied selection of traditional festive frighteners to chill the blood. Snowbound spectres, ghastly ghouls and foul phantoms all make their appearance in an unforgettable evening of spooky storytelling.

Arrive at 7pm for mulled wine and mince pies, then take your seats at 7.30pm in the oak-panelled Collectors’ Room in the Mansion House. This event is for adults only.

Tickets £15 (£12 MIP Members) including a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie

Booking essential - book online (click here) or call 01453 763394.

Have you ever thought of using dice to help you write stories?

If not, you’re sure to be inspired by this creative writing workshop in which Annaliese Avery, author of YA romantasy The Immortal Games, will show you how using dice while writing can inspire you and aid in your story creation.

This interactive workshop will guide you through the three fundamental elements of fiction, as you use dice to generate ideas and then start writing a story following the hero’s journey structure.

A special Stroud Book Festival workshop ror ages 11 - 16. All materials provided.

Tickets: £12. Advance booking required, tickets on sale here.

(Bursaries available for low income families - please email Abigail )

Sponsored by Renishaw

As Spring blooms and blossoms transform our Walled Garden, come and join Bob Brown for inspiring insights and gardening tips.

Bob Brown founded Cotswold Garden Flowers in 1991, a small specialist nursery near Evesham which has a reputation for easy and unusual hardy herbaceous perennials and smaller shrubs. Bob is a well known speaker and garden writer as well as one of the most experienced nurserymen in the country. He is known for having opinions (many very critical) about all the 18 thousand or so kinds of plants he’s grown or tried to grow and consequently his website and plant directory makes valuable and at times most entertaining reading! He has been Vice Chairman of the Herbaceous Committees of the RHS overseeing trials for the Award of Garden Merit (AGM). He writes for various periodicals including a monthly series in Gardening Which and is a regular return speaker. He’s holder of the Veitch Memorial Medal awarded for the science and advancement of horticulture. Bob's Plant Stall is a regular feature at many plant fairs both locally and nationally.

Tickets £12.50 (£10 concessions, £7.50 MiP Members)

Booking required - book online or call 01453 763394

Hop along to the Museum in the Park and enjoy our Easter Bunny trail, then get crafting in this special Spring workshop. Enjoy being creative and make a colourful paper bird or butterfly, or an Easter card or decoration to take home. This family workshop is part of Stroud District Council’s HAF programme (Holiday Activities & Food). Ask at the front desk if you’d like to drop in and take part - we’ll do our best to fit everyone in!

FREE drop in activity, donations welcome.

Hop along to the Museum in the Park and enjoy our Easter Bunny trail, then get crafting in this special Spring workshop. Enjoy being creative and make a colourful paper bird or butterfly, or an Easter card or decoration to take home. This family workshop is part of Stroud District Council’s HAF programme (Holiday Activities & Food).

Advance booking essential, for more details and to book please click here.

If you are looking for drop in family activities, don’t forget our FREE quiz trails (always on offer) and our Wild Escape activities (11-14 & 22 April).