What’s On

Apr
21
Mon
Family Fun Day
Apr 21 all-day

£3 per child, adults go free. No need to book. 

Buzz on over this Easter Monday for a hive of fun with arts and crafts, an exciting activity trail, bee-tastic learning, and a sneak peek at our observation beehive where you can see the bees hard at work inside the hive!

We’ve got two drop-in sessions: 10am-12:30pm and 1:30pm-4pm. Join Laura, our artsy education officer, for a whirlwind of creative crafts! Plus, let your little explorers roam free on our activity trail around the garden. And don’t miss the chance to peek into our beehives and chat with our bee guru, Brian – recently returned from a trip to West Africa to teach people how to keep bees.

Need a bite to eat? Our Coffee Shop will be buzzing with tea and cake! Or, feel free to pack a lunch and chill in our outdoor picnic paradise.

*when paying for children, does not include entry to the museum galleries

May
22
Thu
A Dream Come True: An Illustrated Talk
May 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm

A Dream Come True

An illustrated talk by Braddon Johnson and Shona Thornhill

A dream of independent travel to wide open spaces with no discernible timeline is where it all began. As time passed options were refined, and soon enough Shona and Braddan were ready to roll. Literally. Riding two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles they travelled overland from Tuktoyaktuk where Canada meets the Arctic Ocean, through the USA, Mexico, Central America and finally to Ushuaia – the most southern point of South America. Join us as they share their journey – the places, people, technicalities, fun and challenges of life on the road. An inspiring evening for all!

Book here

Jun
4
Wed
Royal Miniature Society Open Evening
Jun 4 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Royal Miniaturist Open Evening

This is a great opportunity to come and meet some of the members of the Royal Miniature Society who created the exhibits in our special Nature in Miniature exhibition and to find out more about the works on display.

Join us anytime between 6.00pm and 8.00pm.

No finger buffet at this event, but drinks available. Please book your ticket here, free to book but we are accepting donations on the night.

Jun
14
Sat
Whale Song Story Time – FREE
Jun 14 – Jun 28 all-day

Join us on a Saturday morning in June for a free story time in our cosy corner, learning about the environment and how we can help.

Sessions are 10:30 and 11:30, and last 15-20 minutes

14th, 21st and 28th June

Suitable for all children, but aimed at little ones

Free, no need to book 

With thanks to The HERDS x Art Fund
Jul
10
Thu
People of the Sea
Jul 10 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm

People of the Sea: An illustrated talk by Chris Butler-Stroud, CEO of Whale and Dolphin Conservation

Doors open 7pm to view galleries. Finger buffet at 7.30pm followed by talk.

PLEASE BOOK YOUR TICKET IN ADVANCE! Thank you.

WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (formerly WDCS) is the leading global charity dedicated to the conservation and protection of whales and dolphins. Chris Butler-Stroud is a dedicated campaigner for whales and dolphins and their right to live protected from human impacts. He has a passion for the marine environment and heads up WDC to defend these remarkable creatures against the many threats they face through campaigns, lobbying, advising governments, conservation projects, field research and rescue. WDC’s vision is a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free.

An evening for everyone coinciding with our Whale Song exhibition. Book here

 

Aug
6
Wed
Hedgehog Family Fun Day!
Aug 6 all-day

In collaboration with the Green Pledge Project at Gloucestershire Archives, we will be having a Hedgehog themed family fun day. There will be a couple of different art activities available and a fun fact hedgehog hunt garden. Activities will run from 10am – 12:30 then 1:30 – 4pm.

£3 per child! No booking necessary! Just turn up on the day!

Aug
21
Thu
British Big Cats – the art and the science (FULLY BOOKED)
Aug 21 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm

Illustrated talk by Rick Minter

Doors open 7pm to view galleries. Finger buffet at 7.30pm followed by talk.

Big cats author and podcaster Rick Minter will review the evidence supporting people’s ongoing descriptions of pumas, black leopards and lynx in Britain.

The illustrated talk will discuss how people respond to sightings, including with artistic impressions. It will consider how these predators may be adapting to Britain’s landscape as stealthy deer cullers, and explain how evidence is being sought by DNA and by tooth pits in bones of prey, with support from two universities.

Rick will also look at some snippets of footage, and witnesses present will explain their own encounters.

Book here 

Sep
10
Wed
Gloucestershire Gardens Great and Small
Sep 10 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm

 

Please note this talk will no longer take place. 

Doors open 7pm to view galleries. Finger buffet at 7.30pm followed by talk.

This illustrated talk will explore the history of gardens in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire, covering various types such as medicinal, culinary, therapeutic, educational, and those created for enjoyment, starting from the earliest recorded mention of gardens.

 

In partnership with The Green Pledge Project @ The Hub, supported by the Heritage Fund

 

Book here

Oct
30
Thu
Our Heritage of Song: Or the People’s Voice
Oct 30 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm

Our Heritage of Song : Or the People’s Voice
An illustrated talk by Robin Burton

Before radio, TV and the Internet, we used to make our own entertainment. Usually this meant singing. This talk charts the history of our shared songs and how it is that we know about them today … the ultimate form of popular music. It also features examples of songs from around the country and from Gloucestershire in particular. Robin is a trustee of Gloucestershire Traditions that collects and rescues traditional songs and music (part of our ‘intangible heritage’) and makes them accessible to the public. Our project partner is Gloucestershire Archives.

 

Doors open 7pm to view galleries. Finger buffet at 7.30pm followed by talk.

Book here

Nov
25
Tue
The Seasons in Landscape Painting
Nov 25 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm

The Seasons in Landscape Painting
An illustrated talk by Martin Bowden

Following a thirty-five year career as Head of Economics and Art History at Dean Close School, Martin is now a talented painter whose work is inspired by the likes of
JMW Turner, Edward Seago, Aubrey Phillips and John Palmer. This talk will take us on a journey exploring a wide variety of artistic styles encompassing the work of, for
example, the Limbourg Brothers, Pieter Breughel, Jean Francois Millet among others. Often there is personification of the seasons so spring is a time of rebirth, summer
a time of heat and ripeness, autumn a time of harvest and winter a time for snow and the hearth. An inspiring talk for all.

Doors open 7pm to view galleries. Finger buffet at 7.30pm followed by talk.

Book here