When Gwen Fern walked home accross Slad Valley on a summer night in 1919 she found enough glow worms to decorate her hat with a ‘ribbon of lights’.
On Saturday 26th November at 11am and 1.30pm Slad Valley resident and children’s writer Christine O’Neill will be reading her new story for young children, The Wrong Side of the Dark illustrated by Amanda Lawrence’s glass and inspired by the true story about Gwen Fern and the glow worms which was one of the earliest inspirations for the exhibition The Valley in the Glass.
Christmas Holidays Art Activity Days:
This Christmas we are running a range of our popular art activity days for children aged 3 years and over. They include:
20th Dec – Christmas Wreath
21st Dec – Willow Sculpture
22nd Dec – Christmas Scraper Boards
23rd Dec – Stained Glass Effect Christmas Fairies
28th Dec – Glass Painting
29th Dec – Glitter Painting
30th Dec – Make Your Own Textile Bunting
Each workshop interprets the day’s theme using age appropriate materials and techniques. The different times are:
10.30-12.00pm: for 3 – 7 years
1.00-2.30pm: for 3 – 18 years
3.00-4.30pm: for 8 – 18 years
Each activity costs £6 per child and includes free entry to the museum for one accompanying adult. All activity must be booked in advance via our online booking system.
To see full details and to book please visit our Activity Days home page, here.
Come and meet some wonderful birds of prey in the grounds of Nature in Art. Find out about their amazing lives, watch artists draw and paint them and have a go yourself
A great opportunity for the whole family! No extra admission charge but a donation to Walk with Hawks would be appreciated. No need to book – just come! Walk with Hawks
Come and join in with a host of hands-on activities both inside and outside to celebrate our 30th anniversary. Just £2 each to include all activities (excluding access to the museum) and free to paying visitors to the museum.
A CRAZY selection of activities!
…paint with bubbles, make a bird feeder, make and use a natural paint brush, try you hand at a scraperboard CD, take on the boat challenge and make a boat from natural materials, go on a nature scavenger hunt and much more…
No need to book. Just come and join in the celebrations!
On show the same day: David Shepherd, Postcard Portraits and Wildlife Art Society Internationl exhibitions
Come and meet Daphne Neville and her otter Rudi! For over 50 years Daphne has been a film and TV actress. Since the 1980s she has combined this with her conservation work with otters. This is a wonderful chance to find out about them from one of their most enthusiastic champions!
£2 per person (excluding museum galleries but including artist in residence, Wildlife Art Society show and art activities)


A fantastic opportunity to meet a variety of magnificent birds of prey, from owls and hawks to falcons and eagles. The friendly team at Walks with Hawks have an inexhaustible enthusiasm and knowledge of birds of prey and will be on hand to tell you all about them!
You’ll also have a chance to join in with some fun creative activities.
Tickets: £2 per person (excluding museum galleries but including artist in residence and craft activities)
No need to book, just turn up to have some fun!

A great chance to have a go at some exciting experiments and discover some amazing scientific facts. Meet members of the Cheltenham Science Group who have some great ways of bringing science to life.
You’ll also have a chance to join in with some fun craft activities and create something to take home.
Tickets: £2 per person (excluding museum galleries but including artist in residence and craft activities)
No need to book, just turn up to have some fun!
Legacy of Love is a unique book bringing together 57 charity founders, actors, poets, artists and photographers celebrating their love of animals in personal words and stunning pictures. This summer, some of the Legacy of Love team are taking to the road with a series of exciting events across the UK.
Come and join our Family Fun Day and help create community artwork, meet some of the contributors of the Legacy of Love book and members of conservation charities.
Enjoy various charity stalls, take part in fun garden games and discover the endangered Animal Treasure Trail to win a prize. Look around the museum and see artists at work.
Ticket: £3 per person (under 8’s FREE)
This special admission price also includes entry into the museum. No pre-booking required.
To find out more about the Legacy of Love three day tour, reach out to the team via the contact form at: www.legacyoflovebook.org
If you wish to make a donation please visit: www.gofundme.com/f/legacy-of-love-on-tour



