Events
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Was it really like that? Find out the reality of life in times gone by in a fun and practical way. Take a closer look at historical objects from the museum in our interactive Studio spaces. Suitable for all ages.
Napoleon's Britons
Until 14 March, All day, every day
Discover the reality on the ground for the people fighting in the Napoleonic Wars and experience some of the day-to-day hardships of a soldier's life. This session in the Military Studio is inspired by the new book Napoleon's Britons by Paul Brunyee.
Crumbs!
1 – 28 March, All day, every day
Watch us cook up some tasty dishes from down the ages – all made with stale bread or breadcrumbs! While many of us today throw away the last few dry slices of the loaf, frugal cooks from Romans to housewives on rations have used it for toast, puddings, stuffings or for food for invalids and young children.
We’ll be using genuine recipes from our archives in our fully equipped Kitchen Studio in the run-up to Easter.
Knitting Sheaths
1 - 18 April, All day every day
We have a wonderful selection of these wooden knitting needle holders which attached to the owners' belts and were worn by people working in the Yorkshire Dales and across the north of England. They were beautifully and intricately carved and often given as love tokens.
Come and see these rarely-seen tiny works of art and find out more about how they were used, in our Costume and Textile Studio.
Marlborough’s Soldiers
1 April - 7 May, All day every day
Lord Marlborough, ancestor of Winston Churchill, was one of Britain’s greatest war leaders. Discover how England fought the tyranny of France through the stories of Yorkshire soldiers who fought under Marlborough and handle real equipment, weapons and armour from the late 1600s and early 1700s.
The Life and Times of York Castle
18 March
12.30pm - 1.30pm
York Castle has undergone immense changes since the original wooden fortifications were built here by William the Conqueror in 1068. Join our Curator of Archaeology on a journey through almost 1,000 years of the history of the site and the people who inhabited it, exploring the evidence they left behind.
Free, to book a place, phone 01904 650333
Happy Days Are Here Again!
Commemorating VE Day
8 May
11am - noon and 2pm - 3pm
This year is the 65th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe. Join us as we use a range of military, civilian and domestic objects from the period to explore life before and after VE Day 1945. Discover some of the local stories that capture the mood of this significant point in Britain's recent history.
Free, no booking required.
A Tale of Two Rivers: The Early History of York
part of the Festival of the Rivers, 2010
12 July
12.30pm - 1.30pm
Join our curators as we explore how the joining of the Rivers Ouse and Foss created a landscape perfect for plants and animals to thrive. Then explore our natural science and archaeological collections as the story progresses with the arrival of human settlers and the establishment of the early settlement.
Free, no booking required.
By George! The Life and Times of George III
February - December, 2010
Talks run from 12pm to 1.30pm
To commemorate the 250th anniversary year of the ascendancy of King George III we will be hosting a series of talks exploring various aspects of Georgian Britain throughout 2010. Join David Bagnall, local expert on 18th Century studies and discover how George's reign witnessed some of the moments and people that shaped Britain and the world.
Free. To book a place, phone 01904 650333.
The Social Scene
25 February
Exploring food, drink, clothing, taverns and social clubs of the period. Also the role of medicine.
Politics
29 April
George III's personal politics and his relationship to the Whig ministry of Lord Rockingham, the Earl of Bute and Willliam Pitt the Elder.
Art
24 June
Exploring the works of Hogarth, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Allan Ramsay, Rowlandson and Gilray.
Music
26 August
The transition from Baroque to Classical and the works of Handel (George III's favourite composer), Charles Avison, William Shield, Haydn and JC Bach (son of the more famous JS Bach).
War
28 October
Explores the significance of the Seven Years War (1756 - 1763) to the British Empire and how the role of William Pitt the Elder and George II's conduct and attitude to the war contrasted to George III's. Also examines how war was conducted in the 18th Century and the impact of the American War of Independence.
Letters
17 December
The influence of Dr Johnson and his meeting with George III (as recounted in Boswell's Life). We also focus on the writings of Gibbon, Goldsmith and Voltaire and the Age of the Enlightenment.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to York Castle Museum this half term. I am a 14-year-old student and have visited York Castle Museum since I was 2 years old. This visit was just as enjoyable as the first and York Castle Museum is still my favourite museum."
Visitor to York Castle Museum
