York Museums Trust’s Open Weekend June 2017

< Back to News

York Museums Trust’s Open Weekend

23 June 2017

York residents can visit three of York’s top visitor attractions for free on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 June as part of York Museums Trust’s Open Weekend.

York Art Gallery, the Yorkshire Museum and York Castle Museum are all free to residents over the weekend. Visitors can enjoy two new highly-acclaimed exhibitions: Albert Moore: Of Beauty and Aesthetics at York Art Gallery and Viking: Rediscover the Legend at the Yorkshire Museum plus the new chocolate experience Chocolate: York’s Sweet Past at York Castle Museum, looking at York’s celebrated history as confectioners.

York St Mary’s, which is free to everyone, is also currently hosting The Dark Self, a major new exhibition focusing on sleep and dreaming by critically-acclaimed artist Susan Aldworth.

Any resident with a York Card or council tax bill from the City of York Council can gain free access.

Rachael Bevan, Visitor Experience Manager at the Yorkshire Museum and York Art Gallery, said:

“It has been a great start to the year for the Trust with the opening of the new exhibitions Albert Moore: Of Beauty and Aesthetics, Viking: Rediscover the Legend and the new chocolate experience Chocolate: York’s Sweet Past.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for local people to come and see some of the best art and culture in the country. Now in its second year, we hope this new residents Open Weekend will become as popular as the Make it York Residents Festival in January.”

York Art Gallery, the Yorkshire Museum and York Castle Museum will also be providing special self-led children’s craft activities.

Albert Moore: Of Beauty and Aesthetics is the first solo exhibition of York born artist Albert Joseph Moore since the artist’s death in 1893.

Albert Moore was one of the leading artists of the Aesthetic Movement who prioritised mood, colour harmony and beauty of form over subject matter to create ‘art for art’s sake’. In partnership with the Museums De Buitenplaats, Netherlands, the exhibition features the beautiful and classical women for which the artist is most famous while demonstrating the progressive style which made him a significant forefather of British Abstract art.

Viking: Rediscover the Legend explores how the Vikings transformed life in Britain. Star objects from the British Museum are showcased alongside the Yorkshire Museum’s world class collections, including the most famous Viking hoards ever discovered in this country, and features ground-breaking research by archaeologists and new discoveries by metal-detectorists.

Chocolate: York’s Sweet Past invites visitors to delve into the delicious history of York’s longstanding history as chocolate and sweet pioneers and includes original adverts, packaging and more.

For those residents wanting to visit the museums and gallery all year, the new YMT card allows unlimited access for just £11 or £10 by direct debit for anyone with a York Card. The cards are free to anyone age 17-24 or on income related benefits. Children under 17 get in free to all sites with one paying adult. Click here to find out more.