Enjoy a variety of family-friendly and adult events at York Castle Museum throughout the year.

Events

Conservation Talk: the Park Drag – Fri 10 Oct 2025
Conservation Talk: the Park Drag

Date: Friday 10 October 2025, 2:00 pm-2:30 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Friday 10 October, 2pm | Included in general admission

One of Kirkgate’s historical coaches will be undergoing conservation work between 6 – 17 October. Objects conservator Dr Alaina Schmisseur of Rook Heritage Consulting and specialist decorative arts conservator Helen Gartside-Jones will be working to conserve the object. 

Join Dr Schmisseur for a short, insightful talk about the conservation work. Learn about the work being carried out on the 200 year-old carriage, with an opportunity to ask questions.

This talk will take place on Kirkgate near the carriage and is free with admission. Booking is not required.

Prior to setting up RCH, Dr Schmisseur worked with collections at the National Museum Wales, National Railway Museum and Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute as well as numerous other heritage organisations in the UK and abroad.

There is another Conservation Talk by Dr Schmisseur on 17 October, 2pm. Discover more.

View event >

Conservation Talk: the Park Drag – Fri 17 Oct 2025
Conservation Talk: the Park Drag

Date: Friday 17 October 2025, 2:00 pm-2:30 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Friday 10 October, 2pm | Included in general admission

One of Kirkgate’s historical coaches will be undergoing conservation work between 6 – 17 October. Objects conservator Dr Alaina Schmisseur of Rook Heritage Consulting and specialist decorative arts conservator Helen Gartside-Jones will be working to conserve the object. 

Join Dr Schmisseur for a short, insightful talk about the conservation work. Learn about the work being carried out on the 200 year-old carriage, with an opportunity to ask questions.

This talk will take place on Kirkgate near the carriage and is free with admission. Booking is not required.

Prior to setting up RCH, Dr Schmisseur worked with collections at the National Museum Wales, National Railway Museum and Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute as well as numerous other heritage organisations in the UK and abroad.

View event >

Saturday Kitchen: School Puddings – Sat 18 Oct 2025

Date: Saturday 18 October 2025, All Day
Venue: York Castle Museum

Saturday 18 October 2025 | Throughout the day | Included in general admission 

Watch live cooking demonstrations throughout the day in our studio kitchen.

This week, we’re taking you back to childhood with school puddings. Reminisce over jam roly poly, cornflake tart and chocolate concrete with pink custard. Tasters may be available if you’re lucky!

 

View event >

Saturday Kitchen: Soul Cakes – Sat 25 Oct 2025
Saturday Kitchen: Soul Cakes

Date: Saturday 25 October 2025, All Day
Venue: York Castle Museum

Saturday 25 October 2025 | Throughout the day | Included in general admission 

Watch live cooking demonstrations throughout the day in our studio kitchen.

This October half term, we’re making Soul Cakes, a small cake with sweet spices traditionally made for Halloween. These treats are a symbol of community and remembrance in Christian traditions, used as offerings to commemorate the dead. Tasters may be available if you’re lucky!

 

View event >

Stories Alive in the Cells – Sat 25 Oct 2025
Stories Alive in the Cells

Date: Saturday 25 October 2025, All Day
Venue: York Castle Musuem

Included in entry- No pre booking required

Brand new for October 2025, get involved with immersive performances inviting visitors to play judge and jury, deciding the fate of some of York Castle Prison’s most famous historical felons such as Dick Turpin and Mary Bateman. Join Eden from Stories Alive in York Castle Prison to hear mystifying and peculiar real-life stories in the authentic prison cells. 

Drop in performances throughout the day.

View event >

Sunday Sounds: Live Music at the Castle Museum – Sun 26 Oct 2025
Sunday Sounds: Live Music at the Castle Museum

Date: Sunday 26 October 2025, All Day
Venue: York Castle Museum

Included in entry- Pre Booking is not required
Join us on Sunday at York Castle Museum for live music from the past. This summer:
The Ran Tanners are a pair of roving miscreants who (when not doing hard labour in chokey or dodging the pressgang), play the traditional music of Georgian and Victorian England using Fiddles, Bagpipes and Squeezeboxes.
Performances will occur throughout the day.

View event >

Saturday Kitchen: Soul Cakes – Mon 27 Oct 2025
Saturday Kitchen: Soul Cakes

Date: Monday 27 October 2025, All Day
Venue: York Castle Museum

Monday 27 October 2025 | Throughout the day | Included in general admission 

Watch live cooking demonstrations throughout the day in our studio kitchen.

This October half term, we’re making Soul Cakes, a small cake with sweet spices traditionally made for Halloween. These treats are a symbol of community and remembrance in Christian traditions, used as offerings to commemorate the dead. Tasters may be available if you’re lucky!

 

View event >

Tales from the Trail – Mon 27 Oct 2025
Tales from the Trail

Date: Monday 27 October 2025, All Day
Venue: York Castle Musuem

Included in museum general admission
Pre-booking not required
Do you know your grocer’s from your greengrocer’s?
Hardware from haberdasher’s?
Confectioner’s from chemist’s? ……. ( hope so!)
Prepare for silliness, stories and urgent shopping all with a touch of mystery this October.
Two slightly madcap Victorian characters will be on Kirkgate. Short scenes will be performed, each concerning a story or a bit of fun about objects to be purchased from the shops of Kirkgate.
Times will be advertised at the museum on the day.

View event >

Explore Play Create – Wed 29 Oct 2025

Dates: Wednesday 29 October 2025–Sunday 2 November 2025, All Day
Venue: York Art Gallery

Throughout the gallery, families are invited to discover three engaging areas designed to enhance your experience and help you explore both the gallery and our wonderful collection.
Explore
Discover the Burton Gallery with our Sensory Toolkit by artist Sarah Marsh. This interactive experience, suitable for all ages and abilities, encourages participation through sensory exploration of the gallery’s forms, colours, and textures. It is designed for quiet reflection.
Play
Get playful with costumes inspired by ceramic pots on display. Explore the shapes, colours, textures, and forms you see on gallery and mix and match to design your own pot.
Create
Unleash your creativity with our Art Cart, stocked with drawing materials, intriguing objects, and inspiring activities linked to gallery artworks and exhibitions. Accessible for all ages and abilities, this space is designed for creative exploration.

View event >

Saturday Kitchen: Soul Cakes – Wed 29 Oct 2025
Saturday Kitchen: Soul Cakes

Date: Wednesday 29 October 2025, All Day
Venue: York Castle Museum

Wednesday 29 October 2025 | Throughout the day | Included in general admission 

Watch live cooking demonstrations throughout the day in our studio kitchen.

This October half term, we’re making Soul Cakes, a small cake with sweet spices traditionally made for Halloween. These treats are a symbol of community and remembrance in Christian traditions, used as offerings to commemorate the dead. Tasters may be available if you’re lucky!

 

View event >

1 2

Events calendar

<< Oct 2025 >>
MTWTFSS
29 30 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 1 2

Back to October 2025

Dates
Categories

Next events

Keep in Touch

Sign up to our Mailing List here

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England

Copyright © York Museums and Gallery Trust 2025. York Museums Trust is a registered charity 1092466.
Site Map | Contact Us | Legal | Cookies Policy | Privacy Policy