Ashmolean Museum
The Top Drawer at the Ashmolean: Korky Paul at the Big Draw
October 27 2007 12pm and 4pm. Come and draw a picture of your own magnificent, marvelous and magical new Ashmolean Museum with Korky Paul. Just bring your creative imagination...enter your drawing into the children’s art competition “Picturing the New Ashmolean” and win a great prize.
Admission is free. Booking essential: 01865 278015.
Banbury Museum
Mark O’Shea’s Slither - a hands-on exhibition
September 22 – November 4 2007 Free. In this interactive exhibition for all ages find out more about snakes and their fascinating behaviour. Exhibition developed with international snakes expert and TV presenter Mark O’Shea. Come and see it if you dare...!
Art Cart - Snakes alive!
September 22 – November 4 . 2-4pm week-ends and everyday during the Oxfordshire school holidays. Feeling artistic? Slide up to the Museum, slip off your coat and make your very own snake to slither home with. Two types of snake models to choose from, you can even select the species! Stimulated by Mark O’Shea’s ‘Slither’ hands-on exhibition about snakes and their behaviour. Please allow at least 20 mins. £1. Appropriate for 4-11years.
Snake Prize Trail
September 22 - November 4. Inspired by the interactive exhibition of the same name, about snakes and their behaviour, follow the clues around the Museum, gathering the information that you need to claim a prize. Two versions: for 4-9years and 9+years. £1.50 including free pencil and prize.
Snake Activity Backpacks (for ages 3-5 years)
September 22 - November 4. Explore the ‘Slither!’ exhibition with the help of the museum’s puppets Sally & Simon. Exciting activities for our younger visitors. £1 per family.
Drawing for All
Each day during the Oxfordshire October half term holiday. 22 - 28 October 2007. 10am to 4pm.
If you enjoy drawing, or if even you’ve never tried before, then this could be for you. Come to the museum and enjoy sketching one or two of the fascinating artefacts on display. You can draw the view along the canal, or go on a flight of imagination! The whole family can draw together; you can sketch in pairs, or take part on your own. You decide. Materials, ideas and inspiration provided! One of ‘The Big Draw’ events taking place at Banbury Museum. A ‘Faces of Oxfordshire’ activity. Free All Ages
Your Face is a Picture! (Drop-in)
October 26 - 10am to 12 noon. Age 5 to 11 years. Choose from a variety of art and craft skills and techniques to complete the unfinished half of a famous portrait. Alternatively, you can finish a funny face. It’s up to you. One of ‘The Big Draw’ events taking place at Banbury Museum. A ‘Faces of Oxfordshire’ activity. £2.50
Buckinghamshire County Museum
Romans at Bucks County Museum
Discover life in Roman times with this special hands on exhibition, perfect for families and schools. Lots of things to touch, see and do, including trying on a toga, building an arch and designing a mosaic.
Admission FREE. 24/03/2007 - 13/10/2007 Special exhibitions gallery
Amazing Sensory Sculptures at Bucks County Museum
Immerse yourselves in the art of international artists Jan Niedojadlo. Inspired by natural and biological forms, Jan creates ‘other worlds’ that can be experienced from the inside and the outside. These gigantic sculptures are constructed from a variety of recycled materials and together with lighting, sound and smells will stimulate all your senses. So come and experience Chrysalis, Hive and Orbit for yourselves. Not to be missed! Admission FREE Event Dates and Place 21/07/2007 - 27/10/2007 Art Gallery
Didcot Railway Centre
Half Term Steamday
See the Great Western Railway steam engines in an original engine shed and ride on the steam trains. Admission Adult £7.50, child 3-15 £6.50, over-60 £7.00, Family (2 adults + 2 children) £26.00 (includes rides on the steam trains). Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. No booking necessary. 24/10/2007 10:00 - 24/10/2007 17:00 Didcot Railway Centre
Spooky goings-on amongst the Great Western Railway steam trains in the engine shed. Meet the Owls and other children’s events. Rides on the steam trains. Admission: Adult £9.50, child (3-15) £7.50, over-60 £8.00, Family (2 adults + 2 children) £29.00 (prices include rides on the steam trains). Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. No advance booking necessary. 27/10/2007 10:00 - 28/10/2007 10:00
Museum of English Rural Life
Apple Day, 21st October, 2-4pm
Drop-in. Everyone welcome! Come and taste a variety of different English apples, learn how to grow them, and take part in an art workshop and other activities - all involving apples, of course! There will also be the opportunity to see some beautiful books and fascinating films from the MERL archives relating to the history of apple production in England.
Guest speaker, Dr Barrie Juniper, from the Department of Plant Sciences, Oxford University, will be giving a talk entitled “The Mysterious Origin of the English Apple” and bringing in some of the rarer specimens of his apples. Dr Juniper has written “The story of the apple” with David J. Mabberley, and is an expert on the ancestry of the apples we know today.
Local apple varieties will be available to taste and to buy and there will be apple juices on sale from Waterperry Gardens nr Oxford. Julie Roberts, MERL artist in residence will be runnning a drop-in art workshop for families - printing with apples.
Books and photographs from the MERL Archives, including the Hertfordshire Pomona and other rare and beatitfully illustrated Victorian texts will be on display and reference texts available for visitors to look through and find out more about English apples.
There will a rare opportunity to see some short films from the MERL Archives about English Apple production in 20th century. For more information about Apple Day visit the Common Ground website
Half Term Activities
Lantern making – 23 October, 2-3pm and 3-4pm Booking required
Want to light up the Autumn nights? Design and make a magical paper lantern with artist in residence, Julie Roberts. Suitable for adults and children aged 7 to 11.
Magical mobiles - 24th October, 2-4pm
Drop-in
Decorate your ceiling. Make a magical mobile from recycled objects and things found in the MERL garden with artist, Victoria Spearing. Suitable for adults and children aged 7-15
Pumpkin carving - 25 October,
2-4pm Drop-in. Transform pumpkins and marrows into grizzly ghiouls and crazy creatures. Suitable for adults and children aged 6+
Halloween stories & Torchlight tours – 31 October
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4-5pm - Stories for adults and children aged 8+
5.30-6pm - Torchlight tour
7.30-8pm - Torchlight tour
8-9pm - Stories for adults and children aged 12+
Booking required. Admission free
Bring a torch for a spooky tour of the museum and house, and join Fionnaghal, teller of tales, for scary Halloween stories of wandering spirits, including some local tales. For more information or to book onto any of the above evnets, please call 0118 378 8660 or email merlevents@reading.ac.uk
Museum of Oxford
Spooky Stories Gallery Trail
Discover the spooky stories about objects in the museum’s galleries and find the hidden letters to win a prize. Admission £1.00 per person including a spooky prize 13/10/2007 - 31/10/2007 Galleries.
Tudor Activities
Find out what happened in Tudor times and what daily life was like. Lots of things to touch, see and do! Free Admission 13/10/2007 - 13/01/2008
Tudor Family Day
Meet our Tudor doctor and find out about gruesome surgery, cures and remedies. Handle the grisly tools used in the 16th century and discover how live leeches wre used to treat patients! Put Yourself in the Picture 10.30 - 11.30am - 5-8 year olds (must be accompanied by an adult) £2.50 per person 2.00 – 3.30pm 9-12 year olds £3.00 per person Create a Tudor portrait using costume, photography, art, your imagination and yourself! Make a Face for Oxfordshuire Collect a nose at this venue for The Big Draw 2007!
Free Admission to Exhibition & Tudor Doctor. £2.50 / £3 Put Yourself in the Picture workshop. 23/10/2007 10:00 - 23/10/2007 17:00 Museum Education Room
Make Spooky Spiders or Batty Masks
Halloween themed art and craft activity. Admission
£1.00 per person. 25/10/2007 10:00 - 25/10/2007 17:00 Museum Education Room
Are you sitting comofortably?
Suitable for all ages, under 8s must bring an adult with them. Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin . . . . story telling for children. Gina and Linora will tell stories, old ones, new ones, some from books, some improvised. Gina, a writer and children’s poet, captivates children by using her puppets to help tell the stories. Linora, author of The Tortoises of Turl Street, loves tell stories to all children - no lower or upper age limit! Admission £2.00 per person (including adults) 26/10/2007 14:00 - 26/10/2007 15:30 Museum Education Room.
Museum of Reading
Kindermusik at Reading Museum
Discover a diverse world of music and movement with instruments and songs designed specifically for little ones. Enjoy a 45 minute session led by Kindermusik educator Helen Strong. Admission Families and children aged 7 and under 10.15am, 11.30am & 1.30pm FREE, booking essential. 22/10/2007 - 22/10/2007 Museum of Reading.
Bewitched
Build and customise your own racing broomstick. Ages 7+ 10.00am - 12.00am & 1.00pm - 3.00pm 7/6 pounds, booking essential Event Dates and Place 23/10/2007 - 23/10/2007 Museum of Reading
Victorian Schoolroom
Meet a Victorian schoolteacher and re-learn the three Rs. A 45-minute experience for adults and children over 5 in our unique Victorian classroom. 11.00am, 1.15pm, 2.30pm 1 pound, drop in (35 places per session max) 24/10/2007 - 24/10/2007
Going Batty
Make some spooky decorations for Halloween. Admission FREE, drop in 24/10/2007 - 24/10/2007
Oxford Bus Museum
Bus Rally 14 October
The annual gathering of buses from far and wide. Regular free vintage bus rides throughout the day. Sales stalls. For latest details please visit the Museum’s website. Event Dates and Place
14/10/2007 10:30 - 14/10/2007 16:30 Oxford Bus museum
The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock
October Holiday Family Drop In at the Oxfordshire Museum
Put Yourself on the Map! Guided by artist Graham Woodall, create a self-portrait that he will photograph and incorporate into a large digital map of Oxfordshire. Two sessions: Tues 23 Oct 2-4pm and Thurs 25 Oct 2-4pm.Admission FREE. No need to book. Drop in any time between 2 - 4pm. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For all enquiries telephone 01993 814115
23/10/2007 14:00 - 25/10/2007 16:00 Coach House Education Room at the Oxfordshire Museum
