Family workshops and special events

Charnwood Museum is now open. An official statement can be found on the news section of our website. Unfortunately we are still not currently taking any bookings for our events and workshops.

All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Make It: Harvest – October 13, 2020

We will be releasing activity sheets on a monthly basis that you and your little ones can have a go at in the comfort of your own home. Download our worksheet and have a go at making a scarecrow face out of a paper plate.

• Paper plate scarecrow (PDF Document, 0.15 Mb)

Museum Trail - Halloween Hunt

Saturday Oct 17 - November 1, 2020

We will publish quiz sheets for you to print at home and bring it to the Museum with you (with a pen or pencil, of course!). Or log on to our FREE Wifi and give it a go on your smartphone or tablet. Look around the museum and see if you can find our spooky visitors. Solve the puzzle if you dare!

• Halloween Hunt Quiz Sheet (PDF Document, 0.33 Mb)

Online Archaeological Illustration Event

Tuesday October 27 at 10.30am

Join us on Facebook Live: www.facebook.com/CharnwoodMuseum

Deborah Miles-Williams (formerly of the University of Leicester’s Archaeology and Ancient History department, and now runs her own art & heritage business called DM Artology), will lead an online Archaeological Illustration workshop, where visitors logging on will learn more about the fascinating objects carefully excavated from around Leicestershire – and bring them to life by drawing them, with Deborah’s help and guidance.

To join in with the live event, make sure you have some plain paper, a sharpened pencil and eraser and a ruler.

Find out a little more about the object she will be drawing below:

"This Late Bronze Age looped palstave axe was found as part of the Rothley Hoard which was found by a metal detectorist in 2009. The Hoard also includes 2 Late Bronze Age socketed axes and, most excitingly, a copper alloy two-part axe mould that would have been used for casting a type of axe first recognised in Leicestershire and known as a Welby Type axe (an example can be seen in the Welby Hoard at Melton Carnegie Museum).

This axe dates to the first part of the Late Bronze Age (1140 - 1020 BC) but generally palstave axes are a Middle Bronze Age type which was an earlier shape of axe than the socketed axes which we usually find from the Late Bronze Age. So perhaps this axe was an antique when it was buried alongside the more fashionable socketed axes in the hoard.

The distinctive shape of a palstave axe allows a forked L-shaped piece of wood to be attached as a handle and the loop would add an additional means of securing the axe to the handle with binding."

Make It: Starry Night - November 17, 2020

We will be releasing activity sheets on a monthly basis that you and your little ones can have a go at in the comfort of your own home. Look at ‘Van Gogh’s’ Famous Painting ‘Starry Night’ and get some tips to help you make your own swirly, colourful picture of the night sky.

Museum Trail - It’s Christmas!

Saturday December 12 - Thursday December 24, 2020

We will publish quiz sheets for you to print at home and bring it to the Museum with you (with a pen or pencil, of course!). Or log on to our FREE Wifi and give it a go on your smartphone or tablet. A festival trail for you to take part in around the museum.

Make It: Christmas Creations - December 15, 2020

We will be releasing activity sheets on a monthly basis that you and your little ones can have a go at in the comfort of your own home. Festive inspired art and craft ideas for you to do at home.

We have also adapted some of our other activities so that visitors can take part at home. You can find them on the online activities webpage.