Corinium Museum Summer workshops for families

Prehistoric Pottery Workshop
Tue 21 July, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

People have been making pottery for thousands of years. In this workshop, you will learn the techniques ancient people used to decorate their distinctive pots and try your hand at making your very own vessel. After exploring the prehistory galleries for inspiration, get creative and decorate your pot with natural materials such as sticks, string, and even your own fingernails! All materials are provided.

Booking essential

Suitable for ages 6 and above

Prehistoric Pottery Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Making Botanical Prints Workshop
Wed 22 July, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

Children will explore the medium of printer’s ink to create intricate prints of plants and plant scenes. When they have finished their compositions, they will turn their efforts to making an album to house their prints. They may even choose to write the botanical, or Latin names alongside the print completing the look of an antique book of specimens. During the workshop, the instructor will also talk about the importance of plants in the archaeological record and what the presence of certain types of plants can tell archaeologists.

Making Botanical Prints Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Mini Mosaics: Nature Mosaics Workshop
Thurs 23 July, 10.30am to 12pm
£12-£15

Explore the natural world through ancient art! After looking at the representations of nature in the Roman mosaics on display in the Corinium Museum, you will then use traditional techniques to create your own Roman-style mosaic inspired by plants and wildlife.

All materials provided.

Mini Mosaics: Nature Mosaics Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Medieval Re-enactment Day: The Company of Blood and Gold
Sat 25 July, 10am to 5pm
Included within ordinary museum admission

Join the Company of Blood and Gold for a day of learning and laughter as they provide a glimpse into the ordinary people of the medieval period. Spanning the 1300-1400s, they bring to life the clothing, armour and skills of knights, professionals, and craftspeople.

Explore the connections between archaeology and nature through talks and demonstrations on natural fibres, stonemasonry, medieval food and seasonings, medicine and more. Learn about how flax and sheep’s wool are turned into fabulous fabrics, what a Witchmark is and how it’s made, the flavours and ingredients of medieval cooking, how to play medieval board games, what the life and kit of a knight involves, and even how to extract an arrow from a person’s skull.

Medieval Re-enactment Day: The Company of Blood and Gold – Corinium Museum

 

Mini Votives Workshop
Tues 28 July, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

In the Iron Age it was common to make small, decorated versions of weapons such as spears and shields. In this workshop we will learn more about Iron Age culture as well as the dazzling hoard found near Cirencester that contains more than 100 silver coins as well as several of these mysterious votives. Then, have a go at making your own votives!

Mini Votives Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Prehistoric Printing Workshop
Thu 30 July, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

Step back into Prehistory for a morning of creativity. Discover a variety of printing techniques to produce a series of bold, prehistoric-themed images. Perfect for budding artists and history buffs alike.

Prehistoric Printing Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Prehistoric Painting Workshop
Fri 31 July, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

Ever wonder how people created art before we had store-bought art supplies? This workshop explores the use of natural materials such as flowers, grasses, mud and charcoal to create compositions of what people in pre-history may have seen around them. This messy workshop is always a crowd favourite for both the medium and subject matter.

Prehistoric Painting Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Fantastic Fossils
Tue 4 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

This session explores the topic of fossils. We will learn about several types of fossils including remains, trace and preserved. The children will have the opportunity to create versions of all three types of fossils that we are learning about to support the love of fossils, and the love of learning.

Fantastic Fossils! – Corinium Museum

 

Tales from Past Times
Tue 4 August, 11am to 12pm
Free

Join local children’s author Elka Evalds for a storytelling session that spans the centuries: from Mesopotamian monsters to ancient Greek myths, to knights in shining armour. Brave children can come to the front and help tell the stories. Ages 5 and up.

This is a free event, part of Gloucestershire Libraries Library Challenge.

Tales From Past Times – Corinium Museum

 

Craft a Prehistoric Axe Head Workshop
Wed 5 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£12-£15

Children will learn all about the use, materials and creation methods for early axe heads. They will get to handle reproduction axe heads representing thousands of years of history and learn important archaeological terms such as ‘seriation’.  After a tour of the Prehistory Gallery, the children will use a special quick-set material to mould a set of axe heads that they can take home and display.

Craft a Prehistoric Axe Head Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Drawing the Stone Age
Thu 6 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

Get up close and personal with the past! In this creative session, you’ll observe and draw real prehistoric artefacts from the museum’s collection, learning some fun sketching techniques to capture history on paper.

Drawing the Stone Age – Corinium Museum

 

Roman Swords and Shields Workshop
Tue 11 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

During this workshop you will create a Roman shield and sword so that you feel as ready as a real Roman soldier to venture into the world to do battle. This creative workshop is inspired by archaeology from the Roman fort and from tombstones of Roman cavalrymen. Make your equipment and take it home after you have made it all in this creative workshop.

Booking essential Suitable for ages 6 and above

Roman Swords and Shields Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

I Dig Cake! Edible Archaeology
Wed 12 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£12-£15

Back by popular demand!  After a brief tour of our stratigraphy wall in the galleries, children will learn the process of excavation and key terms such as ‘the law of super-position’.  They will then take new skills and definitions and apply them to creating a ‘dig’ that anyone would enjoy.

I Dig Cake! Edible Archaeology – Corinium Museum

 

Mini Mosaics: Roman-Style Mosaics Workshop
Thu 13 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£12-£115

Walk in the footsteps of a Roman craftsman. After looking at some of the incredible mosaics from Roman Corinium, learn how to arrange tesserae into classic patterns and take home your very own masterpiece inspired by the museum’s famous collection.

Mini Mosaics: Roman-Style Mosaics Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Viking Runestones Workshop
Tue 18 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

More than a thousand years ago written language looked very different, using runes instead of the letters we use today. The Vikings also used runes and constructed large runestones with intricate designs from history and mythology, inscribed with stories and memorials. In this workshop we will learn a bit more about these runes and have a go at making our own runestones with inscriptions.

Viking Runestones Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Anglo-Saxon Weaving Workshop
Wed 19 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

Have you ever wondered how clothes were made before we had sewing machines? Come along to this workshop to learn how people 1,000 years ago mastered the art of weaving. We will have a look at their tools and technologies and finally we will learn how to create our very own weaving.

Anglo-Saxon Weaving Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Anglo-Saxon Brooches Workshop
Tue 25 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

Brooches are a prominent feature in our collection because they were not only beautiful, but also practical. Bring your young fashion designers along to learn about these brooches and then create several of their own. Make them as dazzling as you wish in gold, silver and bronze, and don’t forget the gems!

Booking essential

Suitable for ages 6 and above

Anglo-Saxon Brooches – Corinium Museum

 

Mini Votives Workshop
Wed 26 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£10-£12.50

In the Iron Age it was common to make small, decorated versions of weapons such as spears and shields. In this workshop we will learn more about Iron Age culture as well as the dazzling hoard found near Cirencester that had more than 100 silver coins as well as several of these mysterious votives. Then, have a go at making your own votives!

Mini Votives Workshop – Corinium Museum

 

Mini Mosaics: Mythical Mosaics Workshop
Thu 27 August, 10.30am to 12pm
£12-£15

After taking a look at some of the marvellous mythical creatures on the museum’s mosaics, you can create your own mosaic fit for a legend! Based on the themes of ancient votives and Roman mythology, you’ll craft a mosaic featuring gods, goddesses, or sacred symbols.

Mini Mosaics: Mythical Mosaics Workshop – Corinium Museum