Upcoming Events
Unexpected Elegance: Female Fashion from the 1970s
The 1970s are often called ‘the decade that taste forgot’, but the dresses in this small exhibition show that this was far from true.
Find out more »Guided Walking Tours of Chester with the Guild of Chester Tour Guides
Your guide will lead you on a captivating journey through 2,000 years of history, taking in all the main sites along the way, including the Rows, Walls, River and the exterior of the Cathedral.
Find out more »David Ferry: The Invader’s Guide to the Museum (and other places)
Guide books on travel, history, gardening, cooking, knitting have provided David Ferry with material for his collages that explore our national heritage. Alongside his prints and books, this exhibition gives alternative interpretations of the Grosvenor Museum’s collections, through David’s selected interventions throughout the museum.
Find out more »Going the Distance: 480 Years of Racing at the Roodee
Once likened to racing on ‘green velvet’ by jockey Lester Piggott, Chester’s hallowed Roodee turf is uniquely positioned at the heart of the city.
Find out more »The Grosvenor Museum’s 13th Open Art Exhibition
Discover the wealth of local creative talent in this diverse and stimulating exhibition, selected from hundreds of entries in open competition.
Find out more »Cheshire’s Civil War: three months of action, three years of stalemate
In the second of three lectures examining the English civil war of 1642-46 in this region, Professor Peter Gaunt explores the civil war within Cheshire.
Find out more »Britain in the Fifties
A chance to enjoy a nostalgic look at Britain during the 1950s in the comfort of our Lecture Theatre. Film show, plus handling session with artefacts from the decade and 1950s-themed refreshements.
Find out more »Chester Heritage Festival Launch: Roman Day
Youngsters can learn fascinating facts about their Cestrian ancestors and witness spectacular sporting displays both on and off the track.
Find out more »Silly Storybooks
David Ferry makes surreal books by sticking pictures from one type of book onto the pages of another. Come and make your own little book filled with pictures you’ve chosen and cut out of magazines, and write a story to go with the pictures.
Find out more »King of all Balloons
Mark Davies’ talk will be full of the hot air as he describes the exciting event in 1785 when three manned balloon flights took off from the City of Chester.
Find out more »The Terrific Triassic
A strange alien creature wends its way across a barren scarlet desert … welcome to Cheshire in the Terrific Triassic era!
Find out more »North Wales’s Civil War: there’s a war on, but where’s the fighting?
In the third of three lectures examining the English civil war of 1642-46 in this region, Professor Peter Gaunt looks west, across the border, to reassess the standing and nature of royalism in northern and mid Wales.
Find out more »North Wales’s Civil War: there’s a war on, but where’s the fighting?
Professor Peter Gaunt looks at the standing and nature of royalism in northern and mid Wales during the civil war of 1642-46.
Find out more »Cupcakes!
Inspired by the cakes in David Ferry’s book Cake Walking in Scotland, decorate – and eat! – some cupcakes.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Grosvenor Museum ‘Quiet’ Afternoons
For those who enjoy a ‘quieter’ visit to the museum, including people living with autism, their families and carers.
Find out more »WonderFull: Unseen Marvels from the Museum Stores
From a dress that might have poisoned its wearer, to an olive leaf from the Garden of Gethsemane, the museum stores contain some quirky objects which have rarely or never been displayed before.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Chester Heritage Festival: Telling the story of our city and its people
Over 60 events put the spotlight on Chester’s 2000-year history and heritage. Walks, talks, performances, exhibitions, storytelling and special activities for young people.
Find out more »River Dee Activities with the Youth Panel
The Grosvenor Museum’s Youth Panel celebrates the story of the River Dee and its rich heritage with family activities exploring different periods in the river’s history.
Find out more »Midsummer Watch Parades
Chester’s famous Midsummer Watch first took place in 1498, and still today dragons, angels and devils make an annual appearance on the city’s streets.
Find out more »Copy of Midsummer Watch Parades
Chester’s famous Midsummer Watch first took place in 1498, and still today dragons, angels and devils make an annual appearance on the city’s streets.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Chester Archaeological Society Conference
Chester Archaeological Society celebrates its 170th anniversary this year. The conference will look back at some of the major projects undertaken by the Society over its long history, as well as looking forward.
Find out more »Chester ArchFest
Join museum archaeologists, local societies, re-enactors and field archaeologists for a fun-packed weekend full of tours, demonstrations, displays and archaeological activities.
Find out more »Chester ArchFest
Join museum archaeologists, local societies, re-enactors and field archaeologists for a fun-packed weekend full of tours, demonstrations, displays and archaeological activities.
Find out more »Grosvenor Museum ‘Quiet’ Afternoons
For those who enjoy a ‘quieter’ visit to the museum, including people living with autism, their families and carers.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Curated Closet
This small exhibition showcases costumes inspired by objects from the Grosvenor Museum collections, made by West Cheshire College Fashion and Design students under the expert guidance of local fashion designer Matthew O’Brien and photographer Kat Hannon of the Cheshire Magazine.
Find out more »Museum Explorers
Especially for ages 2-4, although younger siblings are also welcome.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Lion Masks
Using the stone carving in the museum’s portrait of Prince Charles as inspiration, create your own mask to take home.
Find out more »Make a Rainbow
Help to create rainbow, which will hang from our first floor landing.
Find out more »Make your own Masterpiece
Take inspiration from our Open Art Exhibition and create your own masterpiece to take home.
Find out more »Grosvenor Museum ‘Quiet’ Afternoons
For those who enjoy a ‘quieter’ visit to the museum, including people living with autism, their families and carers.
Find out more »Hobby Horses
Chester is well known for its racecourse and love of horses. Join us and make your own horse to race on.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Toys and Games from Times Gone By
Come and join us for a nostalgic look at the toys and games we played with as children.
Find out more »Victorian Parasols
Make a large fixed paper parasol and decorate it with lace, just as the Victorians liked to ornament their parasols.
Find out more »Shiny Beetle Bags
Take inspiration from our WonderFull exhibition and make your own iridescent bag to take home.
Find out more »Cuneiform Tablets
Come and make your own clay tablet with your name on it in cuneiform.
Find out more »Coats of Arms
The museum’s portrait of Prince Charles is full of symbolism. Learn about the different meanings behind colours, symbols and animals in coats of arms, and design a shield for your own family.
Find out more »Family Photographs
Dress your family in our colourful range of handling costumes and accessories.
Find out more »3D Family Tree
Pop along and make your very three-dimensional family tree to fill with beautiful pictures of your family and other special people in your life.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Sustainable Living
Help to make a sustainable village out of recycled materials for display in our foyer case.
Find out more »Miniature Gardens
Come and make your own little garden with real plants to take home and grow.
Find out more »Rainforest Animals
Come and make a collage showing rainforest life, with animals, plants and birds.
Find out more »The Constant Flux: New Thrills in Contemporary Art. A new lecture by Adrian Sumner
A fresh look at modernism and how contemporary art must change and change again to remain of-the-moment and relevant (not to mention financially appealing).
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Grosvenor Museum ‘Quiet’ Afternoons
For those who enjoy a ‘quieter’ visit to the museum, including people living with autism, their families and carers.
Find out more »Louise Rayner: Victorian Watercolours
The much-loved watercolours of Louise Rayner (1832-1924) present a uniquely charming vision of Victorian Chester.
Find out more »Royal Chester Walk with the Guild of Chester Tour Guides
Chester has long been known as a loyal and ancient city, with a townscape rich in references to royal connections and historic events.
Find out more »Heritage Open Days: Family Tree Activity
Pop along and make your very three-dimensional family tree to fill with beautiful pictures of your family and other special people in your life.
Find out more »Café Crafts
Join Tracey Todhunter, freelance knitwear designer and author of Woman’s Weekly Guide to Crochet, for an afternoon of craft and chat in our 1940s café.
Find out more »Art Gallery Tour
Join Peter Boughton, the museum’s Keeper of Art, to discover a rich array of paintings, sculpture and furniture spanning half a millennium of art.
Find out more »