Dates: Saturday 28 March 2026–Sunday 31 May 2026, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

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Date: Wednesday 20 May 2026, 10:30 am-11:30 am
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Community Birdwatch
Wednesday 20 May 2026
10:30-11:30am
Free, donations encouraged
Suitable for all ages
York Museum Gardens

Join Isabelle, a member of the Gardens Team for a community bird watch to spot some of the various bird species in the Museum Gardens.

Please meet at the bird feeding station next to the Rock Garden.

As a charity, York Museums Trust relies on donations to keep York Museum Gardens open and maintained, and provide free community activities like the Community Birdwatch. Although the activity is free, please consider donating if you are able to.

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Date: Thursday 21 May 2026, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue:

Schools Roman History Livestream
Thursday 21 May 2026 | 10am – 12 noon
Online (Zoom)
Free, booking essential

New for 2026, join us online for a morning of live, interactive learning sessions all about Roman York. Featuring a range of exciting content from the Yorkshire Museum, York Minster and York Archaeology, your pupils will engage with stories from across York’s Roman past, view unique artefacts and take part in fun activities with your hosts.  

During the livestream, pupils will:

• Hear from historian, Greg Jenner, in a special introduction to the session.
• Go behind-the-scenes at the Yorkshire Museum to find out what life was like in Iron Age Britain and how things changed after the arrival of the Romans in the north of England.
• Join the team from York Archaeology to discover what archaeological evidence was left behind by Roman soldiers in York and what this can tell us about life in the Roman Army.
• Journey beneath York Minster to explore the headquarters of York’s Roman fortress and to examine an amazing Roman wall painting.

Register your interest for our livestream event using the form below. We will send further information at the start of the summer term, including a full schedule, resources pack and an invitation to a test connection session with your hosts in advance.

Secure your place at our Roman History Livestream using our online form.

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Date: Friday 22 May 2026, 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

Shakespeare and Rome
Friday 22 May 2026
1:30pm – 1.55pm | 3pm – 3.25pm
Included in general admission to the Yorkshire Museum | Book Tickets
Suitable for all ages

Celebrating York’s Roman history, inspired by Roman objects in the Yorkshire Museum, and performed on the historic mosaic floor, this short play ‘Friends, Romans, Yorkshiremen, Shakespeare, York and Rome’ explores questions of history and memory, and the importance of the seemingly insignificant – through the words of Shakespeare.

Shakespeare wrote four Roman plays and a long poem, all set in and around Rome, and the Roman empire. He also leant liberally on Roman writers such as Ovid and Plautus for context and comedy. During his education, he learnt about the recorded history of Roman rulers and leaders, and their battles, exploring questions of personal dilemma and individual responsibility.

‘Shakespeare and Rome’ is a collaborative project between York Museums Trust and York International Shakespeare Festival.

More performances of Shakespeare and Rome take place on Thursday 28 May at 1.30pm and 3pm.

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Dates: Saturday 23 May 2026–Sunday 24 May 2026, All Day
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Living History Camp in York Museum Gardens
23 and 24 May 2026 | 10am – 5pm | Free 

Romans will once again take over York Museum Gardens with a living history encampment demonstrating the Roman way of life. This is a family friendly and free event for everyone to enjoy.

Explore the day-to-day lives of citizens and centurions through living-history demonstrations, expert talks, hands-on activities and storytelling for all ages.

Image credit Gareth Buddo

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Date: Saturday 23 May 2026, 10:30 am-2:30 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

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Dates: Saturday 23 May 2026–Sunday 24 May 2026, 10:30 am-3:30 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Stories Alive: Labours of Hercules
Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May 2026 | 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm
Free
Suitable for all ages
York Museum Gardens 

Step into the world of heroes and legends and discover the legendary story of the Twelve Labours of Hercules, the heroic demigod famed for his strength and courage. Join Eden from Stories Alive for an action-packed journey full of drama, danger and heroism.  

Meet in the Storytelling Area. 

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Date: Saturday 23 May 2026, 11:00 am-3:00 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Kids Barbaric Battle 
Saturday 23 May 2026
11am – 11.30am, 1.15pm – 1.45pm and 3pm – 3.30pm
£10 per child* | Book Tickets
York Museum Gardens

Barbaric Battles Live! return to York with a new Roman-themed conquest. Warriors young and old will take to the battlefield to take part in the UK’s largest Roman Family Battle, set in York Museum Gardens. 

Children take on parents and vice-versa in this fully immersive play-fight, re-enacting the battle of Boudicca’s army of Ancient Britons against the might of the Roman Legions. 

 The show encompasses battlefield manoeuvres, historical set pieces and entertaining historical commentary while families battle it out on the field. 

Safety comes first, little legionaries under 7 will need an adult by their side on the battlefield (each child ticket includes one adult to supervise) and foam weapons, shields and equipment are provided. 

Tickets can be purchased at the Yorkshire Museum’s admissions desk on the day if spaces are available.

Kids Barbaric Battle also returns Sunday 24 May 2026 at 11am and 1.15pm.

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Date: Saturday 23 May 2026, 11:00 am-4:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

Meet Me at the Yorkshire Museum 
Saturday 23 May 2026 
Drop in between 11am – 4pm | (Performances at 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm and 2.30pm) 
Included in general admission to the Yorkshire Museum 
Suitable for all ages 

Have you ever wanted to meet a Roman? History Riot return with another interactive storytelling experience, centred around life in Roman York.  

 Discover tales of the brave and bold, told by a Roman and set on a real Roman mosaic, through stories, games and laughter. 

 ‘Meet me at the Yorkshire Museum’ is brought to you by History Riot, a performance company connecting people to place and past, through riotous performance and storytelling. 

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Dates: Saturday 23 May 2026–Sunday 24 May 2026, 11:00 am-4:00 pm
Venue:

Roman Discovery Trail
Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May 2026
11am – 4pm
Free | Collect a trail sheet from the Information Tent in York Museum Gardens

Explore key Roman York locations across the city in this Roman Discovery Trail, designed by the University of York. At each stop, you’ll collect a stamp and a letter for the name of the Roman lost dog, learning about York’s Roman history through stories and objects along the way.

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