Dates: Thursday 24 April 2025–Friday 20 June 2025, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Venue: DIG

24 April – 20 June 2025 | 10am – 4pm | DIG | Included in admission price | Book now

Step into the world of ancient gladiators and uncover a truly unique encounter at DIG! While gladiators battling lions and bears have long captured the imagination, evidence of these fierce encounters has been limited to historical texts and artistic depictions—until now.

This spring, DIG is proud to present an extraordinary display: skeletal remains believed to bear genuine lion bite marks. Alongside this discovery, witness a stunning facial reconstruction that brings history vividly to life.

Join our Dig Deeper tours—an exclusive, adult-focused experience held at the end of each day. These tours spotlight the gladiator remains and other fascinating artifacts from our collection. Learn from real archaeologists, ask your burning questions about life on a dig, and handle replica artifacts. You’ll also gain hands-on experience in our interactive dig pits, discovering what it’s like to uncover the past.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to come face-to-face with history. Book your visit today!

View event >

Date: Wednesday 21 May 2025, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

View event >

Date: Thursday 22 May 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

View event >

Date: Friday 23 May 2025, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

View event >

Date: Saturday 24 May 2025, All Day
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

View event >

Date: Saturday 24 May 2025, All Day
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

View event >

Dates: Saturday 24 May 2025–Sunday 25 May 2025, All Day
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

View event >

Date: Saturday 24 May 2025, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Venue:

A Roman treasure hunt

24 May 2025

10am-3pm

A free activity for families spread across the city, from the Yorkshire Museum to DIG in St Saviourgate. Participants will help save Eboracum from disaster, whilst learning about life in Roman York.

The trails runs 24-25 May, and 28-30 May from 10am to 3pm.

View event >

Dates: Saturday 24 May 2025–Saturday 31 May 2025, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Venue: DIG

24 – 31 May 2025 | 11 am – 3pm | DIG | £3 per person, pay on arrival | DIG website

Inspired by real Roman objects, this drop-in craft allows you to make your own Roman face pot. Fragments of at least 50 of these pots have been found in York, ranging from jars with simple facial features added into the clay, to fully sculpted head-shaped urns, complete with intricate hairstyles. Despite finding so many, archaeologists don’t quite know why they were made, but there are lots of theories!

Come along to learn more about these fascinating finds and let your imagination take over whilst designing your own face pot.

£3.00 per person, pay on arrival.

Join us at DIG during the Eboracum Roman Festival and explore all things Roman! Get up close with real 2000-year-old finds on your DIG tour and explore 40 years of Roman archaeology from across York in our galleries, giving exciting glimpses into life and death in a bustling Roman city. It is also your last chance to see the ‘Soundmarks’ exhibition, where soundscapes and visual art come together and invite you to imagine the possibilities of past worlds, all inspired by Roman archaeological discoveries. You can learn more about Soundmarks here: Soundmarks.

View event >

Date: Saturday 24 May 2025, 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

Roman Coins in Everyday Use with David Michaels
24 May 2025 | 1pm – 1.30pm | Discovery Den, Yorkshire Museum | Free, booking required | Book Now

As most people know, Roman soldiers founded and settled Eboracum, the ancient name for York. But how much were they paid, and how did they live on their wages? What kinds of food, clothes, lodging and luxury goods could they buy? Numismatist David Michaels of Classical Numismatic Group, in the guise of Senior Centurion Titus Flavius Crispus of Legio VI Victrix, along with his purse-managing wife Pompeia Pulchra (Lorie Rodrigues), will answer these questions and more in a 30-minute presentation at the Eboracum Roman Festival. The presentation includes an opportunity to handle real Roman coins from the Yorkshire Museum collection.

View event >