St Albans Museums

12/08/2024

🪁🍦 Who's celebrating summer in Verulamium Park today?

Pop into the shop at Verulamium Museum for Lewis of London ice cream or to pick up a fantastic kite (modelled by Charlie!) ready to fly!

Ice cream flavours include:
🕶️ Mint choc chip
🍓Strawberry
✨ Vanilla
🔵 Bubblegum
🍬 Salted Caramel

💚 Vegan ice cream available too!

12/08/2024

When you're in Verulamium Park do you think about the 2000+ years of history under your feet?

We're working on a project to bring history to the surface (with augmented reality), and we need your help!

Fill in our short survey: https://uk.culturecounts.cc/s/3JhatU/splash

10/08/2024

Find out more about becoming a Learning Volunteer at Verulamium Museum on 9th September!

Our Learning Volunteer taster day will include:
- try our Roman market and archaeology sessions
- more about our school programme
- find out more about the learning volunteer role
- meet the museum team

Sign up to join or for more information:
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering

10/08/2024

Have you visited our new Revisiting the Romans exhibition SUPERIOR: INFERIOR exploring class in Roman Verulamium?

From BBC News (05/05/24): Museum asks if we are classier than the Romans

'The way humans compare their social status, even after death, is the subject of an exhibition exploring Roman society in Britain.

Superior: Inferior asks visitors to the Roman Verulamium Museum in St Albans, Hertfordshire to think about their own behaviour and assumptions, compared with the ancient culture... The exhibition runs until 11 November.'

Link to the article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0ve0jwwnwjo

(📷 St Albans Museums)

09/08/2024

Throwback to the Barbara Hepworth exhibition with UH Arts + Culture

09/08/2024

Come and celebrate South Asian Heritage month with us at our Mini Mela!
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/mini-mela

Free drop-in event on 10 August 11am-4pm includes:
- dance performances and workshops 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30 & 2.30
- henna mehndi designs
- crafts
- traditional clothing demonstrations
- create a community mandala (art work created with colours and geometric shapes)
- music and dancing

Plus look out for South Asian snacks and treats to buy from Cha&Nasta

With HAWA Multicultural Services CIC START St Albans Rainbow Trail SB Henna Design Suman Gujral printmaker

09/08/2024

⏰ Clock Tower Update: we will be open again this weekend 10.30am-5pm!

Scaffolding will still be up while we continue to repair the tower, but you'll be able to explore the inside of the Clock Tower, and see the views from the top (we asked our extra lovely builders to lower the plastic at the top to reveal the views!)

https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/visit/clock-tower

09/08/2024

Have you ever wondered what every day life was like in Roman Verulamium?

On Saturday at 11.30am join as they explore Domestic Life in Roman Verulamium, looking at many of the objects found here at Verulamium.
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/domestic-life-gallery-talk

09/08/2024

We've been having problems with the toilets downstairs at the front of St Albans Museum + Gallery recently...so today we're starting some work to find the problem and fix them.

Some of the cubicles will be out of service during works - but our unique "cell toilets" (pictured) will still be available as usual!

07/08/2024

Ready for the free Mini Mela festival this Saturday?
Drop into St Albans Museum + Gallery 11am-4pm. All welcome ❤️

A South Asian fair is being held at St Albans Museum + Gallery as part of a month-long cultural initiative.

07/08/2024

Happy St Albans Markets Wednesday!

If you visited our stall last week you might have seen this glass... can you guess what it was used for?
(Bonus points if you can tell us the year it was banned!)

Modelled by our Volunteer Engagement Officer Jo

⬇️ Add your answer in the comments

06/08/2024

Join our Mini Mela (festival) on Saturday 10th August!

Free activities include henna designs, craft activities, creating a mandala design and traditional clothing demonstrations.

Plus Cha&Nasta will be selling delicious South Asian snacks.

Drop-in throughout the day (no booking necessary) 11am-4pm.

To celebrate South Asian Heritage Month (July 18th - August 17th) we will be holding a Mini Mela, a South Asian festival, in our Assembly Room. The countries in South Asia are usually considered to be Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, all of which have a long shared...

05/08/2024

Are we classier than the Romans?

BBC's Louise Parry talks to the guest curator of our new exhibition SUPERIOR : INFERIOR Andrew Deathe.

Read more:

Verulamium Museum compares Roman society with modern Britain in a new exhibition.

04/08/2024

Create your own Roman wall painting at our Tots or Family painting events on 7 August at Verulamium Museum.

https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/family-painting-workshop

03/08/2024

Discover Roman Britain's Gods & Goddesses on a gallery tour led by St Albans Tour guides St Albans Guided Tours at Verulamium Museum today at 11.30am.
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/gods-and-goddesses-gallery-talk
Included with admission.

02/08/2024

A quick reminder that the Clock Tower is closed this weekend for essential repairs.

02/08/2024

Just a couple of the fantastic Ladybird book covers that have been created by visitors to "The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Artists" exhibition (open until 8 September).

Have you made a Ladybird book cover yet?

01/08/2024

The Herts Advertiser covers our latest Revisiting the Romans exhibition SUPERIOR : INFERIOR exploring class in Roman Britain. Read it here 👇

Verulamium Museum in St Albans has launched an exhibition exploring class and status in Roman Britain.

01/08/2024

Whether you're planning your staycation or discovering St Albans there's lots on for the whole family this August!
More details or book online: https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on

Here's your mini calendar for the month ahead:

VERULAMIUM MUSEUM
SUPERIOR : INFERIOR exhibition
👩1 Aug: Meet 'Tessa Wheeler'
🌟 3 Aug: Gods & Goddesses Talk
👨‍🎨 7 Aug: Family Painting
🎨 7 Aug: Tots Painting
🧑‍🦱8 Aug: Meet 'Laurentius Calvus' Roman Briton
🍯 10 Aug: Domestic Life Tour
🎲 14 Aug: Make a Roman Game
🧑‍🦱15 Aug: Meet 'Laurentius Calvus' Roman Briton
💬17 Aug: Trading in the Empire talk
👨‍🎨 21 Aug: Family Painting workshop
🧑‍🦱22 Aug: Meet 'Laurentius Calvus' Roman Briton
🎲 24 Aug: The Romans are coming! game
🏡 24 Aug: Grand Designs talk
👹 28 Aug: Make a Roman mask
📚 30 Aug: Tots Tales

ST ALBANS MUSEUM + GALLERY
The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Artists exhibition (final month) - Ladybird books
Passion, Determination, Vision exhibition - moden textile portraits
Hertfordshire Histories : Global Impact display - sustainability and Herts history
🐞 6 Aug: Make a Model Ladybird
📚 9 Aug: Museum Minis
🎉 10 Aug: Mini Mela
💬 11 Aug: Poetry Workshop
🖨️ 13 Aug: Family Printing workshop
🧵 18 Aug: Craft in the Courtroom
🪀 20 Aug: Childhood toys workshop
🐞 27 Aug: Make a Model Ladybird
📙 28 Aug: The Secret History of Nursery Rhymes
💠29 Aug: Mosaic Making workshop
🚪31 Aug: The House in the Park talk at the Hypocaust

CLOCK TOWER
🕰️ Currently closed for essential repairs - watch this space for updates.

31/07/2024

Still a few hours left to apply for the Headley Trust Archaeological Finds internship. Closing date 1 August:

Join our team! We're looking for a Headley Trust Archaeological Finds intern:
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies

We welcome applicants with no experience or qualifications in archaeology.

Apply by 1 August 2024.

31/07/2024

We were looking through Helen Carlton-Smith's diary after Revisiting the Romans: "Women doing everything, everywhere, all at once" closed and found an entry for today, describing the cleaning of the shell ('sun-ray') mosaic.

"July 31: Down to the excavs. Met Margaret in Fishpool St with the car. She had been shopping.

She offered me a lift to the excavs: if I didn’t mind opening the gates, but one was opened and another was opened for a lorry in front of us, which was very lucky.

Margaret washed the ‘sun-ray’. She always washes any new pavement that is found, or needs washing.

I helped Michael take some nails out of boxes and lids. It was gorgeous. He went off with Margaret in the car, so I finished. Had a piece of toffee."

31/07/2024

If you visit Verulamium Museum make sure you ask at the front desk for an afternoon mini tour of the collection (included with admission).

You might meet Charlie who's taking over our Instagram today to tell us about a few of his favourite objects at Verulamium Museum.

Follow us on: https://www.instagram.com/stalbansmuseums/

30/07/2024

We'll be outside St Albans Museum + Gallery tomorrow....Come and say hello, find out more about Summer Holiday events, and look out for some St Albans inspired crafts and historic photos of our fabulous city!

30/07/2024

We're delighted to welcome our new community in residence

Herts Vision Loss support blind and visually impaired people across Hertfordshire.

We're looking forward to working with them over the next year:
https://hertsvisionloss.org.uk/

29/07/2024

And a bit more information on the Clock Tower and repairs: https://stalbanstimes.co.uk/st-albans/whats-happening-with-st-albans-historic-clock-tower

Some of you will have noticed the scaffolding around St Albans Clock Tower 🕰️. Unfortunately, the Tower is closed temporarily for essential works. Watch this space for further updates about when the Tower - and the view - will be open again

29/07/2024

Join our team! We're looking for a Headley Trust Archaeological Finds intern:
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies

We welcome applicants with no experience or qualifications in archaeology.

Apply by 1 August 2024.

29/07/2024

Do you know what your soap is made of?

John Knight was born in Hertfordshire and was a leading soap manufacturer in the 1800s.

Animal fat for soap was imported from Russia. With 60,000 tonnes of fat delivered to meet increasing demand, the environmental impact of raising animals and imported them would have led to increased carbon emissions and ecological wastage.

Visit "Hertfordshire Histories: Global Impact" display at St Albans Museum + Gallery to find out more:
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/hertfordshire-histories-global-impact

28/07/2024

Make your own toy inspired by Ladybird books!

Choose a wooden spoon puppet or a peg doll, or perhaps come up with your own crafty idea using the materials available.

Last few spaces available for this very popular workshop 30 July at 1.45pm or 3pm.

Tickets £6.50 per participant
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/family-workshop-crafty-characters

27/07/2024

In between chatting to our visitors about exhibitions and our collection; our team have been busy building one of the "Mini-Builds Ladybird" cardboard models. Available in our shop, along with lots of other brilliant Ladybird themed jewellery, prints, toys and, of course, Ladybird books.

🐞 Modelled by Antaya