The Wilson Museum

Halloween Trail
2025-10-25 - 2025-11-02 | The Wilson, The Wilson Clarence Street, Cheltenham, GL50 13JT, United Kingdom
Something strange is stirring at The Wilson this October Half Term!
Shadows move, whispers echo, and a trail of mysterious clues winds through the galleries. Seek out hidden ingredients for a secret spell””but beware, not everything is what it seems.
Once you’ve gathered what you need, will you dare drop it all into the waiting cauldron and see what magic unfolds?
The trail runs during gallery hours. Tickets available from the cafÃ© on arrival.

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Family Halloween Party
2025-10-31 15:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | The Wilson, The Wilson Clarence Street, Cheltenham, GL50 13JT, United Kingdom
Get ready for a spellbinding Halloween adventure at the museum! Join us for two enchanted hours filled with curious crafts, eerie experiments, and our fang-tastic Trick or Treat Trail. Little witches, wizards, and brave explorers can dive into all sorts of magical mischief and mysterious surprises around every corner. Plus, don’t miss the return of Into The Night“”a twilight journey through the dimly lit Foyle to uncover the secrets of creatures that come alive after dark. It’s going to be frightfully fun from start to finish!
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Reimagined Materials: Family Art Workshop
2025-11-08 10:30 - 12:30
Get creative at our free family workshop with artist-in-residence Grace Gatley at the Wilson!
Taking inspiration from the Material Worlds exhibition and Alexandre da Cunha’s amazing installation made from everyday things, we’ll be turning ordinary materials into something extraordinary. Families can make their own colourful wall hangings or help build one big, fun, temporary installation together.
Come along, play with materials, and see what your imagination can create!
About Grace
Grace Gatley is a mixed-media embroidery artist with a degree in Textile Design from Falmouth University. She fuses traditional techniques with contemporary design, inspired by historical buildings, churches and cathedrals. Ornately carved masonry and Victorian stained glass lend pattern and palette to her practice, and she often works with botanical dyes and real flowers; preserving and reflecting fragile natural beauty in print and stitch as in carved stone.

Look Club: Home Educators Workshop
2025-11-13 10:30 - 12:00
Join us for a workshop that invites us to look closely!
Please note the workshop date has changed to Thursday 13 November.
Look Club with Debbie Kersley is a friendly, inclusive space where, we will look closely at artworks, share what we notice, and listen to each other’s perspectives. When we look together, we often spot more ““ and build a shared understanding along the way. Look Club is about curiosity, conversation, and the joy of discovering new details. Through our discussions and activity, we will develop skills in critical thinking, communicating and visual literacy, while enjoying art without judgement.
For children aged 4 to 11 years old. Children should be accompanied by an adult.
About Debbie Kersley Debbie Kersley is a trained Visual Thinking Strategies facilitator, a practicing artist, and a nature journaller. She works with people of all ages ““ from young children to older adults ““ on creative arts projects in the community. Debbie has a background in Health and Social Care and believes everyone should have the chance to take part in the arts. Since lockdown, she has been running a monthly online Look Club and now enjoys bringing this same relaxed, friendly approach into art galleries and community spaces.
Find out more about the Visual Thinking Strategies approach at www.vtshome.org.
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After-School Christmas Crafts
2025-12-09 16:00 - 17:00
Get creative and celebrate the season!
Our fun-filled after-school workshop offers a chance to make festive decorations, cards, and gifts to take home. With plenty of sparkle, glue, and cheer, it’s the perfect way to kick off the Christmas season. All materials provided – just bring your imagination!
For children aged 4 ““ 11, all materials provided.
Please note this is a drop-off session, so parents can enjoy an hour of Christmas shopping or a festive drink in the cafÃ©!
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Living Materials: Home Educators Drama Workshop
2025-12-11 10:30 - 12:00
Join us for an exciting, interactive exploration of the Material Worlds exhibition with Thrive Drama!
This workshop will focus on play and storytelling, using artworks as our starting point. We will begin with fun warm up games to help everyone relax and feel confident, before heading into the Material Worlds exhibit for inspiration. We’ll use the art we see to create characters and tell their stories through drama, then share these with each other.
Drama is all about fun, skills and confidence! All levels of experience and ability are welcome. Please wear clothes/shoes that you can comfortably move in.
This workshop is designed for ages 7″“12. Younger or older children are welcome if parents feel the session is suitable for their child’s level.
Accompanying adults do not require a ticket but please note this is not a drop off session.
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Christmas Gift Trail
2025-12-12 10:00 - 2026-01-04 17:00
There are presents hidden all over The Wilson Art Galleries this December and Father Christmas needs clever young explorers to help find them.
Follow the Christmas Present Trail around the building to find all of the missing presents.
And the best part?Everyone who completes the trail will receive a special surprise Christmas gift bag from Santa’s workshop!
Bring your curiosity, your festive spirit, and your best detective skills “” the magical trail is waiting!
Tickets purchased through the cafÃ© only, £7
Tickets only available while gift stocks last.

Crafty Christmas Party!
2025-12-13 14:00 - 17:00
Step into a world of seasonal sparkle with artist-led workshops, exclusive Christmas crafts, and the chance to create your own decorations to take home. There’ll be glitter tattoos to add some extra shine and cheer, plus a magical Christmas trail through the galleries””with a special treat waiting at the end. Don’t miss out on the festive fun!
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Slow Looking
2026-01-21 10:00 - 11:00
Begin the new year with a moment of stillness and a fresh way of looking at art. Join artist in residence Emily Oswald for a guided Slow Looking practice “” an invitation to pause, observe, and connect more deeply with the artworks on display.
Family-friendly Session: 10:00 ““ 10:45am
Exploring the Community Gallery together through playful and mindful looking designed for families with children.

Make A Fairytale Book: Family Drop-In Activity
2026-02-20 11:00 - 13:00
Step into a world of imagination!
Inspired by Paula Rego’s twists on classic stories, this hands-on workshop invites families to create their very own mini fairy tale book.
Pick a character, setting, and a mood or twist, then bring your story to life with drawing and writing.
Come along and let your imagination run wild!

Easter Trail
2026-03-28 10:00 - 2026-04-12 17:00
Hop along to the Wilson this Easter for a fun family adventure!
Our Easter Trail is bursting with clues and plenty of fun. Follow the trail through the galleries, solve the puzzles, and keep your eyes peeled for hidden treasures around the museum. Complete the trail to earn a sweet reward and enjoy an adventure packed with creativity, curiosity, and Easter cheer. Perfect for little explorers!
Tickets can also be purchased on the day from the cafÃ©.
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Where Next? Cheltenham Family Book Launch
2026-03-31 10:00 - 13:00
This Easter, we’re so excited to launch a brand-new children’s book celebrating Cheltenham!
Where Next? Cheltenham is a beautifully illustrated picture book that brings the town’s much-loved landmarks to life. From Pittville Park and Neptune’s Fountain to the Everyman Theatre, children will delight in spotting familiar places and saying, “œI’ve been there!”
Join us for a relaxed, family-friendly launch event at The Wilson Art Gallery, Cheltenham.
Drop in to buy a copy of the book, enjoy story time, colour-in Cheltenham-themed illustrations and take part in a fun pigeon hunt around the gallery!
No booking required ““ just drop in!
Perfect for children aged 2-8, and a lovely way to spend a spring morning together.

Easter Crafts for Families
2026-03-31 11:00 - 16:15
Celebrate the season with a mix of fun, hands-on craft activities the whole family can enjoy!
Children and grown-ups will get the chance to create unique Easter-themed crafts and take home their own special keepsakes.
Sessions run for 1 hour at 11.00am, 12.15pm, 14.00pm, 15.15pm
Perfect for children of all ages.
One ticket required per child, adults go free.
Please note this is a family event, not a drop-off.
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Playful Shadows: Family Drama Workshop
2026-04-07 10:30 - 12:00
Join us for an exciting journey into Paula Rego’s world of fairy tales with Thrive Drama. This workshop will focus on play and telling tales, using Paula Rego’s prints as our inspiration. We will begin with fun warm up games to help everyone relax and develop trust before heading up to the gallery for our inspiration. We’ll use the art we see and ideas about fairy tales, along with items from the museum’s handling collection, to use to create our own physical theatre ‘book’ of characters and tell our stories.
Drama is all about fun, skills and confidence! Children of all levels of experience and ability are welcome. They will need to wear clothes that they can move easily in and comfortable shoes. This is a drop-off session.
Facilitated by Jennifer Taylor, from Thrive Drama.
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Make A Scene: Drop-In Family Workshop
2026-04-11 11:00 - 14:30
Make A Scene: Drop-In Family Workshop Inspired by Paula Rego
11am – 12.30pm
2pm – 3.30pm
FREE
Drop in and get creative with one of the Wilson’s artists in residence, Alice Biggadike, in this relaxed, family-friendly workshop inspired by the Paula Rego exhibition.
Choose a character to colour in or design your own, then create a scene for them using collage, colour and drawing. Think about where your character is, what’s happening around them, and how a single scene can capture a story.
This informal drop-in session is all about playing with illustration, characters and scenes. Suitable for children and families of all ages – no experience needed, just come along and create!
About Alice
Alice Biggadike is a multidisciplinary artist based in Cheltenham. She uses sculpture, painting and textiles to present a surreal interpretation of the world around her.

Expressive Drawing Inspired by Paula Rego
2026-05-09 16:15 - 17:45
Explore storytelling through drawing in this hands-on workshop led by artist Dougal Kirkland. Inspired by Paula Rego, participants will begin from a story and use intuitive mark-making to explore the feeling and location of a narrative and how it feels to inhabit these environments.
The workshop will then focus on developing and combining characters, using costumes from the Wilson collection to draw from.
Open to all levels, the session encourages playful experimentation and personal expression through drawing.
About Dougal
Dougal Kirkland is an artist and printmaker interested in landscape, archeology and folklore. He studied at the Royal Drawing School where he was awarded the ACS drawing prize and where he currently teaches. Dougal is passionate about drawing and enjoys exploring ways of drawing with others.
www.dougalkirkland.co.uk
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Collar Creations: Inspired by the Masters
2026-07-11 10:30 - 14:00
Inspired by the rich details of the portraits in The Art of Looking, drop in to this free family workshop to imagine, and create your own wearable artwork!
Take a closer look at the textures, clothing and hidden stories within artworks in the exhibition and be inspired by the elaborate collars and fine details seen in portraits. Then, using simple materials, cut, fold and build your own paper collars inspired by what you see. This is your chance to experiment, play and see differently.
Drop in anytime, stay as long as you like!
Suitable for all ages. No booking required.

Be Brave Balloon: Author Book Reading
2026-07-21 11:00 - 12:00
Join us for a special children’s book reading with Roxanne Darby, author of Be Brave Balloon! Be Brave Balloon is a cozy picture book adventure for helping little ones understand that sometimes it’s okay to say goodbye. Perfect for ages 2-6. During this event Roxanne will read the book and lead a couple of interactive activities for little ones. Books will be available for purchase and signing!
