What’s On
Summer Holidays: Free Creative Activities
Tuesday 28 July – Thursday 27 August
10.30am – 3.30pm
Free, drop-in
Get inspired by John Aubrey this summer! Join us every Tuesday and Thursday during the summer holidays for our series of creative activities inspired by our summer exhibition. Here’s what you can get up to each week:
Week 1: Hexaflexhibition
Have some mathematical fun with flexible hexagons.
Week 2: Butterfly Bonanza
Craft your own beautiful paper butterflies.
Week 3: Frankenwyvern
Designed by our Young Curators Group, make your own mixed-up mythical creature.
Week 4: People in Pieces
Create your own quirky mosaic portrait.
Week 5: Glittering Grottos
Design a secret 3D grotto for your shelf.
Our creative activities can also be enjoyed in a quieter session before the museum opens, for those who may find the busy nature of our drop-in sessions overwhelming or who simply prefer a calm, relaxed environment. These sessions run from 9am to 10am, with last entry at 9.45am.
For more information or to book your Quiet Time session, please contact us. You can email us at heritage@chippenham.gov.uk or call 01249 705020.
Please note that the same activity will take place on both Tuesdays and Thursdays each week.
Craft Workshop
Wednesday 26 August
10.30am – 12.30pm
Free, booking essential
From townhouse to your house, help us celebrate the buildings of Chippenham in our free creative workshop!
Get crafty and make your own 3D mini model using recycled materials, then take part in an exciting community display.
All completed models will be displayed at the Yelde Hall on Saturday 19 September, 10.30am to 3.30pm, as part of the Chippenham – Our History community event for Heritage Open Days.
This workshop is suitable for ages 8 to 11. Spaces are limited, so booking is essential.
For more information or to book your place, please contact Chippenham Museum. You can email us at heritage@chippenham.gov.uk or call 01249 705020.
Summer Holidays: Gallery Trail
Until Monday 31 August
Opening hours
Free, collect at front desk
Use your investigation skills as you follow in John Aubrey’s footsteps to explore the museum galleries, discover hidden stories, and complete fun activities!
Inspired by Aubrey’s fascination with local history and preserving the past, use the gallery trail to take a closer look at the history and art of Chippenham Museum.
Perfect for children and young people, this free trail will be running throughout the summer holidays. There are eight galleries to explore, each with prompts to get you thinking like John Aubrey. Complete the trail and earn yourself a sticker to take home!
Be sure to visit our exhibition dedicated to John Aubrey during your visit and learn more about the life and work of this extraordinary individual.
Yelde Hall Summer Morning Openings
August & September
10.30am – 1.30pm
Free entry
Want to discover more about Chippenham’s history? Visit the Yelde Hall on select dates in August and September, where you can meet characters from the town’s past in the council chamber and pirates from 1709 in the lock-up!
The Yelde Hall is free to enter and will be open from 10.30am to 1.30pm.
Opening dates:
- Saturday 8 August
- Saturday 22 August
- Saturday 12 September
Town Walks
August & September
Thursdays & Saturdays
Free, booking essential
Our free guided walks are back for 2026!
Join a member of the Chippenham Museum team on select Thursdays and Saturdays in August and September for a 40-minute journey through the town’s history, from King Alfred and the Saxons to the present day.
Perfect for residents, visitors and groups! Meet at The Buttercross, Market Place. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes before to allow for a prompt start. Spaces are limited so booking is essential via Eventbrite.
Saturdays at 2pm:
8 August, 22 August & 12 September
Thursdays at 7pm:
13 August & 17 September
Collection Conversations
Monthly, Saturdays
2pm – 3.30pm
Free, booking essential
Join in our exciting series of free art talks at Chippenham Museum, where artists from our Modern and Contemporary Art collection will talk about their work, providing insights into their inspiration and practice. This will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions, with the audience encouraged to join the conversation.
Coming up:
- Nicholas Herbert & John Law – 12 September – ON SALE NOW
- Morag Ballard & Helen Simmonds – 10 October
- Ellie Thompson & Sam Heath – 14 November
Tickets will be released monthly via Eventbrite. For sold out events, email heritage@chippenham.gov.uk to join a waiting list.
Heritage Open Days: 25 Years on the High Street
Saturday 19 September
10.30am – 3.30pm
Free, drop-in
Join us for Heritage Open Days and discover the everyday stories of the people who lived and worked at 9-10 Market Place before it became the home of Chippenham Museum.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the museum’s official opening in its current location, our Young Curators Group have uncovered the extraordinary story of the site, from the Jurassic period to the present day. Bring this history to life through free creative activities and a special opportunity to view ‘A Chip Through Time’, an animation created by our Young Curators Group.
This event has been researched and organised by Chippenham Museum’s Young Curators Group and forms part of the Timber Street Through Time programme of events and the Chippenham – Our History Project.
Heritage Open Days: Chippenham – Our History Community Event
Saturday 19 September
10.30am – 3.30pm
Free, drop-in
Join us in the historic Yelde Hall for Heritage Open Days as we celebrate the completion of the Chippenham – Our History Project by bringing together the results of the community projects that have taken place this year.
Highlights include John Aubrey-inspired ‘brief lives’ created by pupils at local primary schools, 3D house models made by young crafters, creative writing from Chippenham Museum’s writing clubs as part of ‘Cabinet of Curiosity’, and a special performance of ‘The Twelve Stories of Chippenham’ by Allsorts Community Choir at 11am.
Regular Activities
Discovery Time
Every Monday (excluding Bank Holidays)
10.30am – 12pm
£1.50 per child
Drop in, no booking required
Messy play for under 5s. Develop their creative side at Chippenham Museum with crafts, paints, toys, sandpit and more!
This is a drop-in session and places are limited. We recommend arriving at the start to guarantee a place.
This session takes place upstairs (with lift access) in the museum’s Education Room with buggy parking downstairs in the museum.
Crafty Café
Mondays, fortnightly (excluding Bank Holidays)
2pm – 3.30pm
Free, drop in, no booking required
Bring your knitting, needlework, or unfinished project and join us every other Monday for a relaxed afternoon of craft, coffee, and conversation at Chippenham Museum.
Crafty Café is a great chance to connect with fellow crafters, swap patterns, share skills, get advice, and find new inspiration.
A fun and social way to enjoy your hobby, and maybe discover a new one too!
Learn more on Crafty Café’s Facebook.
Young Curators Group
Weekly Tuesdays, term time only
4.30pm – 5.30pm
To find out about membership, contact the museum
Join Chippenham Museum’s Young Curators Group, a fun and social group who support Chippenham Museum through researching and curating displays, putting on activities, and helping at events.
The group is open to young people aged 13 and above who wish to gain work experience in a museum setting or volunteer to enhance their CV, UCAS application, or Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE).
West Wiltshire Young Archaeologists’ Club
Saturdays, once a month
10.30am – 12pm
To find out about membership, contact the museum
West Wiltshire YAC is open to everyone aged 8–16 years. YAC clubs get involved in all sorts of activities, including visiting and investigating archaeological sites and historic places, trying out traditional crafts, taking part in excavations, and lots more.