What’s On at Chippenham Museum

Autumn 2019 Events Programme

Download our Museum Events Programme to see What’s On at Chippenham Museum and Neeld Community & Arts Centre from September to December 2019.

Current Exhibition

Crime & Punishment

Saturday 3 August – Saturday 28 September

This exhibition explores crime and punishment from the Saxon period through to the present day. It marks 180 years of Wiltshire Police (the first and best!) and will include loans from their historic police collection, including early uniforms, handcuffs and shackles!

Find out more on our Collections & Exhibitions page

Why not take part in our programme of associated activities and events:

Doing Time in Wiltshire – with John Girvan

Saturday 10 August – 2.00pm
Thursday 26 September – 6.30pm

Meet local historian John Girvan to hear about how Chippenham’s offenders were treated in the past, see Chippenham’s old lock up and discover some weird and wonderful tales from Wiltshire’s history.

Free entry (booking essential)

Pirate Day

Saturday 17 August

Pirates Ahoy! Enjoy a day of high adventure in Chippenham on Saturday 17 August with a gallon of free pirate themed fun around the town centre from 10.30am – 3.30pm.

CHIPPENHAM MUSEUM:

Start your day at the museum to pick up a trail to follow around the town centre. Whilst at the museum meet Jack Sparrow, pose for a photo and learn about life as Pirate.

YELDE HALL:

Visit Chippenham’s historic lock-up where records show Pirates were once detained, perhaps on their way to trial from Bristol to London.  Here you will also find some swashbuckling free crafts to try your hand at.

BUTTERCROSS:

10.45am and 11.30am: Chippenham based Allsorts Community Choir will be singing a medley of pirate themed and sea-shanty tunes at the Buttercross in the Market Place.

LIBRARY:

Pirate themed story sessions 11- 11.30am and 3 – 3.30pm

WATERSTONES:

Throughout the day: Pirate Peg Making, Treasure Chest Memory Game and Find the Hidden Treasure on the Pirate Map to win a prize

Storytelling: 10.30am: The Treasure of Pirate Frank by Mal Peet. 2.30pm: The Pirates of Scurvy Sands by Jonny Duddle

BOROUGH PARADE:

Can Pirates juggle?! Shiver me timbers they can! Enjoy free themed circus skills, face painting and balloon modelling in Borough Parade throughout the day.

Whodunit!?

Monday 29 July – Saturday 31 August

A crime has been committed at the museum! Can you help us find the culprit? Follow the trail of clues every day during the school holidays.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 4pm try your hand at free drop in crafty crime-solving activities with a new theme each week!

Heritage Open Days

14 – 21 September

Celebrate Chippenham’s places and stories both past and present with a host of free events during Heritage Open Days. The programme, organised by Chippenham Museum, includes the opportunity to step inside some of the town’s most celebrated and intriguing buildings.

This year’s programme includes:

• • Pewsham Locks Open Day with Wilts & Berks Canal Trust: Saturday 14 September
  • Chippenham Open Doors Day: Saturday 21 September
    A number of buildings in the town centre will be opening their doors with special activities and guides on hand to share their history.

more details coming soon

Regular Activities

Discovery Time

Every Monday (excluding Bank Holidays), 10.15am-12.00noon, at the museum

Messy play for under 5s. Develop their creative side with crafts, paints, toys, sandpit and more!

Please note this session takes place upstairs (with lift access) in the museum’s Education Room with buggy parking downstairs in the museum.

£1.50 per child

History Walks

Every Wednesday in August – 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm

Join our regular guided summer walks to discover surprising stories about historic Chippenham.

£4 per person, meet at the museum

Each walk will focus on a different area of the town centre:

Wednesday 7 August: The Causeway & St Mary Street

Wednesday 14 August: High Street & the railway

Wednesday 21 August: River Avon

Wednesday 28 August: Market Place & River Street