BIG FAMILY WEEKEND

PAST EVENT SUMMER 2022

  ARCHAEOLOGY DAY     ART DAY   

Enjoy a big FREE weekend of fun, drop-in activities for all the family.
With special treats in the café and forecourt pop-up.

  Plus it's COOL in the Museum!

SAT 16 JUL: FESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY

11am–4pm
FREE drop-in activities for all ages

Download the Archaeology Day Programme

Travel back to the Iron Age in this celebration of the world of the Iceni, an Iron Age community that inhabited present day East Anglia and subject of a free display in the Money Gallery. Enjoy object handling, make a plaster coin to take away, or a chocolate one to eat.

Have a go at coin striking and gather round for storytelling with Dave Tong, the Yarnsmith of Norwich.

Two ancient coins to explore on Archaeology Day at our Big Family Weekend in July 2022

 

FREE ACTIVITIES:

  • Make a Replica Coin: 11am-4pm, Forecourt
    Have a go at coin striking
    With staff from School of Archaeology, University of Oxford

  • Chocolate Coins: 11am-4pm, Level -1, Lunchroom
    Make a delicious, chocolate ‘iron age’ coin you can eat!

  • Make a Coin Plaster Cast: 11am- 4pm, Level -1, Learning Studio
    Make a replica Iron age coin from plaster and then burnish with wax
    With Jude Barrett, Ashmolean Museum

  • Storytelling: various times between 11am-4pm, Level -1 Atrium
    Tall tales and fabulous fables
    With Dave Tong, The Yarnsmith of Norwich

  • Try a Trail: available all day
    Pick up a family trail from the information desk and family trolley

SUN 17 JUL: FESTIVAL OF ART

11am–4pm
FREE drop-in activities for all ages

Download the Art Day Programme

Unleash your creativity with art demonstrations, music and activities inspired by the Museum’s art collection.

Dress up and get the chance to become a living painting, enjoy a family art workshop, or gather round for storytelling on the Greek myths and legends in Ashmolean paintings with Out of Chaos Theatre Company.

Family doing crafts at the Museum

 

FREE ACTIVITIES:

  • Big Picture: 11am-4pm, Forecourt
    Grab a pencil and add your drawing to the big Ashmolean picture
     
  • Instant Exhibition Messy Art Workshop: 11am-4pm, Level -1 Learning Studio
    Be part of our ‘Live Curation, Instant Exhibition’ inspired by landscape paintings.
    Paint on canvas and have your work displayed in our pop-up gallery.
    With artist Francesca Shakespeare
     
  • Art Music Performance & Workshops: all day, Level 2, Gallery 44 European Art
    Listen to original music inspired by art works in the Ashmolean including Manet’s Portrait of Fanny Claus and the toe-tapping Dobson Calypso.
    Performances and participation throughout the day.
    With Jarisiel: Arne Richards, Jacqui Johnson, Isabel Knowland and Elena Piras

    11.30-12pm   Performance
    12.30-1pm     Family activities - singing, dancing and percussion from around the world
    1.30-2pm       Performance 
    2.30-3pm       Family activities 
    3.30-4pm       Performance
     

  • Greek Myth Storytelling: Level -1 Atrium and Ground Floor, Gallery 14 Cast Gallery
    Stories of love, laughter, bravery, revenge and betrayal starring the gods, goddesses, heroes and mortals of the Ancient Greek World
    With Out of Chaos Theatre
     
  • Meet the Artists: 11am-4pm, Pop-Ups throughout the Museum
    Encounter famous artists from history as they visit the Ashmolean art galleries. Who will you meet?
    With Out of Chaos Theatre company
     
  • Self Portraits Drop-in Workshop: 11am-4pm, Level 3M Gallery 65 Pissarro and the Impressionists
    Create a self-portrait that says something about you with the fabulous Donette and Jo from ARK-T, Oxford Community Arts Charity in OX4
    With Donnette Victor and Jo Race
     
  • Oil Painting Demonstration: 11.30am-1.30pm, Level 2, Galleries 50-51 Landscape Oil Sketches
    Ask questions and watch the creation of a beautiful work of art
    With artist Kieran Stiles who demonstrates the technique of oil painting
     
  • Printing and Embossing Demonstration & Activity: 11am-4pm, Level 2, Gallery 35 West Meets East 
    Watch Asma demonstrate the art of print making, and see the printing press in action.
    Have a go at embossing, creating a work of your own on embossing paper
    With artist Asma Hashmi
     
  • Pop-Up Photo Booth: 11am-4pm, various galleries throughout the day, Ground Floor, Gallery 14 Cast Gallery
    Level 2, Gallery 44 European Art and Gallery 52 Arts of the 18th Century 
    Level 3M, Gallery 65 Pissarro and the Impressionists & Gallery 66 Pre-Raphaelites 
    Dress up and pose as an Ashmolean painting
    Turn yourself in to a living painting with our pop-up photo booth.
    Have your picture taken by a professional photographer or take a selfie
     
  • Paint and Pigments Discovery Table: 11am-4pm, Level 2, Gallery 43 Italian Renaissance
    Discover how did artists make paint before the invention of synthetic paints
     
  • Try a Trail & Draw a Picture: available all day from Information Desk, Ground Floor and Family Trolley, Level -1 Atrium
    Drawing paper, card, pencils and family trails available all day. What will you draw?