Our events programme has something for everyone.

Discover family fun during the school holidays with our children's activities, or try out our museum trails all year round. Join our Museum Friends groups or the local Marine Conservation Society for their regular talks, book your place on one of our expertly guided walks to explore the city's history, or check out our other activities, suitable for all ages.

And if nothing here catches your eye right now, why not follow us on Facebook or Instagram for all the latest updates?

Finds Days

Did you know that thousands of archaeological objects are discovered by ordinary people every year? 

Have you found something while metal detecting, beach-combing, mudlarking, or just gardening or walking the dog? 

Finds Liaison Officer Theo Muscillo will be visiting Lancaster City Museum several times this year:

• Friday 21 February
• Friday 8 April
• Friday 20 June
• Friday 5 August
• Friday 31 October 

Bring your finds and see if you can uncover more information! If you are bringing an object with you, please email theo.muscillo@lancashire.gov.uk to arrange a time. Appointments will be in the Education Room, with access from New Street, behind the Museum.

Theo will also be upstairs in the museum between appointments. You can drop in to handle some finds, learn how to look up objects found in the local area, and pick up activity sheets for kids. 

This event is part of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. You can find out more at finds.org.uk.  

Regular events

• King's Own Show & Tell: in these interactive sessions, our military history expert Owen demonstrates the equipment used by the King's Own Royal Regiment at different times in its history. Learn about military life on campaign or on the home front, ask all the questions you like, and even try on a uniform. Suitable for all ages.

• Fossil Handling: Get up close and personal with some real fossils and learn all about them from our expert staff. Some of our fossils are up to 350 million years old. Suitable for all ages.

We run these activities at Lancaster City Museum several times a year. We'll update this page whenever public sessions are scheduled. 

These events can also be arranged on request for groups of 12 or more. Email us at lancastercitymuseum@lancaster.gov.uk if you're interested in making a booking for a group.

Friends of Lancaster Maritime Museum

Visit Lancaster Maritime Museum for weekend talks organised by the Friends of Lancaster Maritime Museum. Everyone is welcome and there’s no need to book, just drop in.

• £3 charge for non-members.
• Talks begin at 2pm in the Maritime Museum's Education Room - use the main museum entrance and ask for directions at the front desk.

Check back here or visit the Friends of Lancaster Maritime Museum Facebook page for updates on future talks.

Marine Conservation Society

Join us at Lancaster Maritime Museum on the second Wednesday of every month for fascinating talks from the Marine Conservation Society. Everyone is welcome and there’s no need to book, just drop in.

• £4 requested cash donation to the society. (No card payments.)
• All talks begin at 7:30pm.

Upcoming Talks:

• Wednesday 12th February: Saltmarshes of the Northwest Coast by Mandy Knott (Natural England)
• Wednesday 12th March: The Evolution of the Battleship by Barry Kaye (Lancashire MCS).
• Wednesday 9th April: Morecambe Bay Plankton Round-up by Mark Woombs and BarryKaye (Lancashire MCS) PLUS group AGM.
• Wednesday 14th May: The 1866 Portuguese Shipwreck at Snatchems by Nigel Neil (Lancaster and District Heritage Group)
• Wednesday 11th June: Blackpool and Fylde College Student Dissertations (Linda Martin)

You can also click here to download the full list of talks and other events (PDF, 110KB).

Check back here for updates on future talks, or visit the MCS Lancashire Facebook Page or the MCS Lancashire website.

Friends of Lancaster City Museum

Join us at Lancaster City Museum for regular lunchtime lectures organised by the Friends of Lancaster City Museum. Everyone is welcome and there’s no need to book, just drop in.

• £2 charge for non-members.
• All talks are held at 1pm in the City Museum’s education room. The entrance is on New Street at the back of the museum. (If you can’t find it, just ask at the front desk.)

Check back here soon or visit the Friends of Lancaster City Museum Facebook page for updates on future talks.

February Half Term

Maritime Museum 

Find out all about the history of sailors’ tattoos and what they mean. Design your own unique tattoo or use a traditional design, then transfer it to your arm! (Don’t worry grown-ups, they’re temporary of course!)

• £2.50 each.

Drop-in (no need to book),  12-3 pm on these dates:

• Saturday 15 February
• Monday 17 February
• Friday 21 February
• Saturday 22 February

Children's Trails

City Museum 

Bring the whole family to try out our Crazy Christmas Card Challenge!

Victorian christmas cards were often downright weird. Can you find the ones we've hidden around the museum?

Maritime Museum 

Follow the clues and match museum objects to the photos in this new trail, designed to tie in with our latest exhibition: Umbrella Legs. Find them all to reveal the secret word at the end!

Visiting with Children

• We've signed the Kids in Museums Manifesto and we always include interactive elements for children in our new exhibitions. 
• Children's trails are available to enhance your visit at both the City Museum and the Maritime Museum. 
• Both these museums also have sensory backpacks for children and young people on the autism spectrum to borrow. Just ask at the front desk if you'd like to use one of these during your visit - it's free!
• During the school holidays we run regular children's activity and craft sessions. Check back here for details or keep up to date on Facebook or Instagram.
• For older children and teens, check out our General Activities section too.
• For schools or other children's groups, please see our Learning page.
• Please note that for safety reasons, children up to the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult in all of our museums.

Transatlantic Slave Trade Walking Tour

Lancaster Maritime Museum invites you to join a guided walking tour of the historic city of Lancaster. Led by expert guides Eleanor Levin or Prof. Alan Rice, the fascinating narrative reveals the legacy of the city's involvement with the 18th century transatlantic slave trade.

£15 per person. Your ticket includes:

• Two hour guided walking tour of Lancaster.
• Admission to the Maritime Museum 
• Introduction to our transatlantic slave trade galleries.
• Refreshments

Please note that dogs are welcome on the outdoor walking tour, but they are not permitted inside the museum for the gallery introduction or refreshments. (Except assistance dogs.)

Public Tour Dates

We will update this page when our next public tour is scheduled.

Private Group Tours

If you have a group of 12 or more people, the transatlantic slave trade walking tour can be arranged on a day to suit you. For more information email historydetectives@lancaster.gov.uk 

Other Tours

Coming Soon - We are hoping to make walking tours on other topics available in the future. Watch this space for details!