Past Events

The illuminated trail makes a welcome return to Blenheim Palace transforming England’s finest view with a bright and magical winter walk like no other. Inspired by the landscape itself, visitors embark on a winterland adventure, dramatically illuminated with stunning lights. Featuring lasers and light projections, visitors wander under magical tree canopies drenched in seasonal colour and dripping with silvery shards of light, frosty snowflakes, stars and baubles. From the Heart of the Stars scattering ethereal light across the lawn to…

Help Helen & Douglas House ‘Light up December’ We love Christmas at Helen & Douglas House and although this year will be a little different, we are already getting very excited planning fairy lights, shiny decorations and lots of sparkle! As we start a second lockdown, most of us now know our neighbours better than ever before and the local community has become very important to us. Decorating our windows has been great fun and we have all enjoyed walking…

Daniel Burt, from the Literary History of Medicine project, discusses his experiences sharing the board and card games they created which were inspired by Medieval Islamic Science and Medicine. After a quick overview of the project, Daniel will present the games that were made and played with the public, look at the wider process of creating games, and consider how they can be used to engage the general public with the results of academic research. About Daniel Burt Daniel Burt, ICT…

The Museum Book Group enjoy a wide selection of books with all members choosing their reading list then they get together in the Museum Cafe every second Friday of the month. It is free to attend but we do ask you support the Cafe. For more information and to join call the Museum on 01235 771447, email info@valeanddownlandmuseum.org.uk or send us a message.

Wantage Country Market is held in the Museum Cafe every Friday morning. The best place to buy fresh homemade goodies such as jams, chutneys and cakes as well as home grown fruit, vegetables and flowers. They also have some crafts, including cards, aprons & knitted baby wear. *Please note this market is not organised by the Museum, the Wantage Country Market is a separate organisation.

The Museum's Knit Knot and Natter Craft Group meet in the Museum Cafe every 3rd Friday of the month. Bring along your own craft projects, take tuition from current members in crafts such as knitting, crochet and embroidery or just come along for a cuppa and a chat. Free to join but we do ask you support the Cafe. No need to book in advance, just come along on the day

At the Farm's magical 'Christmas Fairytale' event, you will journey from the South Pole to the North Pole and visit a Fairytale Castle along the way. You will meet some interactive dancing penguins, visit the Toymaker's cosy log cabin and see Santa's sleigh ready to launch into a clear night sky of twinkling stars, before walking through the Secret Forest to meet Father Christmas himself in his beautiful Grotto, which evokes an atmosphere of Christmas past. Other Christmas activities include…

Winnie the Witch and her long-suffering black cat Wilbur will be making magical moments at The North Wall this Christmas. Korky Paul, the much-loved illustrator, presents his most famous characters, featured in the multi-million selling picture books written by Valerie Thomas (Oxford University Press). The exhibition features a selection of his favourite illustrations exhibited as giclée prints: reproductions of the originals in limited editions of 150, signed and numbered by Korky himself. Korky’s illustrations bring to life his spontaneity and…

What can we call a science? And what makes it science? Dr Taha Yasin Arslan from Medeniyet University, Istanbul challenges us to rethink the history of science, proposing new definitions for the term “science”. Join us — and share your ideas. About Dr Taha Yasin Arslan Dr Taha Yasin Arslan is an assistant professor at the Department of the History of Science of Istanbul Medeniyet University in Istanbul, Turkey. His research covers surviving astronomical instruments and related manuscripts in the…

On Friday 1 January, star cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason joins the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in his first ever recorded performance of Dvořák’s rich and lyrical Cello Concerto in B minor (1894), performed in its arrangement for chamber orchestra by George Morton. Dvořák had long resisted writing a solo concerto for cello – he was fond of the instrument, especially its middle register, but felt it would not do as a solo instrument thanks to its ‘nasal high register and mumbling bass’.…

On Friday 15 January, the Oxford Philharmonic present a jam-packed programme of Baroque favourites, from Pachelbel’s Canon to Bach’s ‘Air on the G String’. Music Director Marios Papadopoulos directs the Orchestra from the harpsichord in Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, joined by soloists Anthony Robb and Robert Manasse on flute, and Carmine Lauri on violin. Natalia Lomeiko performs Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor – one of only two of the composer’s surviving violin concertos. Four of the Orchestra’s principals…

Oxfordshire Mind and Jericho Comedy are taking over The North Wall Arts Centre for our annual Oxfordshire Mind Comedy Gala! This year the shows will be socially-distanced with live streaming in the evening for those isolating at home. Raising money for the vital support Oxfordshire Mind offers those with mental health problems, don’t miss this hilarious day of belly laughing comedy. Date: 16th January 2021 Time: Matinee – 4.30pm (Live) | Evening – 8pm (Live and Livestream) Tickets: Live: £40 per bench (seats 2 people) | Livestream: £11 per…

Our Winter Lectures are back and this year you can enjoy them from the comfort of your own home. Adam Frost is a British garden designer and television presenter, known for his award-winning Chelsea gardens and for his presenting role on BBC's Gardeners’ World. He is an RHS Ambassador, helping to raise awareness and interest in gardening amongst secondary school children and other community groups. In this talk Adam will discuss his 7 Chelsea gold-medal winning gardens followed by a…

Our Winter Lectures are back and this year you can enjoy them from the comfort of your own home. Dr Tim Upson is Director of Horticulture, Education and Communities at the RHS. A self-professed ‘hybrid’, Tim has both a botanical background from his time at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew and Cambridge University Botanic Garden and a research background from his PhD in Plant Sciences. In this talk, Tim will discuss the creation of a brand new RHS garden, RHS…

Our Winter Lectures are back and this year you can enjoy them from the comfort of your own home. Jane Owen is an author, lecturer, journalist and TV presenter with a focus on gardens. She writes for the Old Money column of the Financial Times, delighting readers with her insights into tackling her new garden in the centre of Oxford, the contribution of gardening to the British economy and the economics of ‘grow your own’. In this talk, Jane will…

Our Winter Lectures are back and this year you can enjoy them from the comfort of your own home. Dr Sue Stuart-Smith is a Psychiatrist and Psychologist and author of ‘The Well Gardened Mind’, a Sunday Times bestseller. She earned her degree in English Literature at Cambridge University before qualifying as a doctor and went on to become the lead clinician in psychotherapy in Hertfordshire. She is married to Tom Stuart-Smith, the celebrated garden designer, and, over 30 years together,…