Chippenham Museum

Chippenham Museum : What's on • Chippenham Town Council Enjoy a varied programme of exhibitions and events for all ages at Chippenham Museum including walks, talks and school holiday workshops.

Starting on Thursday 16 April, this club runs from 4pm to 5pm every Thursday during term time. All materials are provided, and sessions cost £4 each, payable on a termly basis. Places are limited, so booking is essential.

🔗 Visit our website for more details: bit.ly/ChippenhamMuseumWhatsOn

We're kickstarting #NationalCraftMonth by sharing with you our new Thursday Craft Club! 🎨🖌️

Calling all 8 to 11 year olds, join Chippenham Museum and get creative! Inspired by the history of the town and the Museum’s collection, take part and learn new skills while having lots of messy fun.

Happy 10th birthday @artukdotorg.bsky.social 🎉

Thank you for making the UK’s public art collection accessible to everyone, everywhere, all the time.

Our ‘one in a million’ artwork is ‘Artist at Work’ by Clifford Ellis at Chippenham Museum.

👉 Explore more at artuk.org

#ArtUK10thBirthday

EVENT CANCELLATION 🚨

We regret to inform you that, due to maintenance work, our weekly Discovery Time session on Monday 9 March, from 10.30am to 12.00pm, is cancelled.

Sessions will resume as normal on Monday 16 March.

For more information, visit our website 👉 bit.ly/ChippenhamMuseum

Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange explores land and sea! 🌊

This harbour scene is depicted from ground level and above, with a cross at the centre reflecting the dangers of life at sea.

🖼️ The Returned Seaman, 1949/1973, Peter Lanyon (1918-1964), lithograph © Sheila Lanyon

Thank you to the North Wilts U3A for inviting Melissa to deliver this talk, we hope you all enjoyed it!

📸
3: Great Western Hotel, Marshfield Road. Demolished in 1967.
4: The Wagon and Horses, 33 The Causeway. Closed 1937, now a private residence.

Learn more: northwilts.u3asite.uk/u3a_groups/h...

Last week, our Head of Museum & Heritage, Melissa Barnett, gave a talk on 'The History of Chippenham through its Lost Pubs', to the North Wilts U3A History & Archaeology group. Some attendees shared memories of these pubs, adding to Melissa’s research.

📸
1-2: Melissa giving her talk & the audience.

Chippenham Museum | Bloomberg Connects The arts and culture app.

As we prepare for our next displays, please note that from Monday 23 February until Friday 6 March, our temporary exhibition space and two permanent Modern & Contemporary Art galleries will be closed while we change our displays.

Explore the current works here 👉 bit.ly/ChippenhamMuseumDigitalGuide

LAST CHANCE to explore 'Subversive Forms: Revolutionary approaches to clay' in its final week before the exhibition closes on Saturday 21 February. Don’t miss your chance to see it before it closes!

NEW EXHIBITION - Subversive Forms: Revolutionary approaches to clay | Chippenham Museum | Bloomberg Connects The arts and culture app.

'Subversive Forms: Revolutionary approaches to clay' continues until Saturday 21 February. Admission is free and the Museum is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, so there is still plenty of time to discover the exhibition and enjoy the accompanying catalogue.

🖼️ bit.ly/SubversiveForms

On Saturday, we held our ceramics Symposium and were delighted to be joined by Felicity Aylieff, Nicholas Lees, Patricia Volk, Jonathan Keep & Mimi Joung. Thank you to the fantastic artists who gave such insightful & inspiring talks. It was an incredible privilege to hear you speak about your work.

In March’s installment of our free art talk series, we will be joined by John L Harris and Genevieve Sioka.

📅 Saturday 14 March
🕒 2.00pm - 3.30pm
🎟️ Free, booking essential

Book your tickets here 👉 bit.ly/MarchTalkTickets

Discover the post-war book designs of Stephen Russ at Chippenham Museum. Coming soon, this exhibition celebrates his work, from Graham Greene first editions to Penguin covers and the famous 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover' phoenix, as well as his 30-year teaching career at the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham.

We're exploring light & dark for today’s @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange! 🌓

Sheona Beaumont’s ‘Night Tide Under Clifton Suspension Bridge’ captures the landmark at night. Passing traffic & reflections, combined with long exposure & a staggered zoom, create shimmering pencils of light.

Canal Day is back for 2026! Join volunteers from Wilts & Berks Canal Trust to find out about the history of the canal, and join in some free activities suitable for all ages.

👉 Canal Day
📅 Thu 19 Feb
🕒 10.30am - 12.30pm & 1.30pm - 3.30pm
🎟️ Free, drop-in

February Half Term: Quiet Time Experience the museums free drop-in activities in a quieter way.

Free Quiet Time sessions are available from 9am to 10am for these activities. Book in for a quieter, more relaxed experience before the creative drop-ins.

👉 Quiet Time
📅 Tue 17 & Thu 19 Feb
🕒 9am - 10am
🎟️ Free, booking essential: bit.ly/3NmXKEk

Join us this February Half Term for drop-in activities inspired by our 'Subversive Forms' exhibition. We’ll also be taking part in the Kids in Museums Art Trail, which is an exciting introduction to the world of contemporary art for young creatives.

📅 Tue 17 & Thu 19 Feb
🕒 10.30am - 3.30pm
🎟️ Free

In Wilks’ narrative painting, motherhood is seen from the child’s perspective. Much of her work relates to still life & autobiographical themes. 'Hair Doing' is part of the wider series, which draws on memories of growing up in South Gloucestershire.

@artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange

NEW HISTORY BLOG POST

UoP history alumni Nia Picton-Phillips writes about how her experiences at Portsmouth gave her the skills she needed to succeed in heritage marketing and retail at Chippenham Museum in wiltshire.

wp.me/p91PlX-Yk

Today's #OnlineArtExchange theme is bold & colourful art! 🎨 In his work, Marc Vaux combines expanses of colour with hard-edged geometry. He highlights "the endless potential of colour alone to communicate, affect and modify response."

@artukdotorg.bsky.social
@tulliecarlisle.bsky.social

Collection Conversations are back for 2026! 🎨🖼️ First up, we will be joined by Claire Curneen & Matt Smith, whose work both features in our current exhibition, 'Subversive Forms'.

📅 Saturday 21 February
🕒 2.00pm - 3.30pm
🎟️ Free, booking essential

Book your tickets here 👉 bit.ly/FebruaryTalk

Thank you to all who joined us for our annual Twelfth Night celebrations on Saturday - what a great day! And of course, a special thank you to Manaraefan Vikings and April Barlow for supporting us in putting on such a brilliant event.

Join the Chippenham Museum Creative Writing Group for a series of linked workshops celebrating the 400th anniversary of the birth of local antiquarian and inventor of the biography, John Aubrey.

Visit our website for more information 👇
bit.ly/ChippenhamMuseumWhatsOn

#ICYMI, join us to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of John Aubrey. Open to those aged 16-18, these workshops offer the chance to develop your writing skills and see your work in print.

These workshops are free, but spaces are limited. Please contact the museum to reserve your place.

Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is Angels and Guardians! 🪽 'Pilgrim' by Claire Curneen explores loss, sacrifice, and rebirth, with delicate, translucent forms reflecting the human condition and experience.

🖼️ Currently on display in our 'Subversive Forms' exhibition.

#ICYMI, join us this Saturday, 10 January, for our annual Twelfth Night celebrations of the events of 878CE!

If you didn't catch us on the radio this week, listen now to hear all about this Saturday's event from 2h24m: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... 📻

On the twelfth and final day of Christmas, we're sharing 'Common Slip', produced by Charles Wellens while he lived in Chippenham.

🖼️ Common Slip, 1915, Charles Wellens, oil on canvas © the copyright holder

Featured in our 2026 calendar, available in store and online 👉 bit.ly/MuseumCalendar2026

On the eleventh day of Christmas, we're sharing this depiction of the River Avon footbridge, which connects The Island to Monkton Park in Chippenham.

🖼️ The Bridge, 1979, Ian Errill (1946-2011), oil on canvas

Featured in our 2026 calendar, available in store and online 👉 bit.ly/MuseumCalendar2026

On the tenth day of Christmas, we share this landscape showing a view of the east side of Chippenham by J.H. Jolliffe.

🖼️ Chippenham, 1866, J.H. Jolliffe, watercolour on paper

Featured in our 2026 calendar, available in store and online 👉 bit.ly/MuseumCalendar2026

On the ninth day of Christmas, we're sharing this artwork, currently on display in our Living Landscapes gallery.

🖼️ Lady Methuen, Corsham Court, 1915, William John Hennessy (1839-1917), oil on canvas

Featured in our 2026 calendar, available in store and online 👉 bit.ly/MuseumCalendar2026