FREE! Drop in – no need to book!
Venues: Wrexham Museum
Wrexham Museum tells the story of Wrexham and surrrounding area through interactive and family friendly displays.
FREE. Drop in – no need to book!
This is a messy session so please ensure you bring spare clothes and things to clean your child with such as an old towel or wipes!
Decorate a wooden shield to take home.
FREE! Drop in – no need to book.
As part of the ‘Treasures on Tour’ programme, the British Library is lending three objects with particular relevance to Wrexham and north-east Wales.
Wrexham Museum’s latest exhibition, Putting Wrexham On The Map, is inspired by these highly important historic items from the British Library’s collections:
- The earliest accurate map of the Wrexham area – a map of the counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire produced by Christopher Saxton in 1577 and bound in the personal atlas of William Cecil, the 1st Lord Burghley, secretary of state to Queen Elizabeth I.
- The important survey by John Norden of the lands of the prince of Wales, written in 1620, and containing the earliest surviving detailed illustration of Holt Castle
- A tax collector’s/ An antiquarian’s notebook, once the property of Sion Gruffydd (John Griffiths) of Ruabon, dated to the late 17th century.
All three manuscripts are examples of how Wrexham was surveyed in centuries past and how the town and the surrounding district was represented on maps.
With this in mind, the exhibition explores the other ways through which Wrexham has become wider known: its football club, Wrexham FC; its brewing tradition, symbolized most notably in Wrexham Lager; its heavy industry such as iron and coal, the inventions and the hardships; the women of Wrexham who have ensured Wrexham has played its part in national events; and how the arts and culture have in recent years helped to transform the town’s reputation.
The exhibition also includes:
- Archival promotional film footage of Wrexham in the 1980s produced by Wrexham Community Video for Wrexham Maelor Borough Council
- A specially commissioned mini-documentary by Ryan Saunders and Chloe Goodwin on how the arts and culture are changing attitudes to Wrexham
- Two ‘Our Wrexham’ films, recorded during the pandemic about the importance of Wrexham FC and Women’s education in Wrexham.
- and some activities for adults and children inspired by the maps theme: adults (and children) are challenged to create their own map of Wrexham, while younger visitors can also take on the ‘signs’ challenge.
Putting Wrexham On The Map opens on Saturday, May 28th and runs until Saturday, August 27th 2022. Admission is free.
Come and help us build a model inspired by the Acton Gateway and the Four Dogs in Wrexham under the guidance of LEGOMASTER Steve Guinness.
Book your family ticket for one of the three sessions available on the day.
Each session lasts one hour.
Session start times:
11:30am
1.00pm
2.00pm
- One ticket covers a family group of up to 4 people (children and adults).
- Maximum of one session per family.
- All children to be accompanied by parent(s)/responsible adult.
18.02.2022 – 07.05.2022
See the world built in LEGO® bricks
They are one of the most recognisable and successful toy companies in the world – but did you know LEGO® bricks used to be manufactured here in Wrexham?
Initially the world-famous bricks were produced in a factory on Hugmore Lane on Wrexham Industrial Estate. Later LEGO built a new UK distribution centre on Ruthin Road.
The Ruthin Road site in particular is still fondly remembered by many local people. Who could forget the iconic, giant LEGO bricks that once stood next to the entrance?
To celebrate this historic connection between Wrexham and the Danish toy manufacturer Wrexham Museum will be hosting Brick Built, a touring exhibition by Warren Elsmore featuring his team’s models of famous buildings, monuments and structures made from LEGO bricks.
The exhibition will include Warren’s LEGO museum containing models and products from the early years of the company up to the present day.
Naturally there will be an area in the gallery where you can build your own LEGO models. Look out also for news of the special events days during the exhibition!
Famous Wrexham landmarks to feature
A highlight of the exhibition will be the model celebrating the civil engineering marvel of the canal age, our local World Heritage Site, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, created specifically for this exhibition.
Glyndwr University design students are also contributing a film and a model of the School of Creative Arts building for display in the exhibition.
- Brick Built: Landmarks in LEGO® bricks will be on show from 18th February until – 7th May 2022.
- Entry is FREE.
Image: Courtesy of Warren Elsmore.
The great re-enactment team behind Park in the Past and Chester’s Roman Tours will be outside the museum bringing Roman Britain and the legionaries back to life with living history displays and pop-up demonstrations as they prepare for their summer military campaign.
FREE. Suitable for families, children and wannabe legionaries or auxiliaries. No need to book, just drop in.
11am-3pm
Develop your sports skills in this family friendly event…
Activities include football darts, speed radar, goal target and inflatable shoot through the hoop!
No need to book, just turn up
Free!
Free!
Friday 6 August, 11am-3pm
The great re-enactment team behind Park in the Past and Chester’s Roman Tours will be outside the museum bringing Roman Britain and the legionaries back to life with living history displays and pop-up demonstrations as they prepare for their summer military campaign. FREE. Suitable for families, children and wannabe legionaries or auxiliaries. No need to book, just drop in.
July 17th 2021 sees the opening of Hidden Holt: The Story of a Roman Site, the first new exhibition at Wrexham Museum since the end of lockdown.
The title, Hidden Holt, is a reference to the nationally important Roman site hidden beneath the surface of the fields to the north-west of the popular border village.
The village of Holt has long celebrated its links with the Roman Empire and the village was once referred to as ‘Castle Lyons’, which was thought to derive from an older name meaning castle or camp of the legions.
The exhibition reveals the story of how this once lost Roman site was re-discovered in the early 20th century and excavated in the years prior to the First World War. The exhibition showcases the many finds from these excavations, most of which have not been displayed in north-east Wales for over a century.
A great year for Roman heritage in Wrexham
Hidden Holt is a joint project between Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Holt Local History Society, Wrexham Glyndwr University and Wrexham Museum.
Dr Kath Davies, Director of Collections and Research, Amgueddfa Cymru, said, “We’re proud of our commitment to making the national collections as widely available as possible. The finds from the excavation were acquired by the national museum nearly a century ago and will now be forming the core of this important exhibition at Wrexham.”
Sue Payne, chair of Holt Local History Society said “Holt Local History Society was formed in 1992 and currently has 100 members. Ever since then we have been keen to find out more about Holt’s history – in particular the Roman Tile and Pottery works excavated in 1907-15. The society commissioned a Geophysical Survey and report by ASW (Archaeology Survey West) in 2018. We then visited the National Museum Wales, Cardiff and St Fagan’s to view that excavation’s finds, which were donated to Cardiff in 1925.
“We are delighted that this has led to Wrexham Museum’s plan to hold a major exhibition, which tells the story of the excavation, and displays some 80 objects which have not been seen in north Wales since 1925. We have been pleased to have been extensively involved in its preparation.”
Councillor Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: “2021 is turning out to be Wrexham’s Year of Roman Heritage: the Rossett Roman Lead Pig is on display at the British Museum in London, plans are afoot for an excavation this autumn into a villa site also found near Rossett, and the Hidden Holt exhibition has provided a chance for a local history group to work with their local museum, their local university and Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales to create a special exhibition on our most important Roman site bringing Holt’s Roman collections home for the first time in a hundred years.
“We are incredibly lucky to have seen so many exciting Roman discoveries unearthed right on our doorstep here in Wrexham. I would urge everyone to visit the exhibition and take advantage of the opportunity to see this remarkable collection in up close.”
Some highlights to look out for
The exhibition includes:
- The Esclusham Hoard – a treasure trove of amazing Roman coins found near Wrexham and on display in the town for the first time ever.
- A video presentation on Hidden Holt produced by students at Wrexham Glyndŵr University involving drone footage and colourized images of the 1907–15 excavation thanks to the skills and hard work of a small group of young graphic designers.
- Children’s trail and gallery activities
- Roman Holt selfie stand for those who would like to record their visit to Wrexham Museum
- Two forecourt events on July 24th and August 21st in collaboration with Roman Tours and Park In The Past.
Holt’s Roman site will also be the subject of one of the talks at the Festival of British Archaeology Wales on July 29th which is being organized by Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales and the four Welsh regional archaeological trusts.
Hidden Holt is on show from July 17th until January 29th 2022.