Past Events

A celebration of all things autumnal including pumpkin patch Fur, Fangs, and Feathers scavenger hunt (28 Oct–1 Nov) to explore the zoo, hunt for hidden clues whilst learning all about some fascinating animals and native wildlife. Participants will receive a discount pumpkins purchased from the patch and win a family animal adoption of your choice. There will also be displays with a selection of birds of prey.

Celebrating a journey through the diversity of American landscapes, history and culture in this contemporary, immersive experience, where visitors join in and share their own stories. There will be large-scale-travel games, theatrical sets, and an array of American road-trip memorabilia, as well a chance to get up close to an original 1958 Harley Davidson Duo Glide motorcycle, on loan from Haynes Motor Museum. Explore the origins and stories behind the cultural phenomenon, and be transported across thousands of miles on…

Follow a spider trail around the gardens with clues and facts about our favourite eight-legged friends, just in time for Halloween. Complete the trail and get a prize at the end; free with standard admission.

Join in with seasonal field tasks to be productive, educational, engaging and sociable and have fun whilst learning where our food comes from in a beautiful setting, overlooking Chew Valley Lake. Adults and (supervised) children are welcome.

Explore the Museum, answering questions and completing fun tasks along the way; included with standard admission. Adults can test their trivia skills exploring our incredible exhibitions, diving deep into the fascinating world of motoring and cinema in the new History, Hollywood and Horsepower trail. In addition, visit the DriveTribe Exhibition, showcasing TV-famous cars like The Grand Tour’s Aston Martin from the “Sand Job” episode and Richard Hammond’s beloved Oliver from Top Gear.

An opportunity to plant a miniature garden to take home.

A great way to get those broken household objects and toys working again - the skilled volunteers can try to fix electrical and mechanical items, furniture, clothing, toys and more. Donations to cover running costs are always welcome.

Loki the Owl and his feathered friends, Billy and Midnight, will take over the museum’s Concorde Hangar Studio during their visit. Seoaring from post to post, Loki will help teach guests more about how owls fly, and they will also have the chance to take a photograph with him.

Pumpkin trail with eight stamps to collect, a Halloween code to crack, spooky nature facts and creepy crawly selfies. Throughout the trail, on or off the interactive app, you will be able to dive deeper into nature’s eerie and otherworldly secrets. You will also find a mysterious pumpkin trail to follow, with scrambled letters to decode; will you untangle the fiendish puzzle?

The Unforgettable Behaviour exhibition showcases 39 photographs from previous Wildlife Photographer of the Year collections, displaying some of the most incredible animal behaviour moments ever captured on camera. The photos show an extraordinary range of surprising, and often deeply moving, acts by animals. They have been chosen to allow visitors to connect with animals they might never otherwise see and to inspire everyone to care about the world around us. The collection includes the works of several American photographers, with…

An opportunity to enjoy some creative halloween pumpkin carving. Pre-book online to avoid disappointment.

Do you dare enter the spooky walk? Make your way around the halloween-themed walk and keep an eye out for ghosts, bats, spiders, zombies and so much more...

See the resident falcons, hawks and owls and enjoy a flying display (11am and 2:30pm), see three different species in the sky with commentary from one of the team. Tickets are valid for the whole day, to allow you to come and go as many times as you like.

With workshop style sessions to make your own ghost ornament using cloth or a spider in a web using pipe cleaners and other freestyle such as origami pumpkins and turnips, make your own 3D haunted paper house, try trick or treat hula and of course spooky themed colouring in. Activities are free and suitable for all ages.

Featuring four Thomas Gainsborough portraits and 18 contemporary artists, the first in a new programme of contemporary art exhibitions. The paintings will be presented as key components of a group exhibition of portraiture featuring 18 contemporary British artists selected by guest curator Ingrid Swenson MBE. The exhibition is intended for reflection on the experience of artists and their sitters or subject in the act of making the artwork, and to consider what similarities and differences there may be for the…

Follow the Myths and Legends trail around the zoo to discover fun animal myths and your animal personality. Tiptoe through the lemur walkthrough and watch out for the spirited lemurs – will they cross your path or swing above your head? Spot real wolves and enjoy fascinating myth-busting talks led by our animal experts. The interactive biofacts experience in the Lodge of Legends, gives you the chance to see and touch real animal artefacts, from skulls to skins, and learn…

Explore the trail through the grounds picking up clues as you go to claim a prize.

Take part in The Big Draw festival 2024 and get crafty using washi tape and colouring to make a funky abstract art piece. Free, drop-in activity.

An exclusive book reading with Marie Basting, the acclaimed author of My Family and Other Romans and Auntie Medusa and Me suitable for children ages 7-11 years with a love of adventures and ancient myths. Sessions run 11am-12pm and 2-3pm. In addition, follow the new Medusa Mystery trail through The Roman Baths, decipher the clues, and see if you can discover where the snake-haired head is hidden. Silvia was just an ordinary kid, until she wound up in Ancient Rome as a…

It’s apple season at Avebury with plenty of apple themed activities for all the family, including apple pressing and tasting using fruit from Avebury Manor’s own orchard and some fun crafts for children.

William’s school report is not good. But his piano tricks are so impressive, his teachers have picked him to play at the prestigious concert for Mozart’s birthday celebrations. Trouble is, he only does tricks. Mozart, via the blues, tango and rock’n’roll (and a roll of gaffer tape). A chase through Salzburg. A moonlit haunted house. Enter Mozart, to swap genius wisdom for a glimpse of the future. Suitable for ages 6+ years.

Louis explores the breath-taking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerized. From square bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, fog-filled bubbles, giant bubbles, bubble volcanoes, tornados and trampolines to people inside bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages. Performances at 1130am and 2pm. Most shows will also feature multi instrumentalist Jet Black Pearl accompanying Louis with bubbly music.

With special Halloween themed family activities including witches hat ring toss, word searches and colouring sheets, design your own spooky character and Halloween skittles. Children encouraged to dress up in fancy dress! Free for under 18s with a paying adult.

Immerse yourself in the beauty of autumn flowers and join Creative Bliss to create your own masterpiece in a serene and creative environment. This is the perfect activity for a relaxed and creative afternoon out, with step by step guidance. Suitable for beginners and children 12+ years.

Halloween family fun with Sally Kids Fun and her Spooky Witches, prizes for the best costumes (children and adults), adult disco, drinks available from the outdoor bar as well as the usual refreshments from the Cafe.

An intense multi-sensory horror event suitable for ages 15+. Navigate the house in darkness encountering the horrors of ‘Purgatory’, featuring live actors, special effects and disturbing aromascapes. Brave the dark underbelly of the House in the X-treme basement walkthrough experience and steady your nerves in the Bloody Mary’s Bar serving horrifyingly good cocktails and drinks.