Archives

A basket full of toy bugs and small animals.

Bug Club

Join us as we investigate the effects of insects on collection items. We will look at a variety of different materials in

10 Mar 2026
A child holds a homemade cardboard tube up to their eye like a telescope while standing at a craft table in a brightly coloured room with orange walls. The child wears a patterned headband and a smartwatch. On the table are craft supplies, including markers, scissors, and a cardboard box decorated with drawings. An adult stands nearby, partially visible.

Nature Spotters

Gather with us in an outdoor-inspired campsite in the Conversation Gallery. Discover the fascinating world of wildlife in the parkland,

10 Mar 2026
Two people sit at a small round table in a dimly lit café or bar. One person holds a glass of sparkling drink, and two illuminated candles sit on the table alongside a small vase with flowers and a table number sign.

Mother’s Day Lunch

Celebrate Mother’s Day with a delicious two or three-course Sunday lunch at Café Bowes, overlooking the picturesque parterre. Enjoy fresh,

23 Feb 2026
Close up of afternoon tea, including a swan biscuit and cake.

Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea

Celebrate in style this Mother’s Day. Treat your loved ones to a delicious afternoon tea, served with a glass of

23 Feb 2026
A bright yellow table covered with craft materials, including coloured paper, small paper shapes sorted by colour, envelopes labelled with colour names, a glue stick, scissors, and patterned reference sheets. At the centre is a drawing in progress decorated with colourful paper triangles.

Artist Makers: Big Patterns

Take time to slow down by looking closely at patterns and textures found in the museum’s collection or the surrounding

11 Feb 2026
Colourful cardboard sculptures decorated with cut‑out paper shapes sit on a bright yellow table in an art room with orange and pink walls. Additional artwork made from painted and printed paper is laid out flat on the tabletop.

Artist Makers: Paper Forest

Make your own paper forest with visual artist Bethan Maddocks, inspired by Martin Smith’s Kinetic Arboretum. Using paper, wire and

11 Feb 2026
A large carboard version of The Bowes Museum with arched windows, paper flowers, small cut-out figures, and miniature cardboard cars, displayed indoors in front of an open orange-framed window.

Artist Makers: Mini Museum

Co-founders Joséphine and John Bowes curated the founding collection together, in the spirit of collaboration join artist Jane Young to

28 Jan 2026
Children creating art in the create space, using pencils to colour in.

Artist Makers: Punk Posters

Channel the rebellious spirit of Vivienne Westwood, who used fashion as a platform for activism and change. Join artist Anna Selway

28 Jan 2026
A pair of black leather platform shoes with very thick, light-colored wooden soles. One shoe is upright while the other leans against it, showing the exaggerated height and chunky shape of the platforms.

Artist Makers: Groovy Shoes

Pirate boots, rocking horse slippers and super elevated gillie heels were some of the innovative footwear designs Vivienne Westwood created. Join artist Claire

28 Jan 2026
A handmade art project featuring a bird shape created with white string glued onto a blue card, perched on a black yarn “branch.” The card sits on a yellow surface surrounded by other children’s crafts, including painted paper plates, doodles, a black feather and a small figurine.

Artist Makers: Bird Monoprinting

Join artist Tom Kindley to create expressive images of birds using the versatile technique monoprinting. Using paper and inks, you’ll focus on capturing the feathers, form and flight rather than photorealistic detail. At the end of the

28 Jan 2026
Two children sit at a brightly colored craft table in an orange-walled room, working on art projects. The child on the left, wearing glasses and a light gray sweater, holds scissors and a piece of paper. The child on the right, wearing a light blue sweatshirt, handles a piece of red translucent material. Various craft supplies—paper, glue sticks, sticks, tape, and markers—are scattered across the table.

Artist Makers: Transform Paintings

Join artist Amy Jowett for a creative workshop where you’ll sketch your own imagined scene inspired by timeless works within the museum. Using

28 Jan 2026