What follows is a chronological list of what is currently planned by way of visits to museums, galleries and other places of interest, gallery talks, Behind the Scenes visits in the city, Saturday afternoon talks and special events where the Friends will have a presence.
Following that is a list of online events that the museum service is organizing.
We hope you will find things to interest you.
Please note: if you book online, the payment receipt from PayPal does not mean that you have secured a place. The organizer receives a weekly update of such payments and will email you to advise when you have a firm booking.
Also, Behind the Scenes visits and gallery tours are usually restricted to groups of around 15. If such an event attracts a larger number of applications, as it often does, the organizer will try to arrange a second (or more) tour(s), which could be at a later time on the advertised day or on a later date. If this occurs, the organizer will contact you to make the appropriate arrangements.
Please note:
Members may take photographs when we are on our trips to illustrate an article about the visit that will appear in the following newsletter.
Please make it clear to the organizer if you do not wish to feature in any such picture.
23rd Oct 2025
Coughton Court is a Grade I-listed Tudor mansion near Alcester, home to the Catholic Throckmorton family for more than 600 years and full of links to historical events, including the Gunpowder Plot.
Cost: £35.00 per person (+£17 each for non-NT members).
To book a place online use the panel below:
A form for postal bookings was included with the September newsletter.
Contact: Carol Lear; carolear@btinternet.com; 0117 942 3610.
2.30pm 25th Oct 2025 M Shed Studio, Prince's Wharf
No need to book but do come along to find out what our funds have bought for the museums’ collections, following a short AGM.
Tea / coffee and cake will be served.
10.00am 30th Oct 2025 Cairns Road substation, BS6 7TY
The museum has redisplayed its collection of early and more recent domestic appliances as well as distribution equipment and metering.
This event is now fully booked. Please do not book online unless you are happy to go on the waiting list.
Cost: £8.00 per person.
To book a place online use the panel below:
A form for postal bookings was included with the September newsletter.
Contact: Richard Avery; membership@friendsofbmga.org.uk; 0117 329 6656.
10.30am 13th Nov 2025 Blaise Castle House Museum
Catherine Littlejohns, Curator of Historic Houses, will assemble and discuss a cross-section of costume items dating from the 18th to the mid-20th centuries.
Cost: £9.50 per person.
To book a place online use the panel below:
A form for postal bookings was included with the September newsletter.
Contact: Carol Ouvry; carol@ouvry.myzen.co.uk; 0117 302 1039.
7.30 - 9.00pm 13th Nov 2025 M Shed Studio, Prince's Wharf
Scientists are meant to view the subject of their research with detached objectivity, but during volcanic eruptions they live and work with communities dealing with ash, evacuations and general mayhem. For decades, scientists at Bristol University have been responding to volcanic crises in the Eastern Caribbean, profoundly influencing their research. Montserrat (one of these volcanic islands) is also a literary island and creatives have also responded to these challenges.
The speaker, Professor Jenni Barclay, is a volcanologist and holds the AXA Chair in Volcanology at the University of Bristol. Jenni’s research focusses on the reduction of risk and prevention of disaster in volcanic settings. She also has a long term interest in public engagement and the important role of the environmental sciences in everyone’s lives in general.
To book a place for the in-person talk or to register for the simultaneous online broadcast, click here to be taken to the M Shed website.
The Museum Winter Lecture series is sponsored by The Friends
2.00pm 15th Nov 2025 M Shed Studio, Prince's Wharf
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery has a fine collection of paintings by French artists, including landscapes. Jonathan Camp, a freelance lecturer in the history of art, will guide us through the best 19th century French landscape paintings.
Cost: £9.50 per person.
Please note the earlier start time of 2.00pm.
To book a place online use the panel below:
A form for postal bookings was included with the September newsletter.
Contact: Catherine Dixon; blackrockcfd@hotmail.com; 01275 849200.
18th Nov 2025
Alongside the world-class collections at RAMM there will be an exhibition, Wild, on re-connecting with the natural world, plus Recording Nature: a display including nature records from six collectors as well as some of their specimens; and What Do You Collect: a collection of old staplers from mid to late 20th century.
Cost: £42.50 per person.
To book a place online use the panel below:
A form for postal bookings was included with the September newsletter.
Organizer: Richard Avery; membership@friendsofbmga.org.uk; 0117 329 6656.
10th Dec 2025
For something a bit different, this year Dyrham House invites visitors on a special journey through time, exploring Christmas through the ages from Tudor times right up to the 21st century. The house will be dressed with festive decorations from five different eras including a 1999 / millennium room.
Cost: £37.50 per person (+ £21.00 each for non-NT members).
To book a place online use the panel below:
A form for postal bookings was included with the September newsletter.
Organizer: Richard Avery; membership@friendsofbmga.org.uk; o117 329 6656.
3.30pm 13th Dec 2025 St Stephen's Church, St Stephen's Street, BS1
Bring friends and family to this candlelit celebration of Christmas in the mediaeval church of St Stephen’s. There will be singing of carols by all, as well as readings, and carols and songs sung by our guest choir, The Redmaids’ High Community Voices conducted by Jo Scullin.
Cost: £15.00 per adult; £30.00 for one adult and up to three children; £45.00 for two adults and up to three children.
To book a place online use the panel below:
A form for postal bookings was included with the September newsletter.
Contact: Sally Dore; sally.dore@cantab.net; 0117 942 2620.
