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.

Finally, although our events are aimed at our membership (and we would strongly urge you to join if you are not already a member) there are times, particularly on day excursions, when there can be free spaces.  On these occasions non-members can be accommodated.  Please contact the organizer regarding the anticipated size of the party.

 

 

We shall have a guided tour of Tewkesbury Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery with fine stained glass, and the opportunity to explore the historic buildings of the town and view the display of mediaeval street banners.

Cost: £48.00 per person

The coach will pick up from: Nailsea at 8.00, The Bristol Hotel – 8.30, top of Jacob’s Wells Road – 8.45 and Westbury Road – 9.00am.

This trip is now fully booked.  Please do not make an online booking unless you are happy to join a short waiting list.

To book a place, use the following link:

I am prepared to write a report for the newsletterNoYes

Number of tickets

Single ticket £48.00 GBPTwo tickets £96.00 GBP

Coach pick-up point

Clevedon Road car park, NailseaBristol HotelTop of Jacob’s Wells RoadSt Monica’s,WestburyRoad

Please put my name on the waiting list if no space

YesNo

A form for postal booking was included with the June newsletter.

Contact: Carol Lear; carolear@btinternet.com; 0117 942 3610

 

 

This is the final opportunity to join Amber Turner, Curator of Applied Art, as she guides us through the newly-refurbished glass gallery, which now displays glass from ancient Rome through to the present day.

Cost: £9.50 per person.

There are a very few places left – please contact the organizer to confirm availability.

Organizer: Carol Ouvry; carol@ouvry.myzen.co.uk; 0117 302 1039

 

 

Please volunteer to bake cakes and/or give a couple of hours of your time to sell them at L Shed. Or just come along and enjoy the event at the dockside, with activities outside at M Shed and Underfall Yard.

A free shuttle service using heritage buses provided by Bristol Vintage Bus Group will operate along Cumberland Road to link the two sites.

A form for volunteering will be included with the September newsletter, which is due to be published in the next week or so.

Please reply to: Mary Bailey; events@friendsofbmga.org.uk; 07779 244308.

 

 

A guided tour of behind the scenes at the Central Library with the opportunity to look at some of the mediaeval manuscripts in the collection with the Heritage Librarian.

Cost: £7.50 per person

This event is fully booked, but there may be space available due to a cancellation.

Contact: Carol Ouvry; carol@ouvry.myzen.co.uk; 0117 302 1039

 

 

The Bristol Tapestry, on display in the ground floor lift hall, was the brainchild of Jean Tanner and Marjorie Bleasdale, designed to record important events in Bristol’s history.  Completed in 1976, the project involved 90 local people.

Friends of BMGA member Sheila Dawkins, who worked on the tapestry, will talk about the project and the people.

Cost: £5 per person.

Book online via the museum’s website by clicking here.

 

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Do please come along to the AGM as we like to get feedback from our members and this is a good opportunity to give us your views.
Click for a formal notice of the AGM AGM 2026 Notice of meeting and agenda and a nomination form for committee membership AGM 2026 Nomination form. Following the business (which will be kept to a minimum) there will be short presentations from museum staff about some of their current projects.

We’ll conclude with tea and cake.

Election of Executive Committee officers and members
The elected members of the Executive Committee are the trustees of the charity. The current officers are: Sue Thurlow, Chair; Katherine Martin, Secretary; Steve Sparks, Treasurer; and Richard Avery, Membership Secretary.
The remaining elected members of the committee are: Mary Bailey, Ray Barnett, Clive Burlton, Susan Hibberd, Carol Lear and Toby Pinn.
All elected trustees stand down at the AGM and most are likely to stand for re-election. There are vacancies for twelve trustees in all. If you are interested in standing, please complete the nomination form and return it to the Secretary. New trustees are welcome, especially young ones!