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.
2.00pm 22nd Apr 2025 Sussex Street, St Philips, BS2 0RA
There will be a guided tour of the factory in St Philips where all manner of body parts are manufactured for medical training purposes. The award-winning company has expanded since our last visit and now operates on a global scale.
Cost: £7.50 per person.
(Non-members are welcome, provided that there are places available, but MEMBERS have priority.)
To book a place online use the following link:
For postal bookings, please use the form enclosed with the March newsletter.
Organizer: Carol Ouvry, carol@ouvry.myzen.co.uk; 0117 302 1039.
14th May 2025
Housed in a fine Georgian mansion, Nature in Art is the world’s first museum and art gallery dedicated to fine, decorative and applied art inspired by nature. Two special exhibitions will be in place when we visit: Nature in Miniature and Ros White Garden Paintings.
Cost: £42.50 per person.
(Non-members are welcome, provided there are spaces available, but MEMBERS have priority.)
To book online please use the following link:
For postal bookings, please use the form enclosed with the March newsletter.
Organizer: Richard Avery, membership@friendsofbmga.org.uk; 0117 329 6656
2.30pm 17th May 2025 M Shed Studio
Local author and transport historian Martin Curtis will give us a history of the Bristol Tramways Company Ltd to highlight the celebration this year of the 150th anniversary of the first operations of the company in 1875.
The talk will be followed by tea/coffee and cake.
Cost: £9.50 per person.
(Non-members are welcome, provided there are places available, but MEMBERS take priority.)
To book online use the following link:
To make a postal booking, please use the form enclosed with the March newsletter.
Administrator: Catherine Dixon, blackrockcfd@hotmail.com; 01275 849200.
12.00noon 20th May 2025 Tower Lane, Warmley, BS30 8XT
This fascinating landscape garden was created for Quaker industrialist William Champion in the 1750s. Formed from part of his brassworks, it adjoined his industrial premises and used clinker and slag from their waste to create the garden features. It is listed Grade ll.
Cost: £12.50 per person.
(Non-members are welcome, provided there are spaces available, but MEMBERS take priority.)
To book online use the following link:
For postal bookings, please use the form enclosed with the March newsletter.
Organizer: Sally Dore, sally.dore@cantab.net; 0117 942 2620.
11.00am 12th Jun 2025 Litfield Place, BS8 3LT
Now a Grade ll listed building, the Observatory was originally built as a windmill in the 1760s. It contains one of the few remaining, intact camera obscuras in the country, a museum and access to the Giant’s Cave, as well as a cafe and stunning views. There will be an introductory talk.
Cost: £12.00 per person
(Non-members are welcome, provided there are places available, but MEMBERS have priority.)
To book online use the following link:
For postal bookings, please use the form enclosed with the March newsletter.
Organizer: Carol Ouvry, carol@ouvry.myzen.co.uk; 0117 302 1039.
19th Jun 2025
Originally the home of the St John family, Lydiard Park comprises a Grade l-listed Palladian mansion, a church and walled garden, set in 260 acres of parkland. The house contains original features, furniture and family portraits, while the Georgian walled garden has been restored.
Cost: £42.50 per person.
(Non-members are welcome, provided there are places available, but MEMBERS take priority.)
To book online use the following link:
For postal bookings, please use the form enclosed with the March newsletter.
Organizer: Richard Avery, membership@friendsofbmga.org.uk; 0117 329 6656.
2.30pm 28th Jun 2025 M Shed Studio
Author Margaret Crump’s biography of James Cowles Prichard, one of the founders of the Bristol Institution, the forerunner of Bristol Museum, will be published in June.
While contributing to the development of the disciplines of psychiatry and anthropology, and publishing on a variety of other topics, Prichard practised as a physician in Bristol from 1810 to 1845, living in the Red Lodge for nearly 20 years.
The talk will be followed by tea/coffee and cake.
Cost: £9.50 per person
(Non-members are welcome, if there are places available, but MEMBERS take priority.)
To book a place online use the following link:
For postal bookings, please use the form enclosed with the March newsletter.
Administrator: Catherine Dixon, blackrockcfd@hotmail.com; 01275 849200.
03rd Oct 2025 - 04th Oct 2025 M Shed
The British Association of Friends of Museums (BAfM) is holding its annual conference in Bristol this year and FBMGA are therefore hosts.
Volunteers are required to help manage the event on the Friday and Saturday and a form to ‘sign up’ was enclosed with the March newsletter.
Organizer: Mary Bailey, events@friendsofbmga.org.uk; 0117 942 1944.
