Festival Days
 Festival Days.
The Gloucester Archaeology Festival is renowned for it’s festival days, A day where all the partner organisations come together to show their love of Archaeology and excite the next generation through a range of activities at either no cost or very low cost.Â
This year we are bringing twice the fun with not only an opening day of fun but a day to close the festival too. Bringing the amazing St Oswalds to life in a new way, showing what can happen in our fantastic historic spaces.
See Below for more details.
The Gloucester Archaeology Festival Family Day.
A host of activities will occur throughout the city from the Museum of Gloucester, The Gate Streets, St Michael’s Tower, St Mary De Crypt and Gloucester Cathedral.Â
All activities take place between 10 am and 4 pm at the Museum of Gloucester and St Michael’s Tower, The Folk of Gloucester and 11am to 3pm at Gloucester Cathedral and St Mary de Crypt.
what’s going on
To find out what’s going on at each venue please check the listing below, for directions check our trail map which is on the trail tab.
The Museum of Gloucester
The Museum of Gloucester is home to an immense collection of archaeological treasures including the world-famous Birdlip Mirror, impressive Roman tombstones and the Gloucester Tables Set, the oldest complete backgammon set in the world.
Gloucester Cathedral
Join us for a miniature archaeological ‘dig’ in front of Gloucester Cathedral. Dress up as an archaeologist, and test different digging styles to find and record your own archaeological object!
Free to attend. Drop in whenever. Donations towards the Cathedral are welcome.
With all activites please unsure children are accompanied by an adult.
St Michaels Tower
Come along to the St Michaels Tower and meet Dean Archaeological Group.
The Dean Archaeological Group (or DAG as we are commonly known) encourages and promotes the understanding of archaeology in the Forest of Dean and neighbouring areas.
Our aim is to practice field archaeology and we take every opportunity to research, survey, excavate and record sites. DAG is an amateur organisation that aspires to meet professional standards across all of its activities but that does not mean that you need an archaeological background to join us. All you require is enthusiasm and a desire to learn about archaeology: in or out of the trenches!
Come along to the Tower and find out about what DAG have been up to in their latest digs and how you can get involved.
There will also be fun activities for the Children to get their hands on.
St Mary De Crypt
Did you know that archaeology isn’t just what’s underground? We’ve been uncovering our incredible Tudor wall paintings to discover their stories after they were painted over during the Reformation. Come and delve deeper with our talks running throughout the day.
FREE – Donations welcome. Suitable for adults and children 12+
Festival Village at the Folk of Gloucester
Come along to the Festival village where you can meet Local Archaeologist, gets hands on with Roman Pottery and get an appointment with the Tudor Barber Surgeon.
Come and meet:
+ GLOSARCH _ Gloucestershire Archaeology
+ Taynton Metal Detectorists
+ Tudor Barber Surgeon John Putney
+ Hands on Roman Pottery with the Roman Pottery Study Group.
Come along to the KIDS Zone In The Folk of Gloucester which has been kindly supported by EG Carter LTD.
Time Travelling Granny Presents Amazing Archaeology and Fantastic Fossils
Join Time Travelling Granny exploring real artifacts from across time and learn about what animals lived in Gloucestershire in the past from mammoths to farms to the seas the very rocks are made of! Have fun exploring, crafting and hearing Granny’s stories of daring do.
Suitable for all ages and abilities.
Picnic at St Oswalds - Saturday 1st of August 2026 11am to 4pm
For the first time we are offering twice the fun with not just one day of great low cost family activities but two. For the second festival day we are bringing all the fun of the Archaeology Festival to the amazing grounds of St Oswald’s Priory. Check below for more details.
Come along to the Picnic at St Oswalds
There is so much to see and do.
* Meet Queen Aethelflead The Puppet as she roams the very ground in which she was laid to rest. Find out why she is annoyed with her brother and her opinion of the layout of Gloucester’s Street!
* Watch the Fun play about Athelflaed from Spaniel in the works with The Ballad of Athelflaed a play suitable for all the family at 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3pm.
* Have a go at using Natural food dyes and printing your own T-shirt to take away. (Charges Apply)
* Get hands on with Roman Pottery and get to see Roman tiles like the ones made on this exact spot.
* Have a chance to Meet Queen Athelflaed.
* Get to see a wide range of finds including coins from Gloucester and Beyond with Andy Frape from Taynton Detectorists.
* Meet Local archaeologists who are helping to discover the past and find out how you can get involved.
Suitable for all ages and abilities. Bring your own picnic and enjoy the wonderful surroundings of St Oswald’s Priory.
Made possible by the Grassroots Community fund of Gloucestershire County Council.
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