What’s On at Corinium Museum – October 2026
Corinium Museum has a packed October programme of history, family activities, fascinating walks, cinema screenings and exhibitions, with Cirencester History Festival returning for ten days
From exploring Roman villas and haunted tales to creating creepy cupcakes and gruesome gargoyles during half term, there is plenty happening at Corinium Museum in Cirencester throughout October 2026.
Cirencester History Festival
Cirencester History Festival returns from Fri 23 Oct – Sun 1 Nov 2026, with walks, talks and activities taking place at Corinium Museum and other locations around Cirencester.
The museum's programme includes opportunities to discover different chapters in the town's past, from Roman Corinium and the medieval wool trade to the English Civil War, Georgian Cirencester and the campaign for votes for women. A behind-the-scenes Tour of the Stores on Wed 28 Oct also reveals some of the museum's fascinating collection, spanning prehistory to the 1950s.
Walks and talks
Earlier in the month, Corinium Afternoons: Roman Villas in the Cotswolds on Thu 1 Oct explores some of the more than 60 known Roman villas across the region, their mosaics and archaeological discoveries.
For those looking for something a little spookier, Haunted Cirencester Town Tours take place on Thu 8, 15 and 22 Oct, exploring ghostly happenings, urban legends and haunted stories associated with historic buildings around the town. Walking Roman Cirencester on Fri 9 and 16 Oct combines a guided walk through the ancient town with a visit to the museum's Roman galleries.
October half-term family fun
Young visitors can get creative during the October half-term holidays with a trio of suitably spooky activities. Creepy Corinium Cupcakes on Wed 28 Oct combines edible art with some of the monsters found within the museum's collections, while Gruesome Gargoyles on Thu 29 Oct begins with a visit to Cirencester Parish Church before children create their own gargoyles.
On Fri 30 Oct, Make Your Own Curse Tablet explores the unusual Roman practice of writing curses on lead tablets, with children able to create their own spooky version in time for Halloween. A new Henry Tudor family gallery trail also begins during October and continues until February 2027, inviting families to discover six facts about the future Henry VIII as a young boy.
Cinema at Corinium Museum
October's cinema programme includes The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Sat 17 Oct, followed by The Metropolitan Opera's Macbeth on Tue 20 Oct. The Royal Ballet's Manon, choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan and set to music by Jules Massenet, will be screened on Tue 27 Oct.
Conker the Cat and Other Tales
A new free exhibition by Cotswold artist Lesley Davies opens on Thu 15 Oct and runs until Sun 15 Nov 2026. Conker the Cat and Other Tales features watercolour, pen and ink works inspired principally by the imaginary past adventures of Davies' former stray cat Conker, alongside maritime and Japanese influences.
More to discover in October
Other activities include An Introduction to Prehistoric Textiles on Sat 3 Oct, a hands-on workshop led by experimental archaeologist and heritage educator Sally Pointer.
The museum also continues its Monday Movement at the Museum sessions, combining gentle low-impact fitness and Tai Chi with balance, strength and relaxation exercises.
> Discover what’s on at Corinium Museum
Explore Gloucestershire
24 September 2026
This article was edited using AI from supplied press material.
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