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EXHIBITION
In Bloom: how plants changed our world
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
19 March-16 August
http://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/in-bloom-how-plants-changed-our-world
This new exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum takes visitors on a journey from Oxford to the farthest corners of the world, uncovering the global stories behind some of Britain’s most beloved blooms. More than 100 works of art and objects, including drawings, paintings, rare prints, and ceramics, will explore our changing relationship with the natural world over the centuries. Tickets cost £16.20 (£18 with Gift Aid) and a number of concessions are available, with tickets free for members.
CONFERENCE
Chartered Institute for Archaeologists Conference 2026
Edinburgh
28-29 April
http://www.archaeologists.net/events-training/events/conference/2026
Booking is now open for the CIfA annual conference. The theme this year is ‘Building connections’, with topics including the social value of archaeology, women in commercial archaeology, and how to future-proof archaeological data. Apart from the event’s wide-ranging sessions, there will be a keynote address, as well as training workshops. For those unable to attend in person, there is the option to watch the recorded content in your own time.
EVENT
Experience Digging Days
King John’s Palace, Nottinghamshire
20-24 April
https://mercian-as.co.uk/intro_days.html
Come and excavate at the site of King John’s Palace in Sherwood Forest. Mercian Archaeological Services is running a week of experience days for people who want to dip their toes into learning how to excavate, under the supervision of trained archaeologists. This project forms part of a long running research initiative designed to reveal the extent of the medieval palace and surrounding area. Tickets cost £75 per person per day or £300 for the full week.
LECTURES
Long Man Lecture 2026
Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (ACCA), Brighton
26 March
https://sussexpast.co.uk/event/long-man-lecture-2026-raksha-dave
This year’s Long Man Lecture, run by the Sussex Archaeological Society, will be delivered by archaeologist, writer, and broadcaster Raksha Dave. Entitled ‘A Conscious Uncoupling: public archaeology and disrupting the status quo’, the talk will challenge habits and assumptions that have long shaped archaeology, exploring how open, responsible practice can drive innovation, while poor engagement and exclusion can create space for pseudoarchaeology to flourish. Tickets cost £25, with concessions for society members and students.
Sensory Textiles of Early Medieval Britain
UCL Institute of Archaeology
17 March
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/events/2026/mar/sensory-textiles-early-medieval-britain
This final seminar in the Medieval Archaeology Series 2025-2026, hosted by UCL’s Institute of Archaeology with the British Museum, will be given by Dr Alexandra Makin from the Manchester Metropolitan University, introducing the sensory qualities of textiles made and used in early medieval Britain. The talk will feature case studies including the Orkney Hood, wool fabric from the Galloway Hoard, and the Bayeux Tapestry. The event is free and open to anyone.
HERITAGE FROM HOME
VIRTUAL VISITS
• Imagined Norths
https://exhibitions.abdn.ac.uk/university-collections/exhibits/show/imaginednorths/intro
This online exhibition from the University of Aberdeen explores the myths and imaginings of northern regions.
• Blarney Castle & Gardens
https://blarneycastle.ie/plan-your-visit/map-and-virtual-tour
Take a virtual tour of this famous medieval stronghold in County Cork, Ireland.
• The Olympic Museum
https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-olympic-museum
If you are feeling inspired by the recent Winter Olympics, you can learn more about the Games with this virtual tour of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• National Folk Museum of Korea
https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-folk-museum-of-korea
Learn about daily life and culture throughout the history of Korea with a tour of the collections of the National Folk Museum.
FAMILY FUN
• ArchaeoEd
Learn about the ancient civilisations of the Americas in this podcast by Dr Edwin Barnhart, director of the Maya Exploration Center.
• Young Archaeologists’ Club: things to do at home
http://www.yac-uk.org/explore-archaeology/things-to-do-at-home
The Young Archaeologists’ Club has put together a collection of activities to do at home, from baking a medieval simnel cake to building your own hoard container.
• Layer Cake Dig
http://www.archaeological.org/pdfs/education/digs/Digs_layer_cake.pdf
Teach the young children in your life the principles of archaeology using stratigraphic cake layers, as outlined in this tutorial from the American Institute of Archaeology.
• 2,000 Years of Brentford History
http://www.mola.org.uk/brentford-history-resources
Learn all about Brentford’s past with this series of educational resources from MOLA.
• The Man with the Hat
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt39313231
This new documentary exploring the life and work of outspoken Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass is available to rent or buy from Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
• Digital Archive of Hinkley Point C Excavations
Cotswold Archaeology have made available online the whole digital archive of their excavations at Hinkley Point C in Somerset from 2009 to 2016.
• Medieval Activity around Leiston Abbey: Sizewell C excavation insights
This free online webinar on 29 April from Oxford Cotswold Archaeology discusses archaeological findings surrounding the 12th-century abbey discovered during Sizewell C excavations in Suffolk.
• Coventry Atlas
Discover maps, building plans, photographs, and other images of places and people of Coventry from the medieval period to the present day.
• Exploring Stone Age Archaeology: the mysteries of Star Carr
http://www.futurelearn.com/courses/exploring-stone-age-archaeology-the-mysteries-of-star-carr
Learn about Star Carr’s internationally significant Mesolithic archaeology with this free online course developed by the University of York.
