Festival of Archaeology Finale 2025

Join the CBA for a FREE family fun-filled two-day finale to this year's amazing Festival of Archaeology at the beautiful Cliffe Castle Museum. We're delighted to be heading to Bradford while it's UK City of Culture in 2025 and celebrating archaeology & wellbeing with a jam-packed day of creative and hands-on activities for all.

What's on?

At this year's fantastic finale you'll have the chance to:

• discover prehistoric archaeology with demonstrations from AncientCraft
• experience living history form prehistory to the Victorian era
• find out more about the heritage of the local Keighley community
• have a go at textile and pottery crafts
• visit our My Heritage photography exhibition
• take part in a wellbeing walking tour
• have a lesson in how to play musical stones
• visit our heritage marketplace
• have a go at a whole host of other creative activities
• On Saturday, artist Jessica Swift will be leading pottery workshops throughout the day (11:00-12:30, and 13:00-16:00). Join Jessica for a family friendly drop in air dry clay session at Cliffe Castle. Inspired by the Festival of Archaeology, Jessica will be leading a drop in session where visitors of all ages can be shown how to make a coil pot, or just simply have a play with clay! What you make is up to you - whether that's exploring the exhibition and making something inspired by your favourite piece, or coming up with an elaborate idea. Everything you make will be able to take home, and once dry, decorated at home as an extra art project
• Artist and educator Grace Adam will be leading workshops exploring the the weird and wonderful objects in the collection. Construct a delicate wire drawing and photograph it or sit a while and write a postcard message to yourself or someone else. You’ll also be able to see her own art work - large scale drawings and a collection of ceramic flints in the glasshouses

The Festival will run alongside the British Museum Partnership Exhibition Ice Age Art Now, on display at Cliffe Castle Museum throughout the summer. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see some of the oldest art found in the UK, with some as much as 24,000 years old. 

Details of the full programme of activities is coming soon, but will include:

Cliffe Castle Support Group will lead three wellbeing walking activities around the grounds: Saturday 11:30 and 14:00, Sunday 14:00

Jessica Swift's pottery workshops will run on Saturday only, between 11:00-12:30 and 13:00-1600. These are drop in sessions and do not require booking.

Accessibility information

Please note that this event is located in a park that has different levels and some steep inclines and floor surfaces may be uneven. The paths are wheelchair accessible as is the first floor of the museum. Further details on accessibility can be found on the AccessAble website via the links below:

• AccessAble information for Cliffe Castle Museum
• AccessAble information for Cliffe Castle Park

We anticipate that the event will go ahead in all weather so please wear clothing and footwear appropriate to the terrain and weather conditions.

This event is delivered by the Council for British Archaeology, who coordinate the Festival of Archaeology, in partnership with Bradford District Museums and Galleries.