Colchester Castle Museum

Castle Park
Colchester
Essex
CO1 1TJ
England

Website

www.colchestermuseums.org.uk/castle/castle_index.html

E-mail

museums@colchester.gov.uk

Telephone

01206 282939

Fax

01206 282925

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

A visit to Colchester Castle Museum takes you through 2000 years of some of the most important events in British history. Once capital of Roman Britain, Colchester has experienced devastation by Boudica (Boadicea), invasion by the Normans and siege during the English Civil War.

Since the 16th century, the Castle has been a ruin, a library and a gaol for witches. Today it is an award winning museum featuring many hands-on displays showing Colchester's history from the Stone Age to the Civil War.

This museum has a Designated Collection of national importance.

Venue Type:

Museum

Opening hours

Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00
Sun 11.00-17.00

General services and facilities

Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
CD-ROM guide available
Foreign language leaflet or brochure available
Guided tours
Information point provided
Pre-booking service for groups
Picnic area
Refreshments
Shop

Children and families

Activities for pre-school children
Events and resources for children and families
Baby changing facilities

Disability access

Audio guides specifically for blind and partially sighted people
Braille information and/or interpretation
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Induction loops in exhibition spaces
Induction loops in lecture theatres
Large print information and/or interpretation
Sign language interpretation available
Touch exhibits
Toilets for disabled
Wheelchair access to all public areas
Wheelchairs available for loan

Schools services and facilities

Direct teaching services for schools
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Secondary school education service available
Education facilities available
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups

Research and adult learning

Academic publications and resources available
Adult lectures and courses held
Loan service
Library with public access
Research facilities for academics
Study facilities

Commercial and hire services

Facilities for private functions and events
Meeting room available

Castle Park
Colchester
Essex
CO1 1TJ
England

Website

www.colchestermuseums.org.uk/castle/castle_index.html

E-mail

museums@colchester.gov.uk

Telephone

01206 282939

Fax

01206 282925

The archaeology collections of Colchester Museums are Designated Collections of national importance.

Among the many objects to note are the famous "Colchester Vase" and the tombstone of the Roman Centurian Marcus Favonius Facilis. The extensive archaeology collections are of superb quality and reflect the central role played by Colchester at the start of Britain's recorded history. Colchester Castle is an award winning museum featuring many hands-on displays to help explain the townspeople's experience of Colchester's varying fortunes. A visit to Colchester Castle Museum takes you through 2000 years of the most important events in British History. Once the capital of Roman Britain, Colchester has experienced devastation by Boudica (Boadicea), invasion by the Normans and Siege during the English Civil War.

Collection details

Social History, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Coins and Medals, Archaeology

Key artists and exhibits

Designated Collection.

Collections services

General guide to collections available
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Public access available to collections information
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)

Castle Park
Colchester
Essex
CO1 1TJ
England

Website

www.colchestermuseums.org.uk/castle/castle_index.html

E-mail

museums@colchester.gov.uk

Telephone

01206 282939

Fax

01206 282925

Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Dark Tours

9 February 2012 *on now

Come to the Castle for an ‘after hours and after dark’ experience, where you will be taken on a tour bringing out some of the Castle’s more gruesome and dark history.

You will be taken into the vaults under the Castle, on the roof, into the prisons and around the museum, where they will hear stories of witches, martyrs, plague, disease and death. Over 16s only. Unfortunately the tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Tours at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm

Suitable for

18+
16-17

When

6-9pm

Admission

£4.50 per person. £4 for Friends of the Museum. Booking essential. Book in advance by calling 01206 282940 or at Hollytrees Museum, Colchester.

Medieval Medicine and Surgery

13 — 17 February 2012

Find out what it was like to visit a doctor in Medieval Times. Hear about the many treatments for illnesses and injuries from amputation, drilling and blood-letting to a course of leeches! You can drop by to help mix plague cures using herbs, or if you’re feeling very brave you can attend an appointment with the surgeon. WARNING – the appointments are not for the faint-hearted!

Shows at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm.
BSL interpreted sessions on Monday 13th at 11.30am - 12.00pm, 12.00pm - 12.30pm, 1.30pm - 2.00pm, 2.00pm - 2.30pm.

Suitable for

Family friendly

Where

Colchester Castle

Admission

Free (after normal admission to the castle).

Colchester’s Cruel Past

25 February 2012

Journey through time and meet characters from the past that we don’t normally talk about. You won’t find any kings or queens but you will get to meet witches who are suffering in the hands of the Witchfinder General, people suffering from the plague and you may even bump into the gaoler, watch out… he may invite you to stay for a while!

When

10am-4pm

Where

Colchester Castle

Admission

Free (after normal admission to the castle)

History's Hard Times

25 February 2012

Journey through time and meet some unhappy characters from the past and hear their stories. Meet characters that include a witch, plague victim, Celt and an air raid warden. You may even bump into the gaoler, watch out…he may invite you to stay for a while!