What's On

Showing 22 events for 28 August 2025 to 28 November 2025:

• The Selsey Tramway

  13/07/2024 to 31/03/2026

  Location: The Novium Museum

  This exhibition recounts the fascinating but ill-fated story of Selsey Tramway.
  
  The exhibition recounts how a railway line was proposed to link the then remote and isolated village of Selsey with Chichester. By August 1897, the Selsey Tramway was born, operated by The Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway Company.
  View more details for Selsey Tramway
  

  

  Exhibitions

• Out & Proud in Chichester

  01/02/2025 to 06/09/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Celebrate the history of Chichester Pride and the inspiring stories of our local LGBTQ+ community. This co-curated exhibition, created in collaboration with Chichester Pride, highlights the rich tapestry of LGBTQ+ history, resilience, and pride. Discover powerful personal stories and explore the journey of this vibrant community through a project dedicated to visibility, education, and celebration.
  View more details for Out & Proud in Chichester
  

  

  Exhibitions

• Hurrah for Shippam's

  12/07/2025 to 28/02/2026

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Step into the story of one of Chichester’s most iconic companies in this nostalgic and surprising exhibition.
  Discover quirky adverts, colourful packaging, factory memories and family-friendly interactives.
  From potted meats to pioneering marketing, explore how Shippam’s became a household name.
  Admission is free, with donations welcome.
  View more details for Hurrah for Shippam's
  

  

  Exhibitions

• Introduction to Indian Miniature Painting

  01/09/2025 to 01/09/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Spend an engaging day in this workshop learning the fundamentals of a beautiful, traditional painting genre with artist Neeta Madahar.
  
  The class is suitable for adults (16+) that are complete beginners through to those that enjoy painting details as in botanical painting. All materials and tools are provided. Attendees are asked to bring a notepad with a pen or pencil to take notes and an A4 protective envelope to take home their artwork.
  
  Indian Miniature painting is known for its intricate detail, opulent colours and rich narratives. The paintings are usually small, but majestic in their artistic expression. With precision and artistry, craft an exquisite A5-size painting on paper, guided step-by-step with demonstrations and using authentic materials from India.
  
  Tutor Biography
  
  Neeta is a professionally trained artist based in West Berkshire. She exhibits internationally and has work in numerous collections. Since 2021 she has been specializing in Indian Miniature painting. She spends 3 months each year in Jaipur, India, studying intensively with her painting master to perfect her craft.
  
  Tickets are priced at £80 per adult. All materials and tea/coffee provided. 
  
  Book tickets for Introduction to Indian Miniature Painting
  

  

  Workshops

• The Guildhall - Open Morning

  04/09/2025 to 04/09/2025

  Location: The Guildhall, Priory Park

  Come along and see inside this beautiful building! Open 10:00am - 11:30am
  
  Situated in Priory Park, The Guildhall is a Grade 1 listed building with a rich history. The Guildhall was built in the 1270s by the Franciscans and was dissolved In October 1538 by King Henry VIII. The building witnessed many dramatic events in its history including the trial of members of the Hawkhurst Gang and the trial of the poet and artist William Blake. It later served as the town hall and museum but is now mainly used for weddings and events and is rarely open to the public.
  
  Free, drop in event.
  

  

  Special Events

• Shippam's Memory Morning

  10/09/2025 to 10/09/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Free, drop in. 10.30am – 12pm. 
  
  Do you remember the sights, sounds and smells of Shippam’s?
  Join us for a friendly drop-in session where you can visit the exhibition, handle original Shippam’s objects, and share your stories of Chichester’s famous factory.
  Whether you worked there, had a family connection or just loved the taste of the pastes, we’d love to hear your memories.
  Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
  
  

  

  Special Events

• From Records to Relatives: Tracing Your Family Tree

  18/09/2025 to 18/09/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Researching your family history has never been easier. Whether you're looking to trace long-lost relatives or explore your ancestral roots, Sue Webber will guide you through the basics during this informative talk. Find out how to begin your journey into family history and how to connect with your past through archives, tools and DNA research.
  
  6pm – 7pm. Doors open at 5.15pm, when you’ll have the opportunity to view the Hurrah for Shippam’s exhibition prior to the talk.
  Tickets £8 per person. 
  Book Now
  

  

  Talks and Tours

• Shippam's Family Day (Heritage Open Day)

  20/09/2025 to 20/09/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Celebrate the story of one of Chichester’s most iconic businesses at our Shippam’s Family Day - a fun, hands-on event suitable for all ages.
  
  Children can enjoy themed craft activities inspired by the Shippam’s brand, while grown-ups can explore fascinating stories and share memories of a local company that left a lasting impression on generations.
  
  Handle real objects from the Shippam’s archive, dive into family-friendly heritage trails, and take part in memory-sharing sessions that bring the past to life. No need to book - just drop in and join the fun! 

  
  

  11am – 3pm | Free | Drop In

  
  

  

  Family Events

• Shippam's Memory Morning

  01/10/2025 to 01/10/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Free, drop in. 10.30am – 12pm.
  
  Do you remember the sights, sounds and smells of Shippam’s?
  Join us for a friendly drop-in session where you can visit the exhibition, handle original Shippam’s objects, and share your stories of Chichester’s famous factory.
  Whether you worked there, had a family connection or just loved the taste of the pastes, we’d love to hear your memories.
  Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
  

  

  Special Events

• The Guildhall - Open Morning

  02/10/2025 to 02/10/2025

  Location: The Guildhall, Priory Park

  Come along and see inside this beautiful building! Open 10:00am - 11:30am
  
  Situated in Priory Park, The Guildhall is a Grade 1 listed building with a rich history. The Guildhall was built in the 1270s by the Franciscans and was dissolved In October 1538 by King Henry VIII. The building witnessed many dramatic events in its history including the trial of members of the Hawkhurst Gang and the trial of the poet and artist William Blake. It later served as the town hall and museum but is now mainly used for weddings and events and is rarely open to the public.
  
  Free, drop in event.
  

  

  Special Events

• Curing More than Meat

  16/10/2025 to 16/10/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Discover a lesser-known side of one of Chichester’s most iconic companies. In this fascinating talk, historian Dr Laura Newman explores Shippam’s contribution to the world of food science. Drawing on rich archival sources - from inspection notebooks to journal articles - the talk examines how the company responded to food safety threats such as botulism, and how its work helped shape wider understandings of preservation and public health.
  
  Dr Laura Newman is a historian of science, medicine, museums, and education, with a particular interest in the history of the workplace. Her research explores how everyday environments have shaped ideas about health and hygiene. She is the author of Germs in the English Workplace, c.1880–1945 (Routledge, 2023).
  
  6pm – 7pm. Doors open at 5.15pm, when you’ll have the opportunity to view the Hurrah for Shippam’s exhibition prior to the talk.
  Tickets £8 per person. 
  Book Now
  

  

  Talks and Tours

• Enigma and Enchantment: The Art of Iron Age Britain

  18/10/2025 to 18/10/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  The great artistic treasures of the British Iron Age include the Battersea shield and the Desborough mirror. In the Novium Museum, you can see the intricate helmet design of the Mystery Warrior. Lines twist and weave, animal and human forms appear and disappear. This sinuous style weaves its way through the history of British art, disappearing and reappearing in new forms and materials but always referring back to its prehistoric roots. During this session we will look carefully at the early styles of Iron Age art, discovering the repeated patterns and motifs that build into complex designs.
  
  We will follow the designs of Iron Age craftspeople, redrawing their designs, or developing our own versions of their art to designing an Iron Age mirror. 
  
  Book Enigma and Enchantment: The Art of Iron Age Britain
  

  

  Talks and Tours

• Shippam's Memory Morning

  22/10/2025 to 22/10/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Free, drop in. 10.30am – 12pm.
  
  Do you remember the sights, sounds and smells of Shippam’s?
  Join us for a friendly drop-in session where you can visit the exhibition, handle original Shippam’s objects, and share your stories of Chichester’s famous factory.
  Whether you worked there, had a family connection or just loved the taste of the pastes, we’d love to hear your memories.
  Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
  

  

  Special Events

• Roman Villa – Live Like an Emperor

  25/10/2025 to 25/10/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  The Romans loved a good show, and their homes were where they did their entertaining, business deals and plots. Villas were aspirational and their owners wanted to impress their wealth and culture upon their guests. Floor and wall mosaics were so much more than pretty patterns, they demonstrated the owner’s taste and ability to choose the right designer with the latest mosaic designs. The Novium Museum’s mosaics provide examples of the local style with motifs that appear in different places.
  
  We’ll look at what makes a mosaic Roman, how mosaic design changed, and how and where the mosaics went wrong. You’ll have the opportunity to either follow a Roman mosaic pattern, or design your own, and make it with paper for an impressive result for your own home.
  
  Book Roman Villa – Live Like an Emperor
  

  

  Talks and Tours

• Make your own Jarvis Jar!

  29/10/2025 to 29/10/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Meet Jarvis - our very own Shippam’s-inspired character created especially for the Hurrah for Shippam’s exhibition! 

  Using colourful plasticine, children can design and personalise their very own mini Jarvis, taking inspiration from the iconic Shippam’s jar. Will yours have googly eyes? A bow tie? A big smile? This playful drop-in activity is perfect for younger visitors and helps bring the Shippam’s story to life through creativity and imagination.

  
  

  10.30am – 2pm | Free | Drop In

  
  

  

  Family Events

• The Guildhall - Open Morning

  06/11/2025 to 06/11/2025

  Location: The Guildhall, Priory Park

  Come along and see inside this beautiful building! Open 10:00am - 11:30am
  
  Situated in Priory Park, The Guildhall is a Grade 1 listed building with a rich history. The Guildhall was built in the 1270s by the Franciscans and was dissolved In October 1538 by King Henry VIII. The building witnessed many dramatic events in its history including the trial of members of the Hawkhurst Gang and the trial of the poet and artist William Blake. It later served as the town hall and museum but is now mainly used for weddings and events and is rarely open to the public.
  
  Free, drop in event.
  

  

  Special Events

• Shippam's Memory Morning

  12/11/2025 to 12/11/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Free, drop in. 10.30am – 12pm.
  
  Do you remember the sights, sounds and smells of Shippam’s?
  Join us for a friendly drop-in session where you can visit the exhibition, handle original Shippam’s objects, and share your stories of Chichester’s famous factory.
  Whether you worked there, had a family connection or just loved the taste of the pastes, we’d love to hear your memories.
  Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
  

  

  Special Events

• Dragons and Gold: The art of the Anglo-Saxons

  15/11/2025 to 15/11/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Anglo-Saxon art is well known through the Sutton Hoo treasures and illuminated manuscripts like the Lindisfarne Gospel. Their artwork straddles the Pre-Christian and Christian worlds, the visual and oral tradition, and the written word. This workshop explores Anglo-Saxon metal work, carving and manuscripts.
  
  Using Anglos-Saxon creations as inspiration, we will develop our own designs or try to replicate their intensity. We will work with brush, pen and ink to explore the intertwined beasts of the manuscripts.
  
  To book Dragons and Gold: The art of the Anglo-Saxons
  

  

  Talks and Tours

• Highlights from the Shippam's Advertising Archive

  20/11/2025 to 20/11/2025

  Location: The Novium Museum

  Join us for a lively and illustrated evening as Sally Jones, Shippam’s Project Officer, shares her favourite finds from the Shippam’s advertising archive.
  
  From eye-catching posters and quirky slogans to rarely seen TV stills and print adverts, this talk will explore the bold, imaginative, and sometimes bizarre, world of Shippam’s marketing. You’ll see a selection of adverts featured in Hurrah for Shippam’s, alongside never-before-seen gems from the archive.
  
  With stories behind the slogans and insights into changing tastes and trends, this relaxed talk is perfect for anyone curious about advertising, design, or the golden age of British branding.
  
  6pm – 7pm. Doors open at 5.15pm, when you’ll have the opportunity to view the Hurrah for Shippam’s exhibition prior to the talk.
  Tickets £8 per person. 
  Book Now
  

  

  Talks and Tours

• Mystery Warrior: The North Bersted Man

  'In more than thirty years of archaeology this is the most spectacular discovery that I have witnessed' - James Kenny, District Archaeologist.

  The 'Mystery Warrior' was discovered in 2008 by Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd. This was found during archaeological investigations, prior to the construction of Berkley Homes' Bersted Park.
  

  Arguably the most elaborately equipped warrior grave ever found in England, archaeologists believe he was a refugee French Gallic fighter who fled Julius Caesar's Roman Army as they swept across continental Europe around 50BC.
  

  
  View more details for Mystery Warrior - The North Bersted Man
  

  

  Exhibitions

• King Charles I Bust

  This important historical sculpture depicts King Charles I wearing a gold crown and chain of office.
  

  The unique bust, which was created by Hubert Le Sueur — an appointed sculptor to King Louis XIII of France who spent most of his career at the English court of King Charles I — was presented to the City of Chichester, West Sussex, where it was displayed in the niche of Chichester's Market Cross from the 1660s.
  

  
  View more details for King Charles I Bust
  

  

  Exhibitions

• The Racton Man

  'Racton Burial', a permanent exhibition located in the first floor gallery, delves into the history of a fascinating burial discovered in 1989, but only recently thoroughly investigated by a team of specialists. Find out about this individual's captivating story of life and death.
  View more details for The Racton Man
  

  

  Exhibitions