Talk | Battle wound treatment during the English Civil War – with Kevin Goodman
Saturday 20 June 2026, 4 – 5pm | The Commandery
“I dressed his wound and God healed it.”
Terrible wounds were inflicted upon Royalist and Parliamentarian soldiers during the English Civil War, from swords, muskets and pikes.
Medical historian Kevin Goodman will demonstrate how surgeons treated wounds before antiseptics and antibiotics were available, with the aid of surgical instruments from the period.
£10. Book your place below.
This talk is part of a commemorative programme of events for the 375th anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, 1651.
Oak Apple Day 2026
Bank Holiday Monday 25 May, 10am – 4pm | The Commandery
Oak Apple Day returns to The Commandery! 🌳
Step back in time to 1660 and celebrate the restoration of the crown on Bank Holiday Monday in a fantastic day bringing history to life in Worcester.
Oak Apple Day marks the historic moment when King Charles II returned to the throne following the English Civil War.
Where better to commemorate this historic moment than at The Commandery, the Royalist Headquarters in the final battle of the Civil War?
Delve into an exciting day of living history for all the family – there’ll be:
- Fantastic reenactors to encounter as you make your way around The Commandery
- Musket firing in the gardens
- Pike and cannon drills for children (and grown-ups!) to get hands-on with
- History talks about Oak Apple Day and the English Civil War from Worcester Reenactors and The Battle of Worcester Society
- Wonderful refreshments available at Little Al’s Kitchen at The Commandery
Enjoy fun family activities: can you find all of the beautifully decorated royal carriages around the building? Then, create your own Oak Apple mobile in the craft room (general admission + £3.50 for trail and activities).
Oak Apple Day family craft
Oak Apple Day 2026 is part of a commemorative programme of events for the 375th anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, 1651.
Plan your visit
General admission applies (+ £3.50 for the carriage trail and craft activities); free admission to those with a season or residents’ pass. Find out more.
Book day tickets to The Commandery. Advance booking is not essential, you can just turn up, pay in the shop, and get stuck in!
What is Oak Apple Day?
The Commandery is one of the only places in the UK to still celebrate Oak Apple Day, also known as Restoration Day.
This spring tradition marks the anniversary of the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 following the English Civil War – and has a special connection to the city of Worcester, the scene of the deciding battle in 1651.
Nine years after Charles II hid from Parliamentarian troops in an oak tree following the loss of his Royalist cause at the Battle of Worcester, he returned to the throne on his thirtieth birthday, 29 May 1660 – which became the annual celebration of Oak Apple Day.
Plan your visit to The Commandery and see what you can tick off the Top 10 Highlights list!
Family Trail | Royal Carriages!
Friday 22 May – Sunday 31 May 2026 (including Bank Holiday Monday 25 May) | The Commandery
Celebrate the restoration of the crown this May half-term holiday with a trail of colourful royal carriages.
Can you find all of the beautifully decorated carriages around the building? From dragons to swans, you’ll have never seen carriages quite like these!
Carry on to the craft room and make your own Oak Apple mobile to take home with you too.
There’s lots more to enjoy on Bank Holiday Monday as The Commandery celebrates Oak Apple Day – a traditional celebration marking King Charles II’s return to the throne in 1660. Find out more and plan your day out.
General admission applies to all visitors + £3.50 for the carriage trail and craft activities; free admission to those with a season or residents’ pass. Find out more.
Book day tickets to The Commandery. Advance booking is not essential, you can just turn up, pay in the shop, and get stuck in!
Bite-size Talk | Reflections
Tuesday 13 October 2026, 2 – 2.30pm | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Artist Wayne Warren, curator of Reflections, will delve deeper into the concepts behind the works in this Bite-size Talk.
The exhibition features a diverse range of artists spanning the last three centuries – including works from Worcester City’s own collection as well as high profile loans from the National Gallery. Brand-new works by Wayne Warren and Jonathon Wright have been created especially for the exhibition.
£4.95 for the talk. If you’d like to visit the exhibition too, advance booking will be available online later in 2026. The rest of Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit.
Image: Blackbirds Singing to Me Across the Severn, 2004, Kurt Jackson © the artist.
Bite-size Talk | 54321! Counting down to a Great Exhibition!
Tuesday 14 July, 2 – 2.30pm | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Bringing together this extraordinary collection of original screen-used props and puppets, faithful reproductions, original toys, memorabilia and paraphernalia dedicated to the science fiction TV shows of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson (Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Space: 1999 et al), was no mean feat.
See behind the scenes of this nostalgic exhibition and hear about some interesting local links at this talk by the exhibition’s curator.
£4.95 for the talk. This exhibition and the rest of Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum are free to visit.
Bite-size Talk | Glove Affair – Worcester’s Hand in the Global Gloving Industry
Tuesday 9 June 2026, 2 – 2.30pm | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Learn about the forthcoming Glove Affair Gallery which will showcase Worcester’s glove collection and celebrate the skills of the local people that created them.
Worcester gloves were the choice of royalty, international fashion houses, and celebrities across the globe. Hear all about what led to Worcester becoming the fashion glove capital of Britain.
£4.95 for the talk. Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit.
Bite-size Talk | Textiles Unfolded: Caring for, and curating, the costume collection
Tuesday 12 May 2026, 2 – 2.30pm | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Join the costume curator to learn about the importance of Worcestershire’s costume collection, how it is cared for and the collection’s significance to the county.
£4.95 for the talk. Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit.
Family Fun | Get Arty: Secret Gardens
Thursday 2 April and Thursday 9 April 2026, 10.30 – 11.30am | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Come and get arty in the Easter holidays at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum!
Imagine discovering a secret garden… what would you find in it?
In this fun creative session, make your very own secret garden – create the house, collage some grass and a pond, make lolly-stick fences, and make bunting to decorate it! You can even mould some clay toadstools to make your secret garden extra magical.
Get Arty is on: Thursday 2 April and Thursday 9 April, 10.30 – 11.30am.
£5.50 per child; please book via the link below. A parent or carer must stay during the session. Free entry to the Art Gallery and Museum.
You might also enjoy…
Bags of Fun | Secret Gardens, £2.50 – Saturday 28 March – Sunday 12 April (closed Mondays and bank holidays)
Family Trail | Secret Gardens, £1 – Saturday 28 March – Sunday 12 April (closed Mondays and bank holidays)
Bite-size Talk | Singer Sargent and the Broadway Colony
Tuesday 10 March 2026, 2 – 2.30pm and 2.45 – 3.15pm | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Hear more about the incredible array of artists that made up the Broadway Colony – exploring how they lived and worked together in the beautiful Cotswolds and their lasting legacy on British art.
This talk takes place twice on Tuesday 10 March:
- 2 – 2.30pm – FULLY BOOKED
- 2.45 – 3.15pm
£4.95 for the talk. If you’d like to visit the exhibition John Singer Sargent: an American in Worcestershire too, advance booking is available online.
Your Worcester: Gallery Tour
Saturdays (dates below), 11am | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Enjoy a guided tour of permanent display, Your Worcester, an exciting exhibition which opened in 2025. Find out about the city, its astonishing history and changing traditions, and what this all means to the people who live here now.
Your Worcester features favourites from the museum collection together with new objects added to the collection by the community, all with a link to Worcester’s long and rich heritage.
Covering everything from the teeth of King John to Lea & Perrins, Worcester City Football Club, and the clothes of Windrush arrivals to the city, the exhibition is designed by the community, for the community.
This tour will take you on a journey through Your Worcester – bring along your questions and see what you’ll discover!
Talk dates, spring 2026:
- Saturdays 7 and 21 March
- Saturdays 4 and 18 April
£4.50 for the talk (free entry to the Art Gallery and Museum).
Or call the telephone box office on 0333 666 3366.