After-dark Tours at The Commandery 2026
After-dark Tours at The Commandery 2026
Various dates and times in October | The Commandery
After-dark tours are back at The Commandery for 2026!
Explore one of the oldest buildings in Worcester by torchlight this October…
The Commandery is once again opening its gates on autumn nights for you to discover its ghostly secrets.
Hear about strange sightings and mysterious rumours as you uncover the history of the building in a guided tour with a Halloween twist.
Keep your eyes peeled and make up your own mind about the paranormal activities said to have taken place over the years – if you’re brave enough!
| DATES | TOUR TIMES | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 13 October | 6.30pm | 8pm | |
| Thursday 15 October | 6.30pm | 8pm | |
| Tuesday 20 October | 6.30pm | 8pm | |
| Thursday 22 October | 6.30pm | 8pm | |
| Tuesday 27 October | 6.30pm | 8pm | |
| Thursday 29 October | 6.30pm | 8pm |
Tours take approximately 1 hour and are for ages 14+.
£16.50 per person; please book via the link below.
Top tips
You may wish to check out the nightlife on the historic Friar Street in Worcester, a short way from The Commandery, before or after your tour. The restaurants and bars in beautiful timber buildings will set the tone perfectly.
Please arrive 10 minutes before your tour – bring along a torch if you have one!
Access requirements
Please get in touch if you have any access requirements by calling 01905 361821 or emailing commandery@museumsworcestershire.org.uk.
When it is necessary for a visitor to be accompanied by a carer we will give free admission to the carer – this can be booked on Ticketsource with general tour admission.
Tree Fusion | Fused Glass Christmas Tree Decorations with Suzanne Bunce
Saturday 17 October, 10.30am – 1.30pm | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
With Christmas on the doorstep, join Worcester-based glass artist Suzanne Bunce for a wonderful festive workshop.
Create your own unique festive fused-glass Christmas tree decoration. Try your hand at a new craft and learn the basic techniques involved to produce a stunning addition to your Christmas trimmings.
This is a fun and inspirational workshop for all abilities and you don’t need to be artistic, just enthusiastic! You will be able to make up to two Christmas trees with wooden stands and LED lights.
This workshop is run by artist Suzanne Bunce.
All materials will be provided, as well as refreshments throughout the morning.
Please note: Please wear close-toed shoes for the workshop. Your glass will not be available to take away on the day. It will be fired and be available for you to collect from the Art Gallery and Museum within 2 weeks.
£55 per person. Please book below:
Pikelets: Tots Through Time (early years sessions)
Wednesdays in term time, 10.15 – 11.45am | The Commandery
Pikelets: Tots Through Time is The Commandery’s first early years programme designed to encourage little ones to explore, play and learn.
Each week, the session will take place in a new area of the museum and gardens, with the activities tailored to the space. Be a shape detective in the Great Hall, join in a tea party in the Georgian rooms, take part in sensory scavenger hunts in the beautiful walled gardens and much more. 🌻
Pikelets: Tots Through Time has been carefully designed for crawlers to pre-school children, with fun activities each week to help develop fine motor skills, counting, play-based learning and creative thinking – all within The Commandery’s unique museum setting.
“We’ve really enjoyed the sessions we’ve been to, the activities are always really well thought out.”
– Pikelets attendee, January 2026.
Sessions end with drink, biscuit and a story.
Facilities include a baby change, lift access, and onsite café Little Al’s at The Commandery, all in a convenient city centre location (WR1 2HU) with parking nearby. Pikelets takes place in term time only, so there is no session in the school holidays.
£5 per child (£2.50 per additional sibling).
If you wish to visit the museum after the session, you can enjoy a 50% discount on day admission (£4.50 for adult day ticket instead of £9).
Or call the telephone box office on 0333 666 3366.
Talk | English Civil War fiction – with author Charles Cordell
Sunday 30 August 2026, 1 – 2pm | The Commandery
Author Charles Cordell will be talking about writing historical fiction and Divided Kingdom book #2 – The Keys of Hell and Death. He will describe his journey from ‘Army to Author’ and writing historical fiction set within the English Civil War. The talk will discuss how and why 17th Century historical fiction can feel so relevant today. Q&A and a book signing will follow the talk.
Charles Cordell is the author of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom. His writing has received media praise and editorial reviews, including in The Times. His novels have been endorsed by the likes of Ben Kane (bestselling author), David Gilman (award winning author), Professor Ronald Hutton CBE (TV historian) and others.
£10. Book your place below. If you’d like to look around The Commandery, you can get half-price general admission from the shop on the day of the workshop.
This talk is part of a commemorative programme of events for the 375th anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, 1651.
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.
Bite-size Talk | Treasure
Tuesday 14 April 2026, 2 – 2.30pm | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Learn about the stunning treasure items in the collections of Museums Worcestershire as the museum plans towards a major new exhibition in 2027.
£4.95 for the talk. Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit.
The 2026 Worcester 100 Open Call Exhibition
The Artery Studios, Arch 28 Croft Walk, WR1 3BD
Free Entry
The Worcester 100 Open Call Exhibition is now open at the Artery Studios featuring 100 works by 100 local artists.
Visitors can expect a lively, varied display of contemporary work, from painting and printmaking to photography, sculpture, ceramics & textiles. Visitor entry is free, with voluntary donations supporting the Worcester 100 Youth version of the exhibition taking place in November.
Exhibition Opening Times
- Saturday 14 March: 11am – 6pm
- Sunday 15 March: 11am – 4pm
- Wednesday 18 March: 11am – 5pm
- Thursday 19 March: 11am – 5pm
- Friday 20 March: 11am – 6pm
- Saturday 21 March: 11am – 6pm
Family | Roar-some Bags of Fun
Saturday 14 February – Sunday 22 February 2026 (closed Mondays) | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Have roar-some fun at the Art Gallery and Museum this February!🦕
Pick up an activity bag and get creative in the Activity Space during the school holiday. Here’s what you’ll be able to get up to:
➡️Make a pop-up dinosaur in its very own paper-plate egg
➡️Create your own dinosaur matching game
➡️Make your own mini palaeontologist notebook
The Art Gallery and Museum is fully equipped for young creatives to get going on their making. Each activity bag has multiple themed activities inside along with colouring and puzzle sheets.
£2.50, purchase your activity bags from the Art Gallery and Museum shop.
Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm, and Sunday 10am – 3pm.
Free entry to the Art Gallery and Museum (closed Mondays). Plan your visit.
More dino fun in February:
Get Arty: Roar-some Makes – Saturday 14, Wednesday 18, Friday 20 February, 10.30 – 11.30am. Find out more.
Family Trail | Egg-splorers: Dino Discovery Trail – Saturday 14 February – Sunday 22 February 2026 (closed Mondays), £1. Find out more.
Living History 2026
All day, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 February 2026 | The Commandery
Come face to face with the past at The Commandery’s biggest weekend of the year! ⚔️
Explore living history encampments and watch marvellous military displays at Worcester’s historic Commandery.
The site will be alive with performances by musicians and dancers, and you can learn about traditional crafts too.
Encounter reenactors throughout the beautiful Grade-1 listed building and gardens, where they’ll be demonstrating and displaying historical weaponry.
A full schedule will be available before the event.
Living History 2026 is organised in partnership with The Worcester Re-enactors.
Plan your visit
Opening hours
- Saturday 21 February, 10am – 5pm (last entry 4pm)
- Sunday 22 February, 10am – 4pm (last entry 3pm)
Admission
Usual admission applies; free admission to those with a season or residents’ pass. Find out more.
Advance booking is not essential, you can just turn up, pay in the shop, and enjoy!
While you’re here…
See how many things you can tick off The Commandery’s top 10 highlights list!
The High Dosage Tour of Steward’s Chemist Shop
First Friday of the month, 11 – 11.30am | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Step inside the fantastic Steward’s Chemist Shop at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum and discover its history…
Take the High Dosage tour – with the chance to see items that are not usually on display – in the hidden realm behind the Dispensing Screen.🧪
What secrets does the Victorian Chemist’s Shop hold? Come and find out!
The display was set up after the closure of Steward’s Chemist Shop at 27 High Street, when the entire shop along with the fixtures and fittings were purchased in 1974 and transported to the museum to be redisplayed.
£4.50 for the talk; book now! Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit.
Please note that in April, the chemist shop will be open on Friday 10 April (the Art Gallery and Museum is closed on Friday 3 April due to Good Friday).