• Christmas opening hours
• February half-term activities
• Adult talks and workshops for January and February 2023

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We would like to wish all our visitors a very merry Christmas and a happy new year from all our staff at our venues. We look forward to seeing you in 2023!

Christmas opening hours

• SeaCity Museum will be closed from 24 to 26 December, and closed again on 1 January 2023
• Southampton City Art Gallery will be closed from 24 December to 1 January (Inclusive), reopening Monday 2 January 2023
• Tudor House and Garden will be closed from 24 December to 1 January (Inclusive), reopening Monday 2 January 2023

February half-term activities

For all you early birds out there - Our February half-term activities are ready to be booked! Find out what's on below and follow the WeGotTickets link to your chosen activities. 

Don't forget to pickup your Family Culture Club card from one of our venues and get a seventh activity FREE with your stamped card. Find out more here

Monday 13 February -

• Kids all-day Culture Club (6-12yrs) - STAND & DELIVER - HIGHWAYMEN AND SMUGGLERS! / 9am-4.30pm (drop off from 8.45am) / SeaCity Museum / £35 per day (£60 per week). Create your own wanted poster, make a highwayman mask and hat and a smuggling loot bag! Find out more
• Art for All: Buildings with Clay (5yrs+) / 10am, 12.30, 2.30pm / Art Gallery / £7.50. Choose one of Southampton’s landmarks, a place you have visited, or maybe even somewhere from your imagination to sculpt as a clay tile. Find out more

Tuesday 14 February -

• Kids all-day Culture Club (6-12yrs) - LET’S POTTER!  / 9am-4.30pm (drop off from 8.45am) / SeaCity Museum / £35 per day (£60 per week). A magical day of making. Wands, spells, creatures, you name it, we’ll be conjuring it up. Find out more
• Vicious Vikings Clay Longships (6yrs+) / 10.30am, 1pm / Tudor House / £8. Travel back to the time of Viking raiders, discover stories of battles and glory and create your very own piratical longboat from clay. Find out more

Wednesday 15 February -

• Jellyfish Sculptures (5yrs+) / 10am, 1pm, 3.15pm SeaCity / £8. Super fun and imaginative sculpture workshop creating stunning jellyfish sculptures from recycled materials. Find out more
• Knight School (6yrs+) / 10.30am, 1pm Tudor House / £8. Become a knight in this history and craft family workshop! Create your own heraldic emblem, have a go at archery (weather permitting) and dive into medieval times! Find out more
• Art School (10-16yrs+) - Paint, paint, paint! (and some drawing too...) / City Art Gallery / £25 per day or £70 for all three sessions. For those who love being creative and learning fantastic new artistic techniques. Led by our expert team you will explore art, have fun and make some fabulous works of art! Find out more

Thursday 16 February -

• Under the Sea: Wax Resist Watercolours (5yrs+) / 10am, 12.30, 2.30pm Art Gallery / £7.50. Use wax resist techniques to draw scenes beneath the waves and bring them to life with watercolour paints. Which sea creature will you paint? Find out more
• Art School (10-16yrs+) - The Sculpture Zone / City Art Gallery / £25 per day or £70 for all three sessions. For those who love being creative and learning fantastic new artistic techniques. Led by our expert team you will explore art, have fun and make some fabulous works of art! Find out more

Friday 17 February -

• Art School (10-16yrs+) - The Illustration Imaginarium / City Art Gallery / £25 per day or £70 for all three sessions. For those who love being creative and learning fantastic new artistic techniques. Led by our expert team you will explore art, have fun and make some fabulous works of art! Find out more

Adult talks and workshops for January and February 2023

Life Drawing with Brian Reynolds: New Dates for 2023 | Starting 5 January | 11am | Southampton City Art Gallery | £40

Work at your own pace with individual feedback and tuition on hand as required from tutor Brian Reynolds in these relaxed and friendly sessions.

You are very welcome to bring your own drawing materials, although we will supply the basics. The day will run 11am - 4pm with a lunchbreak. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch and tea and coffee are provided. Book here

Thinking Thursdays: Tudor House Inside and Out Guided Tour | 5 January | 10.45am | Tudor House and Garden | £8

Join Andy Skinner, Tudor House's learning officer, for an in-depth explore of what is sometimes described as 'Southampton's most important historic building'. Investigate the architecture and stories of the house from its incredible Norman dwelling, King John's Palace, to the fascinating post-medieval graffiti, to the mysterious cellars beneath the house. Book here

Linocut Day with Katherine Anteney | Saturday 11 January | 10am | Southampton City Art Gallery | £75

Join Linocut artist Katherine Anteney for this one day workshop learning all about the basics of linocutting. During the day you will learn how to plan your image and cut your block with lots of hints and tips along the way to make your cut successful. You will end up with your own mini edition of prints to frame or give as a gift.

All materials included. Suitable for beginners and improvers alike. Book here

Simon Hitchens in conversation with Tim Craven | 9 February | 1.30pm | Southampton City Art Gallery | £6

Join artist Simon Hitchens in conversation with Tim Craven as he explores both his work and the exhibition The Hitchens Family: A Shared Love of Landscape, which features work from four generations of artists: Alfred, Ivon, John and Simon Hitchens.

The talk will last around 45 minutes with time for questions and an opportunity to visit the exhibition afterwards before we close at 3pm. Book here

Hitchens inspired landscapes workshop | 25 February | 11am | Southampton City Art Gallery | £37

Get into the festive mood in the atmospheric setting of Tudor House as you create stunning hand-painted candles. Use acrylic paints to add designs, repeat patterns or personalised motifs to plain candles - perfect for your Christmas table, or as a thoughtful gift. Book here