One Chippenham

Creative Writing Workshops: 16-18 Year Olds
2026-01-15 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-01-22 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-01-29 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-02-05 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-02-12 16:30 - 18:00 (Europe/London) | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
Join us as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of local antiquarian and famous biographer, John Aubrey. Open to young people aged 16-18, these free workshops offer the chance to develop your writing skills and see your work in print.
Aubrey was an archaeologist, scientist, and historian who, from a young age, collected stories and local legends from people across Wiltshire. He used these to create a series of mini-biographies collectively known as Brief Lives.
Inspired by Aubrey’s work, participants will use the museum’s collection of portraits, taken by local photographers in the 1900s, as creative prompts to write their own ‘brief life’ for these anonymous figures.
An experienced writer will lead the workshops, helping young people develop their skills and explore new writing forms and genres, including:
Poetry and lyric writing
Dramatic monologues and short scripts
Short stories and flash fiction
The project is supported by the Friends of Chippenham Museum and will conclude with a special celebration of the work produced, including a printed publication.
These workshops are free, but spaces are limited, so booking is essential. Please contact the museum to reserve your place.

Find out more about the Chippenham – Our History project on this website here.

February Half Term Activities
2026-02-17 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-18 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-19 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-20 10:00 - 16:00 | REME Museum, Calne Road, MOD Lyneham, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 4XX, United Kingdom
STEM activities for all ages to get stuck into at the REME Museum.
LEGO® Engineering Workshops – Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 February
Pre-bookable sessions, Education Suite
Unleash your inner engineer and build a vehicle from LEGO® that will actually drive! Led by our Education Officer, Andrew, these sessions are limited in capacity to allow for suitable supervision, please book your space in advance to avoid disappointment. Recommended for ages 7 and above.
‘Build a Tank’ Junk Modelling – Thursday 19 February
Self-led, Education Creative Area
Come and create your own special REME-inspired vehicle to take away with you! Get creative and see what you can make from recycled materials. The only limit is your imagination!
Magnus Flyers Workshops – Friday 20 February
Drop-in sessions, Education Suite
Discover the phenomenon known as the ‘Magnus Effect’ as we teach you how to turn plastic cups into a gliding object flying through the air!
Miniature Assault Course – every day Tuesday – Friday, 10.00 – 15.00 (weather permitting)
Take on our miniature army-style assault course! Supervised by serving soldiers, will your young explorers make it to the top of the leaderboard?
All activities included in entry fee, general entry applies (see details on our website).

Lady Chatterley’s Cover: The Book Designs of Stephen Russ
2026-03-07 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-09 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-10 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-11 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-12 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-13 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-14 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-16 10:00 - 16:00 and 12 more dates | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
The post-war book designs of artist and teacher, Stephen Russ, are coming to life at Chippenham Museum.
From the forties to the seventies, Russ produced dozens of dust jackets, from striking first editions of Graham Greene at Bodley Head to a wide range of titles at Collins, including nature books and the famous Collins Crime Club.
He is perhaps best known for his work with Penguin, designing covers for the main orange series, the lesser-known music scores, and the highly collectible Penguin Poets series. His phoenix motif for DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover became famous during the 1960 obscenity trial and featured in the marketing that helped make the book a bestseller.
The exhibition also celebrates Russ’s thirty-year career as a tutor at the renowned Bath Academy of Art in Corsham, brought together with the generous support of the Russ family and loans from the Penguin Archive and the University of Bristol.

Collection Conversations: John L Harris and Genevieve Sioka
2026-03-14 14:00 - 15:30 | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
In March’s installment of our free art talk series, we will be joined by John L Harris and Genevieve Sioka.
John L Harris graduated in graphic design at Ravensbourne College of Art in 1966. In the following years he worked as a graphic designer, film producer, illustrator and painter in watercolour, acrylics and oils. Having moved to the Wiltshire countryside near Calne 40 years ago he has developed a deep relationship with the Wiltshire landscape and wildlife.
Genevieve Sioka studied printed textiles at Winchester School of Art, followed by printmaking at the University of the West of England. Growing up in Cherhill, Wiltshire, Sioka worked in the creative industries and lectured in fashion, textiles and printmaking, before returning to the local area. Sioka works predominantly in painting and printmaking, exploring layers of colour and texture in an energetic and expressive abstract form.
Free, booking essential
Image captions:
Left Image: Holding on, undated, John L Harris, acrylic on canvas
Right Image: Lockdown, 2020, Genevieve Sioka, acrylic on canvas
