Talks, Tours & Events for Adults
How to ... Understand Medals
Thurs 23 May
Please note this talk has been cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Join us for a practical introduction to identifying and caring for your medals with the curator from the Lancashire Infantry Museum.
What time? 2-4pm
Cost? £2
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, please call 01772 905414 to book your place
The Harris - An Architectural Gem!
Sat 25 May
Find out more about the fascinating architecture and history of the striking Grade 1 listed Harris building which houses our fabulous collections.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in.
Stitches in Time curator tour
Wed 29 May
Join our Decorative Art Curator for a tour of the quilting and patchwork exhibition, Stitches in Time.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Stitches for a Sampler workshop
Friday 31 May
A practical workshop led by the Preston Embroiderers' Guild. Learn stitches used for samplers and get advice on fabric, threads, and simple layout techniques.
What time? 10am-12pm
Cost? £4
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 to book your place
Tour: What Makes Preston Special?
Sat 1 June
Join us for a free tour of our new history gallery, Discover Preston, and find out what makes our city unique and innovative.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Discover Preston lecture
Wed 5 June
Preston Then & Now
Author John Garlington explores the photographs of bygone Preston that inspired his latest book.
What time? 6pm
Cost? £3 (£2 for Friends of the Harris)
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 to book your place
Workplace Exhibition Tour
Thurs 6 June
Join us for a tour of the new contemporary film exhibition,
Workplace: 6 films about life in the modern workplace.
What time? 12.30-1pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Egyptian Balcony Tour
Sat 8 June
Your chance to travel to the top of the building and see the impressive murals that adorn the Egyptian balcony and find out about how they ended up in the Harris!
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? £1/50p concessions
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 or book your place at the museum shop.
Suitable for? Ages 10+
Discover Preston talk: The Civil War Sampler & the Families of Elston and Brockholes
Wed 12 June
Join Trevor Kirkham for a glimpse into the story behind the Civil War sampler.
What time? 2-2.45pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Fine Art Gallery tour
Thurs 13 June
Do something different in your lunch break and drop into the Harris for one of our free lunchtime tours!
Enjoy a guided tour of the fine art galleries. The theme for today's tour is 20th Century Paintings.
What time? 1-1.40pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Stitches for a Sampler workshop
Sat 15 June
A practical workshop led by the Preston Embroiderers' Guild. Learn stitches used for samplers and get advice on fabric, threads, and simple layout techniques.
What time? 10am-12pm
Cost? £4
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 to book your place
Workplace Curator Talk
Tues 18 June
Join exhibition curator, Fiona Venables from the Mead Gallery for a tour and discussion of the new contemporary film exhibition, Workplace: 6 films about life in the modern workplace.
What time? 3-4pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Scent Bottle tour
Wed 19 June
Take a closer look at the novelty scent bottles in Mrs French's Collection.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in.
Talk: Quilting in Focus
Thurs 20 June
Come along to study some examples of quilting close up and to talk about different quilting techniques.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Tour: What Makes Preston Special?
Wed 26 June
Join us for a free tour of our new history gallery, Discover Preston, and find out what makes our city unique and innovative.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
The Harris - An Architectural Gem!
Thurs 27 June
Find out more about the fascinating architecture and history of the striking Grade 1 listed Harris building which houses our fabulous collections.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in.
Stitches in Time AD Tour
Fri 28 June
Join us for a tour of the quilting and patchwork exhibition, Stitches in Time. The tour features Audio Description to make the tour more enjoyable for visually-impaired visitors, however all are welcome! There will also be opportunitities to handle some objects.
What time? 2-3pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Workplace Exhibition Tour in BSL
Sat 29 June
Join us for a tour of the contemporary film exhibition,
Workplace: 6 films about life in the modern workplace
delivered in British Sign Language and supported by a Lip Speaker. Everybody welcome!
What time? 1-2pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Fine Art Gallery tour
Sat 6 July
Do something different in your lunch break and drop into the Harris for one of our free lunchtime tours!
Enjoy a guided tour of the fine art galleries. The theme for today's tour is: With a little help from the Friends - works purchased and conserved with support from the Friends of the Harris.
What time? 1-1.40pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Discover Preston talk: Horrockses Mill Model
Wed 10 July
The popular Horrockses Mill model is 100 years old! Join us for a talk about the history of the model and famous mill it recreates.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Discover Preston lecture
Wed 10 July
A Right Royal Performance - the King's tour of Lancashire in 1913
Harris curator of History, Emma Heslewood, explores the background and events of the 1913 Royal tour - from celebration to controversy!
North West Film Archive will also be holding special screenings in Preston during the summer of films from the Royal tour.
Visit the North West Film Archive website for more details.
What time? 6pm
Cost? £3 (£2 for Friends of the Harris)
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 to book your place
Tour: What Makes Preston Special?
Sat 13 July
Join us for a free tour of our new history gallery, Discover Preston, and find out what makes our city unique and innovative.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Egyptian Balcony Tour
Tues 16 July
Your chance to travel to the top of the building and see the impressive murals that adorn the Egyptian balcony and find out about how they ended up in the Harris!
Theme of today's tour: Goddesses and Queens of Ancient Egypt
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? £1/50p concessions
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 or book your place at the museum shop.
Suitable for? Ages 10+
Celebrating Preston Women in Stitch
Tues 23 July
Find out more about celebrated Preston women – such as suffragette Edith Rigby and the Dick, Kerr Ladies Football Team – and how they have been represented in stitch.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Tour: What Makes Preston Special?
Wed 24 July
Join us for a free tour of our new history gallery, Discover Preston, and find out what makes our city unique and innovative.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
'Virtual' Egyptian Balcony tour
Sat 3 August
Enjoy a virtual tour without having the climb the stairs to the 3rd floor and let our volunteers bring the Egyptian Balcony to you in the Discovery Room!
What time? 1-2pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Tour: What Makes Preston Special?
Sat 10 Aug
Join us for a free tour of our new history gallery, Discover Preston, and find out what makes our city unique and innovative.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Fine Art Gallery tour
Thurs 15 August
Do something different in your lunch break and drop into the Harris for one of our free lunchtime tours!
Enjoy a guided tour of the fine art galleries. The theme for today's tour is: Victorian Paintings.
What time? 1-1.40pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Archaeological Finds Day
Mon 19 August
Bring in your archaeological finds for identification and handle some artefacts.
What time? 1-4pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in.
Scent Bottle tour
Sat 24 August
Find out more about Mrs French, scent bottle collector extraordinaire, and some of the 2,700 bottles she collected!
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in.
Egyptian Balcony Tour
Sat 31 August
Your chance to travel to the top of the building and see the impressive murals that adorn the Egyptian balcony and find out about how they ended up in the Harris!
Theme of today's tour: Goddesses and Queens of Ancient Egypt
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? £1/50p concessions
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 or book your place at the museum shop.
Suitable for? Ages 10+
Discover Preston lecture
Wed 4 Sept
Spinning a Golden Yarn: The Former Stephen Simpson Gold Thread Works, Preston
Historian, Linda Barton explores the former Simpson's Gold Thread Works in Preston, and the genius of the Simpson family and their embroiderers.
What time? 6pm
Cost? £3 (£2 for Friends of the Harris)
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, call 01772 905414 to book your place
Tour: What Makes Preston Special?
Sat 7 Sept
Join us for a free tour of our new history gallery, Discover Preston, and find out what makes our city unique and innovative.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Celebrating Preston Women in Stitch
Sat 7 September
Find out more about celebrated Preston women – such as suffragette Edith Rigby and the Dick, Kerr Ladies Football Team – and how they have been represented in stitch.
What time? 2-2.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
Discover Preston: The Poulton Elk
Wed 11 Sept
Find out more about the fascinating story behind the find of one of the Harris' star attractions - the Poulton Elk, and how it provided evidence of the first human settlers in the area.
What time? 1-1.30pm
Cost? Free
Do I need to book in advance? No, just drop in
