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Summer Pop Ups

This Summer, Chester's streets and stories come to life with a season of free heritage pop-ups for the whole family.

 

From crafts and storytelling to spycraft missions and surgery-themed experiences, there's something for every curious mind throughout the school holidays. Join a tour and explore the city with kids going free — and wherever possible, we've made sure everyone can take part.

A man stands at Chester bandstand with his hands resting on the railing

Dark Chester: The Guided Family Tour

31st July

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

A storytelling stroll through Chester’s dark-tourism heritage with a professional guide. Let’s take a walk on the dark side!

A man dressed as a Roman surgeon in a red robe stands in front of a table covered in Roman surgical instruments.

Roman Surgery Experience

6th August

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Drop-In, Free, Accessible

Step back into Roman times to explore hygiene, medicine and surgery. Examine strange tools and stranger treatments in this hands-on, family-friendly event.

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

11th August

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Free, Drop-In

Climb Bonewaldesthorne's Tower to the darkened chamber and see the camera obscura in action with our Heritage Chester volunteers.

A woman stands behind a table of artefacts and children look at them

Summer Themed Object Handling and Dress Up

13th August

1:00pm - 3:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Grosvenor Museum brings summer object handling, dress-up hats & parasols, plus a Chester in the Summer poster competition!

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

16th August

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Free, Drop-In

Climb Bonewaldesthorne's Tower to the darkened chamber and see the camera obscura in action with our Heritage Chester volunteers.

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

20th August

11:00am - 1:00pm

Family Friendly, Free, Drop-In

Climb Bonewaldesthorne's Tower to the darkened chamber and see the camera obscura in action with our Heritage Chester volunteers.

A man stands in a theatrical pose with woodland in the background

Terrible Trolls: Storytelling with Jason Buck

25th August

11:30am - 12:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Join storyteller Jason Buck for tales of magical, monstrous trolls — adventure, excitement and comedy folded into stories for all the family

A man stands in a theatrical pose with woodland in the background

Fairytales with the juicy bits left in!

25th August

12:30am - 1:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Fairytales with all the juicy bits left in! Storyteller Jason Buck brings adventure, excitement and comedy for kids & families.

A man stands at Chester bandstand with his hands resting on the railing

Dark Chester: The Guided Family Tour

28th August

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

A storytelling stroll through Chester’s dark-tourism heritage with a professional guide. Let’s take a walk on the dark side!

A man stands against the walls of Chester wearing a Tudor costume

Time Travel Tour of Chester

31st July

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

Time travel across two thousand years of Chester's history with someone who was actually there!

A man stands against the walls of Chester wearing a Tudor costume

Time Travel Tour of Chester

7th August

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

Time travel across two thousand years of Chester's history with someone who was actually there!

An artist makes crafts with a young child

Chester Buildings Greetings Cards Workshop

12th August

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Join artist Clare Owens to design your own greetings cards inspired by Chester's iconic black and white buildings.

A man stands at Chester bandstand with his hands resting on the railing

Dark Chester: The Guided Family Tour

14th August

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

A storytelling stroll through Chester’s dark-tourism heritage with a professional guide. Let’s take a walk on the dark side!

A selection of silver viking brooches made by children

Craft your own Viking Brooch Workshop

18th August

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Get creative and craft your own Viking brooch using recycled materials with local artist Clare Owens — inspired by Chester's Viking heritage.

A man dressed as a Medieval surgeon in a blue robe stands in front of a table covered in Medieval surgical instruments.

Medieval Surgery Experience

20th August

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Drop-In, Free, Accessible

Enter medieval medicine, where surgeons worked without anaesthetics, using strange instruments and gruesome remedies. Hands-on, family-friendly — did someone say leeches?

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

25th August

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Free, Drop-In

Climb Bonewaldesthorne's Tower to the darkened chamber and see the camera obscura in action with our Heritage Chester volunteers.

A sketch of a man dressed as a civil war spy in an old Chester street

Spycraft Experience

27th August

11:00am - 3:00pm

Family Friendly, Drop-In, Free, Accessible

Can you be trusted with a secret? Step into Civil War Chester, crack codes and learn the concealment tricks real spies used to pass secret messages.

A man stands against the walls of Chester wearing a Tudor costume

Time Travel Tour of Chester

28th August

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

Time travel across two thousand years of Chester's history with someone who was actually there!

A selection of stained glass paper crafts made by children

Stained Glass Craft Workshop

3rd August

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Create stained glass-inspired paper crafts with artist Clare Owens, taking inspiration from Trena Cox's beautiful designs.

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

10th August

11:00am - 1:00pm

Family Friendly, Free, Drop-In

Climb Bonewaldesthorne's Tower to the darkened chamber and see the camera obscura in action with our Heritage Chester volunteers.

A sketch of a man dressed as a civil war spy in an old Chester street

Spycraft Experience

13th August

11:00am - 3:00pm

Family Friendly, Drop-In, Free, Accessible

Can you be trusted with a secret? Step into Civil War Chester, crack codes and learn the concealment tricks real spies used to pass secret messages.

A man stands against the walls of Chester wearing a Tudor costume

Time Travel Tour of Chester

14th August

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

Time travel across two thousand years of Chester's history with someone who was actually there!

A woman stands behind a table of artefacts and children look at them

Summer Themed Object Handling and Dress Up

18th August

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Grosvenor Museum brings summer object handling, dress-up hats & parasols, plus a Chester in the Summer poster competition!

A man stands against the walls of Chester wearing a Tudor costume

Time Travel Tour of Chester

21st August

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Family Friendly, Free for Children, Accessible

Time travel across two thousand years of Chester's history with someone who was actually there!

Chester Cathedral interior

Folk Tales for Grown Ups with Jason Buck

25th August

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Family Friendly, Accessible, Drop-In, Free

Award-winning storyteller Jason Buck brings to life British folk tales, with a mixture of drama and humour.

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Camera Obscura

27th August

11:00am - 1:00pm

Family Friendly, Free, Drop-In

Climb Bonewaldesthorne's Tower to the darkened chamber and see the camera obscura in action with our Heritage Chester volunteers.

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