Indulge in York’s Confectionery History at York Castle Museum This Easter
York Castle Museum is celebrating the region's rich sweet heritage with a packed programme of seasonal events, family activities, and sensory displays. Running alongside the city-wide chocolate festival, the museum invites visitors to dive into decades of local confectionery history.
Exploring York’s Chocolate Past and Present
At the heart of the seasonal line-up is the ongoing community exhibition, Sugar, Skill and Shiftwork: York’s Confectionery Workers. This showcase highlights the social history of iconic local brands like Rowntree’s, Terry’s, and Craven’s. Visitors can experience the sights, scents, and sounds of historic factories through immersive sensory stations and community-curated displays of classic packaging, objects, and personal memories.
To complement the exhibition, the museum is hosting hands-on Creative Families drop-in craft sessions. Visitors can also head to the York Castle Kitchen for cookery demonstrations focusing on traditional hot cross buns, featuring both Victorian and modern recipes to try.
What Else to Discover During the Easter Break
Beyond the chocolate-themed displays, visitors can explore newly extended and permanent visitor favourites across the museum's historic former prison buildings:
- The Last Stop Before Kirkgate: Following popular demand, this immersive Victorian coaching inn installation—produced in collaboration with NOVO Theatre—has been extended for an additional 18 months.
- Kirkgate and Daily Tours: Take part in daily talks along the famous recreated Victorian street and inside York Castle Prison, or pick up a Time Traveller’s Activity Trail and a new Kirkgate map to uncover hidden local tales.
- Creative Studio: Located near the Secrets of Dress exhibition, this space offers historic fabrics, hats, shoes, and Victorian gowns available to admire and sketch.
All scheduled activities are included with general admission. To plan your visit and explore other cultural highlights around the city, discover more through Musemap, check out the Museums list, or view the interactive map.
