Friends of The Tank Museum Events

British Museum Exhibition “Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt” (£18)

This is the British Museum’s big annual exhibition for 22/23, celebrating 200 years of the decipherment of Egyptian Hieroglyphs, with loans from other major museums. Based on previous exhibitions, assume it’ll take 2-3 hours.

Axe & Knife Throwing (£45)

A half-day session learning to throw tomahawks, axes and throwing knives. No previous experience is necessary, and the session will be tailored to the people attending, so if you want you can concentrate on axes or whatever.

Ashmolean Museum “Labyrinth – Knossos in Myth & Reality” (£16)

This is the Ashmolean’s big annual exhibition for 22/23. It’s the first UK exhibition focusing on Crete, and includes over 100 objects which have never left Greece or Crete before. Based on previous exhibitions, assume it’ll take 2-3 hours.

Army Small Arms School (suggested donation)

A guided tour around the army’s own gun collection, which contains examples of pretty much every weapon the army has issued, tested or captured since the 1870s. Even better, it’s a working collection, not a museum, so unless something goes wrong, there will also be a handling session with some of the weapons.

Easter Jousting at the Royal Armouries (£10)

A chance to see probably the most authentic recreation of medieval jousting in the UK, as well as live demonstrations of foot combat covering a variety of periods, plus children’s events and the usual attractions of the UK’s national museum of arms & armour. (For clarity – unlike the horse archery and beach ride events, this involves watching the jousting, not taking part. We’re crazy, but not quite that crazy).

International Living History Festival (pay at the gate)

Lots of historic re-enactment groups and trade stands selling equipment for re-enactors. The festival is held at the Avoncroft museum of historic buildings in Worcestershire, which includes more than 30 historic buildings rescued from destruction and re-built on the site.

Western-style Carbine shooting (£40)

A chance to shoot full bore western style lever action carbines at an indoor range in Birmingham. The session starts on .22 semi-automatics to teach the basics, before switching to the full bore (.357 & .44) carbines. Ammunition is included; you will get around 40-50 shots, with a variety of weapons.

Candle Making Workshop (£59)

A two hour session learning to make your own scented candles with soya wax and essential oils at a scenic location in the Cotswolds. You will take away the two candles you will make during the workshop, and all materials plus tea and coffee are included. For those who like the idea but can’t do the date, we can get places on several other dates.

Stonehenge Stone Circle Special Access I (£15)

This is one of two special stone circle access trips that allows a limited number of people inside the rope barriers around the monument, and into the circle itself. We get an hour inside the circle for photography etc, and there will be a short, optional talk pointing out some features not normally visible from outside the circle. Note that this trip is in the early morning before the circle opens to the public and will allow you to visit the exhibition at the visitor centre afterwards, which the evening trip in September won’t.

Vickers Machine Gun Collection (£10)

A definite must for anyone with an interest in the Great War, this gives us an afternoon of hands-on access to a very extensive collection of… well, pretty much everything to do with these iconic weapons. The visit will include a talk and handling, as well as setting up a Vickers and firing it with blank ammunition.

Wartime Britain event at the REME museum (£8)

This includes a tour of the regular REME museum (which holds a number of specialist armoured vehicles and recovery vehicles) but also vehicles from the reserve collection, which is not normally open to the public and guest vehicles owned by private collectors. There will also be several 1940s re-enactment groups, talks etc.

Fort Cumberland (Free)

Fort Cumberland began as an eighteenth-century artillery fort, part of the chain defending the naval dockyard at Portsmouth.  It was updated and strengthened in the Victorian period and during the world wars, before finally being taken over by Historic England as storage and laboratory space. The fort is not normally open to the public, but this includes a tour of the historic fort, a tour of Historic England’s laboratories (including things like the Osteological collection) and a visit to the Gin distillery which sublets part of the site.

Horse Riding on the Beach (£120)

Exactly what it says on the tin – a two hour beach ride. Hack to the beach along quiet roads, then about 45 minutes on the beach, including a couple of long canters before hacking back to the yard. You do need to be able to ride to at least a basic level for this, though the horses are calm and well schooled. (Note – we’ll arrange the exact date for this depending on tides, once we know who wants to go and what dates work for them).

Uffington White Horse & Wayland’s Smithy (Free)

A guided walk covering the Uffington White Horse (probably iron age), Uffington Castle hill fort (definitely iron age) and Wayland’s Smithy long barrow (Neolithic). Note that this visit will involve a certain amount of walking.

Hands-on Falconry (£99)

A half-day session with a falconry school at a historic property in Northamptonshire. We will get to meet, handle and fly a variety of different birds (which ones will vary from day to day), which will actually fly to your hand. Definitely one to take the camera for! Note that this activity is weather dependent – basically, the birds don’t fly in heavy rain. Spectators are allowed, but there is an additional charge. (Note – As these are very small groups, we’ll arrange the exact date for this once we know who wants to go and what dates work for them. Note that the dates will always be a weekday).

British Museum Exhibition “Luxury & Power; Persia To Greece” (£12)

The British Museum’s next big exhibition, including significant loans from other major museums. It looks at high status objects from the Greek world and the areas around, and how they affected classical Greek politics, art and culture. Based on previous exhibitions, assume it’ll take 2-3 hours.

Western Riding Taster (£70)

A two hour session learning the basics of Western (rather than English-style) riding. No previous riding experience is necessary for this, unlike the other riding events. (Note – we’ll arrange the exact date for this once we know who wants to go and what dates work for them, with separate sessions for those who are familiar with English-style riding and for those who’ve never ridden before, allowing those with some familiarity to skip the basic stuff).

Vulcan Bomber Experience (£10)

A chance to get on board one of the most iconic British cold war aircraft. We get a walk around the aircraft with the ground crew, who will talk us through how to arm, fuel and maintain the aircraft. We will then see the aircraft being powered up from ground power, so we can see control surfaces move, open the bomb bay doors etc. Finally, we get into the cockpit for a talk from former air crew about flying the aircraft operationally.

Swimming with Horses (£170)

A two hour session at a yard in Cornwall that specialises in this. We will ride the horses to the beach, then walk them into the sea and swim them bareback. Note that you don’t get to canter on the beach etc – see the beach ride for that. You do need to be able to ride to at least a basic level for this, though the horses are calm and well schooled. You also need to be able to swim, for obvious reasons. The yard will provide wetsuits etc. (Note – we’ll arrange the exact date for this depending on tides, once we know who wants to go and what dates work for them).

Royal Artillery Collection (£10)

The Royal Artillery collection has been difficult to access since their museum in Greenwich closed. Much of the collection is in storage, but we have the chance for a “behind the scenes” view in their temporary home until their new museum is constructed, including the small object store and an exhibition of artillery through time.

Avebury, Silbury & West Kennet (Free)

A guided tour of these related Neolithic monuments in Wiltshire – the stone circle at Avebury, Silbury Hill and the Neolithic long barrow at West Kennet. Note that this visit will involve a certain amount of walking, and that we may cut it short and skip West Kennet if the weather is bad (probably by being too hot, given the date).

Horse Archery Day (£185)

It starts with a short ground session teaching the special horse archer’s draw before mounting up and learning to apply the knowledge on horseback. Note that being able to ride to at least a basic level is a requirement for this session, though at beginner level the targets are in a straight line, and the horses are well trained to run straight.  (Note – we’ll arrange the exact date for this depending on tides, once we know who wants to go and what dates work for them).

Georgian Folly and Cold War Folly (£12)

This visit really covers the highs and lows – we visit Broadway Tower, an 18th Century folly built on one of the highest points in the Cotswolds with magnificent views, then we go underground into a nuclear bunker built for the Royal Observer Corps during the cold war as part of the network which would have monitored a nuclear attack on the UK. Note that the ROC bunker is quite small, and (due to being underground) accessed by a ladder, though you can skip that and just do the tower and the above-ground exhibition.

Indoor Skydiving (£80)

This basically uses a wind tunnel standing on its end, with fans powerful enough to suspend you in the air as if you are flying.  You start by learning to hold a stable position, then you will be shown how to manoeuvre yourself within the air column and even do aerobatic manoeuvres. The package includes 4 sessions in the tube, each roughly as long as a free-fall from 18,000 feet.

Fort Nelson (Parking charge only)

Fort Nelson is one of the Victorian forts built to protect the vital Portsmouth dockyards from the landward side, and now holds the artillery collections of the Royal Armouries – everything from medieval cannon to railway guns. The event includes tours of both the fort and the collection.

Vintage Bus to Imber Restricted Village (Pay on day)

In 1943, the village of Imber was requisitioned for military training. The civilian population was never able to return after the war, and the village continued to be used for urban combat training. As it is in the middle of a restricted military area, it is not normally accessible except for one day a year, when a special service runs trips out to it in vintage red routemaster double decker buses.

Cobbaton Combat Collection (£9)

Essentially a hobby that got drastically out of hand until it now takes up several aircraft hangars, this is a large collection of military vehicles, artillery and other military equipment.

Falconry – Hawks and Owls (£70)

A half day hands on session with a number of birds, focused mainly on a variety of owls and Harris Hawks. Spectators are allowed, but there is an additional charge. Definitely one to take the camera for! Note that this activity is weather dependent – basically, the birds don’t fly in heavy rain. Spectators are allowed, but there is an additional charge. (Note – As these are very small groups, we’ll arrange the exact date for this once we know who wants to go and what dates work for them. Note that the dates will always be a weekday).

Wells Cathedral – Chained libraries & mad attics (£20)

A guided tour of one of the last medieval chained libraries in the morning, then a guided tour of normally inaccessible “behind the scenes” areas of the cathedral, including the roof spaces to see surviving medieval mason’s drafting floors and the singing gallery. You also have the opportunity to see the cathedral itself, and Vicar’s Close, dating from the 14th century and the oldest inhabited street in Europe still with its original buildings largely intact.

Axe & Knife Throwing (£45)

A half-day session learning to throw tomahawks, axes and throwing knives. No previous experience is necessary, and the session will be tailored to the people attending, so if you want you can concentrate on axes or whatever.

Tank Driving Day (£250)

You get to drive four different military vehicles – a Chieftain tank, Abbott self-propelled gun, Stormer load carrier and FV432 APC. No prior experience necessary.

Stonehenge Stone Circle Special Access II (£15)

This is the second of two special stone circle access trip that allows a limited number of people inside the rope barriers around the monument, and into the circle itself. We get an hour inside the circle for photography etc, and there will be a short, optional talk pointing out some features not normally visible from outside the circle. Note that this trip is in the early evening after the circle is closed to the public, which may work better for people coming a long way, but means you won’t be able to visit the exhibition at the visitor centre afterwards as you can with the April trip.

Vickers Machine Gun Collection (£10)

A definite must for anyone with an interest in the Great War, this gives us an afternoon of hands-on access to a very extensive collection of… well, pretty much everything to do with these iconic weapons. The visit will include a talk and handling, as well as setting up a Vickers and firing it with blank ammunition.

Army Small Arms School (suggested donation)

A guided tour around the army’s own gun collection, which contains examples of pretty much every weapon the army has issued, tested or captured since the 1870s. Even better, it’s a working collection, not a museum, so unless something goes wrong, there will also be a handling session with some of the weapons.

Escape Room (£25)

Can your team use their analytical and deductive skills to escape from the locked room before the time limit elapses? Note that there are multiple escape room set ups at the site, so you can pick the game that most appeals to you.

Defence Academy Shrivenham (suggested donation)

This includes guided tours of the artillery hall and the armoured vehicle hall at the defence academy, which contain excellent representative collections of British and foreign equipment.

Shrewsbury Flax Mill (£7.50)

Shrewsbury Flax Mill was the first iron framed building in the world when it opened in 1797, effectively the first modern building and the grand-parent of the skyscraper. Its restoration was a massive project for Historic England, and it re-opened last year for tours and an exhibition.

Tudor Cookery (£80)

A day learning to recreate a variety of historic recipes with a historic food expert, including food you can take home with you.

Saxon & Viking Cookery (£80)

A day learning to recreate a variety of historic recipes with a historic food expert, including food you can take home with you.

Basket Weaving (£80)

A day learning the basics of basket weaving, including an example you can take home with you.