Explore the past with us
We’re here to help you explore the fascinating and varied history and archaeology of Worcestershire. Our archives hold a wealth of information and more is continually being discovered by our archaeologists. Whatever your area of interest, we’re here to guide you to the most interesting stories and useful information.
Fancy seeing behind the scenes? Searching for a speaker? Need a hand using the archives? We run a regular programme of workshops, talks, tours, and children’s activities, as well as our annual Archaeology Day.
In addition to these events, we offer a range of talks and tours that are available to societies and group bookings.
Take a look at our events guide to see what’s coming up, and make sure you book in advance via the events section of The Hive website to secure your place.
“It was another great day-school with the usual high standard of talks on a wide range of fascinating subjects. The venue, facilities, food choices and parking couldn’t be bettered and I am looking forward to the next day already. Congratulations and thanks to all involved in providing so many highlights from the breadth, and depth(!), of our county.” Local Historian
Group Sessions & Tours
Visit us for an exclusive session with our friendly and knowledgeable team. Our practical introduction to resources is extremely useful for any groups undertaking a local research project, and the opportunity to take a peek behind-the-scenes of the Archive and Archaeology Service is not be missed.
This one-hour session provides a practical introduction to the archival resources that we hold. It’s ideal for groups undertaking, or about to undertake, research. Resources include parish records, newspapers and wills on microfilm, the local studies collection and the Historic Environment Record (a database of all known archaeology and historic buildings in the county).Groups will find out how to use these resources, as well as discover more about the various archive services we offer. Visits can be tailored to the research interests of each group (such as genealogy or local history).
£55 per group
Go behind the scenes of the Archive and Archaeology Service at The Hive, meet our conservator to learn about the work they do, handle local archaeological artefacts, and find out more about our archaeology team.The tour will also include a visit to our archive strong-rooms to see a selection of historical photographs and documents, including Shakespeare’s marriage bond, a letter sent from the Titanic, and one of our oldest documents: a Charter from King Stephen. Please note that this tour does not include the public areas on level two of The Hive.
Tours last approx. 1 hr 20 min £70 per group
Join us for a tour of both the public and behind-the-scenes areas of the Archive and Archaeology Service at The Hive in Worcester. Discover more about the archives and resources we hold in the public areas, alongside an introduction to the Historic Environment Record (HER); a database containing all known archaeology and historic buildings in the county with reports, photographs, and documents explaining their significance.If your group is from within the county, we can focus specifically on your local area. Finally, go behind the scenes to the areas not normally visited by the public with an opportunity to handle some of the finds discovered by our archaeologists and see some of our archive treasures, including Shakespeare’s marriage bond and a letter sent from the Titanic.
Tours last approx. 1 hr 45 min £80 per group
Come on this tour in and around The Hive to discover what was found during the archaeological dig and learn how the site has changed over time, from a Roman street to Civil War defences and Victorian cattle market. We’ll end the tour with a visit to our archaeological store, where you will be able to see finds from each era.
Tour last approx. 1 hr 30 min £70 per group
Talks
We are often asked by groups to talk about our historical collections or the work we do. We have developed a number of talks, designed to engage the audience in stories of Worcestershire’s past, people, and places.
Each talk is designed to last 45-50 minutes, followed by time for questions, but can be adjusted to meet the needs of each group. To enquire about our current talk list, fees and availability, please get in touch via phone or email: 01905 766352 | explorethepast@worcestershire.gov.uk
Children’s activities
Much of our work involves working with schools and young learners so we produce packs and learning resources, especially those that link to our historical collections or the work we do. We have been developing online learning resources including quizzes and game-style investigations designed to engage young people and support their school curriculum.
Can you help us solve a 1500 year old Anglo Saxon burial mystery? Put your detective skills to the test by exploring the archaeological clues for evidence of who this person was – their life, beliefs and death.