What are the opening hours?

Monday 10:30am - 4:45pm Tuesday 10:30am - 4:45pm Wednesday 10:30am - 4:45pm Thursday 10:30am - 4:45pm Friday 10:30am - 4:45pm Saturday 10:30am - 4:45pm Sunday 10:30am - 4:45pm

Carisbrooke Castle Museum

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Carisbrooke Castle Museum

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Museum of Isle of Wight history founded by HRH Princess Beatrice in 1898.

16/10/2026

📣Zulu! by Tim Wander
🎟 Tickets: £7.50
Book now: https://ZuluCCM.eventbrite.co.uk

An invitation to join Island Historian and Author Tim Wander

Tim is just back from South Africa and researching the battles.
The evening will tell the story of the five-month war:
• The Reasons for War.

• The Disaster at Isandlwana – and the battlefield today.

• A Thin Red line - The Defence of Rorkes Drift - then and now - where 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded as 139 men stood against some 4,000 Zulu warriors - the most ever received for a single action by one regiment.

• The Weapons of the War – Tim will describe the weapons of the battle – examples of the 1853 and 1858 Pattern Enfield Ri**es and the iconic Martini Henry and Snider Enfield ri**es will be at the lecture-

• Ulundi and the Aftermath of War.
The evening will include footage from the film ‘Zulu’ starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker - just voted one of the greatest war films ever made - and the classic but often overlooked ‘Zulu Dawn.’
Tim is also joined by re-enactor and Island historian Ed Nash from Time Jump Histories – who will be in full 24th regiment uniform and will demonstrate drill and the collection of historic weapons on show – one of which fought in South Africa!

🗓️ Date & Time: Tuesday November 17th 2026 at 6 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum
🎟️ Tickets: £7.50 – Book now
https://ZuluCCM.eventbrite.co.uk

⭐ Museum Supporters attend FREE
Support from just £3/month and get:
• Free entry to talks
• Exclusive events
• Help preserve local heritage

👉 Monthly: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4GCFSCE
👉 Annual: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4FGFQXW

⏰ Gates open: 5:45–5:55 PM, talk starts promptly at 6:00 PM

📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum

15/10/2026

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉

£40,000 of funding is coming to the Island through an Arts Council National Lottery Project Grant. Carisbrooke Castle Museum have been awarded this ‘Unlocking Collections’ fund, open to museums to increase public engagement, to enable them to share their Island Voices oral history archive through contemporary theatre practice over the next year.

During the 80th anniversary of VE Day in 2025 the museum interviewed 20 Islanders about their childhood memories of the Second World War. This adds to an already significant number of local wartime voices in oral history interviews the museum holds. These wartime stories will be transformed into a live verbatim theatre performance created with young people.

The project combines heritage engagement, contemporary theatre practice and socially engaged participation to create meaningful cultural experiences. The museum will work with community and creative partners to undertake the project including StoneCrabs Theatre, a grass roots theatre company based on the Isle of Wight creating ambitious new theatre inspired by untold stories.

Lisa Kerley Project Manager at Carisbrooke Castle Museum said
“We are delighted to be able to undertake this project, which is a culmination of our work to collect and share personal memories of this period in our Island’s history. For an audience to hear the voices of our interviewees on stage, their words spoken by young people, is just so exciting. We want to make our museum and collections accessible, visible and relevant and we hope that this project does exactly that. We are incredibly grateful to our partners and funders without whom we could not undertake this work”.

Pupils from the Island Free School will be benefiting from a year long drama and history enrichment programme as part of the project. Other young people across the Island will be involved through specialised verbatim theatre workshops based on the museum’s collections.

Franko Figueiredo Artistic Director of StoneCrabs Theatre said
“We’re delighted and proud to be partnering with Carisbrooke Castle Museum on ‘VE80: Unlocking Stories on Stage’. Real people’s voices are at the heart of StoneCrabs’ work, and this project offers a wonderful opportunity for young people to explore the Island’s wartime history through the words and memories of Islanders who lived it. What excites me most is the connection between generations; listening to one another, creating together and discovering how personal memories shape our shared history. We look forward to supporting young people to develop their confidence and creativity whilst sharing these remarkable Island stories with wider audiences”

24/09/2026

📣 Myths and Legends on the Isle of Wight by Holly Medland
🎟 Tickets: £7.50
Book now: https://IOW-Myths.eventbrite.co.uk

Discover the Isle of Wight’s strange history through its stories, where fact and folklore weave seamlessly together.

Join storyteller Holly Medland for an enchanting retelling of traditional Isle of Wight folktales, featuring a colourful cast of sly smugglers, heroic hermits, and raging river spirits. After each tale, we'll dive into the real-world history, local origins, and forgotten truths lurking behind the myth.

Step into the space between fact and fiction, and decide for yourself where the truth really lies.

🗓️ Date & Time: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 7 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum
🎟️ Tickets: £7.50 – Book now
https://IOW-Myths.eventbrite.co.uk

⭐ Museum Supporters attend FREE
Support from just £3/month and get:
• Free entry to talks
• Exclusive events
• Help preserve local heritage

👉 Monthly: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4GCFSCE
👉 Annual: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4FGFQXW

⏰ Gates open: 6:45–6:55 PM, talk starts promptly at 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum

07/08/2026

📣 Heroism, Humour and the Hump by Damon Corr
🎟 Tickets: £7.50
Book now: https://CCM-IsleofWightFirefighting.eventbrite.co.uk

Join us at Carisbrooke Castle Museum for an engaging and interactive talk by local fire service historian Damon Corr, exploring the fascinating history of the Isle of Wight's firefighting services.

Beginning with the development of firefighting across Britain, Damon sets the scene before bringing the story closer to home with a series of remarkable tales from the Island's fire brigades between 1850 and 1948.

The audience helps shape the presentation by choosing which stories are told, uncovering acts of heroism, moments of humour, and the colourful characters who helped shape the Island's firefighting history.

🗓️ Date & Time: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 7 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum
🎟️ Tickets: £7.50 – Book now
https://CCM-IsleofWightFirefighting.eventbrite.co.uk

⭐ Museum Supporters attend FREE
Support from just £3/month and get:
• Free entry to talks
• Exclusive events
• Help preserve local heritage

👉 Monthly: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4GCFSCE
👉 Annual: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4FGFQXW

⏰ Gates open: 6:45–6:55 PM, talk starts promptly at 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum

01/08/2026

🏊‍♀️🏆 Celebrating one of the Isle of Wight's longest-running sporting traditions

The Sandown to Shanklin Pier-to-Pier Swim is one of the Isle of Wight's longest-running sporting traditions. Originating in 1934 by Terry Wood, the annual open-water race covers 1.8 miles across Sandown Bay, beginning beside Sandown Pier and finishing on the beach at Shanklin. Revived in the 1950s, the race celebrates its 72nd anniversary this year.

Originally, competitors swam directly between Sandown and Shanklin Piers. After Shanklin Pier was destroyed by a storm in 1987, the finish line was moved to the rowing club, where it remains today.

The Pier-to-Pier Swim forms part of the Shanklin Regatta and has been organised by a number of local groups over the years. For more than 20 years, the Isle of Wight Marlins Swim Club has organised the annual race, which now attracts over 200 swimmers each year.

To celebrate this fantastic Island tradition, we're delighted to have the historic collection of Pier-to-Pier Swim trophies and awards on display at Carisbrooke Castle Museum. Our thanks go to the Isle of Wight Marlins Swim Club for kindly loaning the collection.

If you're visiting the museum, be sure to take a look!

📸 (Image courtesy of Isle of Wight Marlins Swim Club)

30/07/2026

📣 Don't Miss Out!
📣 Quarr Abbey - Almost 900 Years by Dr Dominic Fontana FRGS FSA
🎟 Tickets: £7.50
Book now: https://CCM-QuarrAbbey.eventbrite.co.uk

Dr Dominic Fontana FGRS FSA is Chair of the Friends of Quarr and conducts tours of the Abbey and the Abbey Ruins. He has been involved with the creation of a series of exhibitions examining the history and archaeology of the Abbey. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Geographical Society. Before retiring he taught undergraduate and postgraduate students in Geography at University of Portsmouth. He has appeared in many television documentary films discussing the Mary Rose, heritage railways and the Battle of Hastings.

This well illustrated talk will consider almost 900 years of the two abbeys at Quarr – the medieval abbey founded in 1132, dissolved in 1536 and the modern Benedictine abbey built by exiled monks from France between 1907 and 1914.

🗓️ Date & Time: Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 7 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum
🎟️ Tickets: £7.50 – Book now
https://CCM-QuarrAbbey.eventbrite.co.uk

⭐ Museum Supporters attend FREE
Support from just £3/month and get:
• Free entry to talks
• Exclusive events
• Help preserve local heritage
👉 Monthly: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4GCFSCE
👉 Annual: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4FGFQXW

⏰ Gates open: 6:45–6:55 PM, talk starts promptly at 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum

23/07/2026

📣 The Isle of Wight on Film and TV by Mark Earp
⭐Free for Museum Supporters
🎟 Tickets: £7.50
Book now: https:/IOWonFilm.eventbrite.co.uk

Mark Earp returns to Carisbrooke Castle Museum after his highly regarded talk ealier this year. Mark will delve into the history of our wonderful island and its history on screen in film and television.

🗓️ Date & Time: Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 7 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum
🎟️ Tickets: £7.50 – Book now
https://IOWonFilm.eventbrite.co.uk

⭐ Museum Supporters attend FREE
Support from just £3/month and get:
• Free entry to talks
• Exclusive events
• Help preserve local heritage

👉 Monthly: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4GCFSCE
👉 Annual: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4FGFQXW

⏰ Gates open: 6:45–6:55 PM, talk starts promptly at 7:00 PM

📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum

03/07/2026

🚨Kevin Shaw returns for a special event 🚨

📣 Sir Robert Holmes The Swashbuckling, Action-Packed Life of an Intrepid Cavalier Adventurer

Somehow, against all odds, this fearless soldier-sailor survived both the Civil War and then four years at sea with Prince Rupert (fighting for the lost royalist cause) enduring both capture by hostile natives and two shipwrecks. With the Restoration came reward and controversy: as an irascible friend of King Charles II, his personal actions at sea started two wars with the then-mighty Dutch – in one of which Holmes sank 150 enemy ships in a single action. As Captain-Governor of the Isle of Wight for 24 years, he became immensely wealthy through profiteering, and made Yarmouth his main home – choosing to be interred in its church beneath his striking marble statue.

🗓️ Date & Time: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum
🎟️ Tickets: £10 – Book now
👉 https://KevinShawCCM.eventbrite.co.uk

Don't miss this fascinating evening – spaces are limited, booking is essential.
Please note: Gates open from 6:15 PM to 6:25 PM, with the talk starting promptly at 6:30 PM.
All proceeds support the work of Carisbrooke Castle Museum.

19/06/2026

📣 Early Modern Newport by Steve and Jo– Free for Museum Supporters
🎟 Tickets: £7.50
Book now: https://CCM-Restore.eventbrite.co.uk

Over the past months Steve and Jo have been researching, uncovering, and piecing together a fascinating exhibition centred around Newport’s story and heritage. It has led them down some very interesting paths, revealing details and connections that many people may never have seen before.

Join Steve and Jo from Restore the Story at Carisbrooke Castle Museum as they return to the museum for their second talk this year, where this time they willdelve into the history of early modern Newport.

Restore The Story CIC is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to uncovering, celebrating, and sharing the rich and often untold histories of the Isle of Wight. Founded and run by professional historians, researchers, and seasoned storytellers Steve and Jo, we bring the past to life through immersive tours, creative projects, and engaging exhibitions.

🗓️ Date & Time: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 7 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum
🎟️ Tickets: £7.50 – Book now
https://CCM-Restore.eventbrite.co.uk

⭐ Museum Supporters attend FREE
Support from just £3/month and get:
• Free entry to talks
• Exclusive events
• Help preserve local heritage
👉 Monthly: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4GCFSCE
👉 Annual: https://pay.gocardless.com/BRT0003V4FGFQXW

⏰ Gates open: 6:45–6:55 PM, talk starts promptly at 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Carisbrooke Castle Museum

18/06/2026

📣 Don't Miss Out!
Fundraising Talk at Carisbrooke Castle Museum

**Her Earnest Hope and Desire**
by Rosemary Cooper

🎟 Tickets: https://BeatriceFundraiser.eventbrite.co.uk
💛 Donate to the conservation project: https://gofund.me/0f8f4d585

Two historic portraits at Carisbrooke Castle Museum are in need of urgent conservation.

Join us on Wednesday 24 June for a special fundraising talk supporting the conservation of two important portraits in the museum’s collection.
These portraits depict Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry of Battenberg, key figures in the creation of Carisbrooke Castle Museum. They are now in need of conservation to ensure they can be preserved for future generations.

The talk explores their lives, their connection to Carisbrooke Castle, and Princess Beatrice’s vision that led to the founding of the museum and the safeguarding of the Isle of Wight’s heritage.

🎟 Tickets: £7.50
https://BeatriceFundraiser.eventbrite.co.uk
💛 If you cannot attend but would still like to support the project:
https://gofund.me/0f8f4d585
All proceeds from the evening will go directly towards the restoration of these portraits.
📍 Carisbrooke Castle Museum
⏰ Doors open 6:45 PM, talk starts 7:00 PM

Address

Castle Hill
Newport
PO301XY

Opening Hours

Monday	10:30am - 4:45pm
Tuesday	10:30am - 4:45pm
Wednesday	10:30am - 4:45pm
Thursday	10:30am - 4:45pm
Friday	10:30am - 4:45pm
Saturday	10:30am - 4:45pm
Sunday	10:30am - 4:45pm

Telephone

01983523112

Website

http://www.carisbrookecastlemuseum.org.uk/

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