Windsor Guildhall Museum

21/10/2026

Behind the scenes at Windsor Guildhall Museum 🎨

Presented to the Borough by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1852, this full-length portrait of Prince Albert was painted by William Corden the Elder after the celebrated original by Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

Caring for and preserving works of art is an important part of looking after the Civic Collection. From careful assessment to specialist conservation techniques, ensuring the long-term preservation of historic paintings requires expertise, precision and teamwork.

This reel offers a glimpse behind the scenes, showcasing the specialist work involved in caring for one of the Guildhall's treasured artworks and helping to preserve it for future generations.

Friends of the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum MyRoyalBorough Visit Windsor

16/10/2026

This week our staff and volunteers had a wonderful visit to Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

We were given a fascinating tour of the building and its history by one of their volunteers, Peter. We were truly fortunate to have had such an engaging and knowledgeable speaker to host us.

Thank you to the Friends of Windsor Museum who kindly organised and sponsored the visit. Our thanks also go to the staff at Cumberland lodge for making the tour possible.

Friends of the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum The Windsor Guildhall

14/10/2026

Lovely historical fact The Windsor Guildhall thank you for sharing 🙌🏻

We would like to use this opportunity to inform our visitors that the museum will be closed during the State Visit procession on Tuesday 20 October 2026, however we will open as soon as the road closures have been lifted so please do pop in during the afternoon to learn more about the royal connections our iconic building.

🏛️ Did you know?

During a State Visit to Windsor, the ceremonial banners displayed outside Windsor Guildhall represent the civic welcome of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead.

While the Union Flag and the visiting nation's flag mark the royal and diplomatic occasion, these distinctive banners showcase the borough's coat of arms, featuring the horse and swan that symbolise our local heritage and community.

It's a small detail with a big story, connecting Windsor's historic Guildhall, its role as a venue for civic occasions, weddings and events, and the rich history preserved in the Guildhall Museum.

Next time you walk past, take a closer look at these proud symbols of Windsor's civic identity.

📍 Windsor Guildhall & Windsor Guildhall Museum

06/10/2026

You can buy in person tickets for Festivo 2026 today and tomorrow during our opening hours at the museum. Why not linger a little longer and look around the museum? You can see some lovely local history, dress up as a Councillor, buy souvenirs in our shop and also see the room where Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla were married. We look forward to seeing you this afternoon or tomorrow. We are open 10am to 4pm on both days.

📯 FESTIVO 2026! 

Tickets for this year’s ever-popular Festivo go on sale online at 10am on Tuesday 6 October.  Be ready – this event always sells out extremely quickly!

🎟️ Prefer to book your tickets in person?  We've got you covered!

Residents can take advantage of a special Telephone and In-Person Ticketing Service at Windsor Guildhall on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October, from 10am to 2pm.

Festivo takes places year on:
Monday 7th December and
Thursday 10th December 2026 at 7.30pm at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle

Tickets will also be available for a range of other popular seasonal events, including:

✨ Windsor Great Park Illuminated
🎅 Daniel's Santa's Grotto
🎆 Windsor Racecourse Fireworks Night
🏇 Ascot Racecourse Howden Christmas Racing Weekend
…and many more!

📞 Telephone bookings: 01753 743597
📍 In-person bookings: Windsor Guildhall

Ticket prices for Festivo range from £12 - £40 plus booking fees and all tickets include a concert programme.

Why not make a day of it?

The Windsor Guildhall Museum will also be open for visitors during these times, offering access the Museum Gallery, the historic Guildhall Chamber, home to an impressive collection of royal portraits dating back to Elizabeth I, and the Ascot Room, where Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla were married.

🎫 Museum admission:

✅ Free for RBWM Digital Advantage Card holders and still in date yellow plastic Advantage Card holders
✅ Free for children aged 16 and under
✅ Just £5 for non-resident adults

Link to ticketing page is in comments.

 

08/09/2026

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II today, on the fourth anniversary of her passing. we pause to remember her life of service and her special connection to Windsor.
We have two paintings on display at The Windsor Guildhall of the late Queen which you can see during a visit to Windsor Guildhall Museum. We are open Tuesdays, Wednesdays 10am to 4pm and Sundays 11am to 2pm.

The first painting of Queen Elizabeth II was painted in 1955. She had only been Queen for a short time when this was painted. She ascended to the throne in 1952 and was coronated in 1953. She is depicted wearing a blue garter sash and Garter Star. The painting was gifted to Windsor Guildhall by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1955.

The second painting of the late Queen was painted by Theodore Ramos (1928–2018). It was a gift from the Royal Albert Institute Trust to Windsor Guildhall in 2002. She wears the Prince Albert Sapphire Brooch, which was a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria (her Great-Great-Grandparents) the day before their wedding.
These paintings are also available for sponsorship, which helps to support Windsor Guildhall Museum and the care of our collections for future generations. Find out more by visiting our website https://windsor-guildhall.co.uk/museum/



Visit Windsor MyRoyalBorough Friends of the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum Windsor Local History

05/08/2026

Please note that Windsor Guildhall Museum will be closed on Tuesday 11 August for a private event.

To make up for this, we will instead be open on Monday 10 August (10am - 4pm).

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Visit Windsor MyRoyalBorough

29/07/2026

It is a privilege and honour to announce that we have installed a special display to commemorate Dexter - Windsor’s most famous cat. It includes Dexter’s urn, meaning he will be back in the heart of the town he loved with his many friends able to come and pay their respects to him.

The display celebrates Dexter’s life of adventure, which saw him have his own hashtag where residents shared sightings of his travels. He also had a playing piece shaped after him in Windsor’s edition of Monopoly and his very own Top Trumps Card. He certainly is a Windsor Legend!

Amongst his daily adventures, Dexter often wandered into the museum to surprise excited staff, volunteers and visitors, all of whom fell in love with him.

The museum will ensure that Dexter’s legacy is never forgotten, because for a small fella, he certainly brought the community together in a very big way.

Thank you to Dexter’s mum for loaning us Dexter’s urn and entrusting us to create this display in his memory.



Dexter Windsor Friends of the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum MyRoyalBorough Visit Windsor Windsor Guildhall Museum

22/07/2026

We’re so pleased to finally get this fascinating object on display and thank you Len for being the first to sponsor it 👏

If you would like to sponsor an object please visit our website:

https://windsor-guildhall.co.uk/museum/

🛞 Every object has a champion... and this one waited over 12 years.

When volunteer Len Nash first joined Windsor Museum, he noticed a display panel describing a beautiful Waywiser—an early 18th-century surveying instrument made by Windsor clockmaker John Davis. There was just one problem...

The Waywiser wasn't actually on display.

Hidden away in the Museum store, this remarkable object remained unseen by visitors for years. Len was captivated by its craftsmanship and made it his personal mission to bring it into the public eye. Every opportunity, every exhibition proposal, every refurbishment—he quietly championed the Waywiser until, at last, it found its rightful place in the newly refurbished Museum.

Better still, Len celebrated its arrival by becoming its very first sponsor through the Museum's Sponsor an Object scheme.

Why not discover why the Waywiser became Len's Favourite by reading the full story on our Friends' Favourite page?
👉 https://friendsofwindsormuseum.org/the-friends/friends-favourites/

If you'd like to help care for remarkable objects like this, you can also become a Sponsor an Object and play your own part in preserving Windsor's heritage for future generations.
👉 https://friendsofwindsormuseum.org/useful-info/sponsor-an-object/

Or, better still, come and see the Waywiser for yourself at the newly reopened Windsor & Royal Borough Museum. Sometimes the most fascinating stories are waiting just around the corner.

Image: RBWM 0011.51.A Waywiser
Windsor Guildhall Museum Windsor Past and Present (UK) I Love Windsor I Love Windsor Community Visit Windsor Eton College Museums and Galleries Egham Museum Windsor Local History

17/07/2026

We are honoured to be a part of Dexter’s legacy. We’ll let you know when the display is ready so you can pay your respects 🐈‍⬛ 🐾

10/07/2026

A great way to learn new skills!

Our next Local History Research Day is just two weeks away—and this time we're meeting on a Saturday afternoon, making it even easier to come along.

Whether you're researching your family, your home, or the history of Windsor and the surrounding area, you'll be able to explore the Library's wonderful collection of historical resources, alongside material from the Windsor Local History Group's own archive.

We're also running a hands-on tutorial showing you how to carry out local history research using online historical records, old maps, trade directories and other valuable library resources.

🎟️ Places for the tutorial are limited, so please book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Find out more and reserve your place here:

https://windsorlocalhistorygroup.org/local-history-research-day/

We'd love to see you there!
RBWM Libraries Friends of the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum I Love Windsor Community Hub I Love Windsor Windsor Past and Present (UK) Royal Windsor Community News & Views Windsor Guildhall Museum