This page gives details of Mersea Museum future events and activities
and also gives details of some past events.
Events take place in Mersea Museum unless stated otherwise.
See Past Events for the ones you may have missed.
Links to other sites will open in a new window.
The Museum is closed until further notice Plans for the Summer Exhibition are on hold,
but we will be back.
Meanwhile, explore this website for the history of Mersea and the local area.
A transport of delight The history of public transport in Colchester
Illustrated talk by Alan Skinner
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
Friday 17th January 2020
A Portrait of Victorian Colchester Illustrated talk by Patrick Denney
Patrick is a well-known Colchester historian - his talks are
entertaining and popular.
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
Saturday 14th December 2019
Christmas Event - Resource Centre 10am to 2pm
Enjoy mulled wine, mince pies and other festive fare.
Shop open for Christmas gifts and cards
All welcome, admission free.
Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th November 2019
Art Show at Mersea Museum. All welcome. Saturday is also a Craft Day with stalls from local craftspeople
Preview 7pm to 9pm on Thursday 21st
Open Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th November 10am to 5pm.
Free Admission.
Friday 15th November 2019
The Life and Work of Thomas Hammond - photographer Illustrated talk by Clive Potter
T. Hammond produced many high quality postcards, often around 1910.
He lived in Great Totham, with many photographs of the area,
including Mersea, Tollesbury and surrounding villages.
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
Tuesday 12th November 2019
Ask the Experts - bring in your finds. Meet the experts from CITiZAN who will help you with finds made on the island over the decades.
Friday 18th October 2019
Privateering and the Essex Coast Illustrated talk by Julian Foynes
Facing the French ...
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
Julian is a well known local historian who has published a number of
books including "Battle of the East Coast (1939-45)".
Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September 2019
10am to 5pm
Heritage Open Days - Mersea Barrow.
Special weekend opening of Mersea Barrow for Heritage Open Days.
As you come on to Mersea Island, take the left turn to East Mersea.
The Barrow is on the left after about half a mile and 100 yards beyond
Dawes Lane.
There is parking on the left just beyond the Barrow at Barrow Barn.
For SatNav, use postcode CO5 8SL.
Free entry. No need to book - just come.
The entrance passageway is narrow and not suitable for disabled access.
There are no toilet facilities at the barrow !
Link to Google maps (opens in a new window.)
For more information see
West Mersea Barrow.
Saturday 24th to Monday 26th August 2019
Mersea Island Photographic Society Exhibition of photographs in the Resource Centre.
10am to 5pm Saturday
2pm to 5pm Sunday and Monday
Friday 2nd August to Sunday 11th August 2019
Oysters and Oilskins.
Special exhibition of the clothing that Oystermen would have worn in the past,
by Brightlingsea U3A, who researched and published the book "Oysters and Oilskins".
Saturday 13th July 2019
'Finds Day' Bring along anything interesting you have found on the seashore,
in the garden, in the attic...
Pottery, stones, bones, fossils, metal, coins etc.
The museum is keen to see any old or unusual items and perhaps help to identify them.
10am to 5pm.
Saturday 15th June 10am to 5pm and Sunday 16th June 2pm to 5pm
Mini exhibition of paintings by local artist and oysterman Leslie French
Leslie French 1904-1995 was a local oysterman and a self-taught artist.
His style would be described as "primitive", but his watercolours have a
unique charm and show boats, creeks or the sea in accurate detail.
29th to 31st March 2019
Spring Art Show.
Wonderful paintings for all to enjoy.
Preview evening on Thursday 28th.
Open Friday 29th, Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st March at 10am.
Free Admission.
Friday 15th March 2019
Medieval Colchester Illustrated talk by Sue Howlett.
Mersea Island Museum Trust Annual General Meeting 7.30pm. Free Admission.
Friday 15th February 2019
Wind and Water - a brief history of milling Illustrated talk by Peter Jones
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
Friday 18th January 2019
Aspects of Iron Age and Roman Colchester Illustrated talk by Patrick Denney
Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th November 2018
Art Show at Mersea Museum. Preview 7pm to 9pm on Thursday 22nd
Open Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th November 10am to 5pm.
Free Admission.
All are welcome to exhibit their art at the show - click
Entry Form for more details (opens in a new window).
Friday 16th November 2018
The History of Greyfriars in Colchester Illustrated talk by Alan Skinner
Alan was Principal of Greyfriars when it was an Adult
Education Centre, but the history goes back a very long way.
Before that, it had been home to part of Colchester
County High School for Girls and then school for Mersea and other pupils
before Monkwick School was ready.
It is now a hotel.
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
Friday 19th October 2018
The Martello Towers of Essex Illustrated talk by Peter Jones
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
The Martello towers were coastal defences built during the Napoleonic wars to protect the
south and east coast from invasion by the French. 73 towers were built on the south coast and 29
on the east coast between Brightlingsea and Aldeburgh.
11 of the towers were built in Essex.
Mini exhibition of vintage clothing, interesting and unusual textiles Victorian dresses, nightdresses, underwear, christening gowns...
Friday 16th March 2018
Religion and Revolution Mersea in the Seventeenth Century
Illustrated talk by Sue Howlett.
Friday 16th February 2018
The 1945 steam tug BRENT at Maldon A talk by Janet Hall from the Steam Tug Brent Trust,
who are working to restore the tug to working condition.
7.30pm. Admission £5 for non-members or £3 for
members including refreshments.
Friday 19th January 2018
A Message from Colchester - the Golden Age of Picture Postcards Illustrated talk by Patrick Denney
Friday 17th November 2017
The Art and History of Stained Glass Illustrated talk by Christopher Parkinson
Saturday 28th October 2017
Autumn Fair Mersea Museum Autumn Fair, with a wide variety of stalls.
General craft goods and gifts, Christmas cards and decorations.
Refreshments and light snacks. Admission 50p.
Friday 20th October 2017
Essex Earthquakes Illustrated talk by Peter Jones
Friday 13th to Sunday 15th October 2017
Friends and Family Art Exhibition Paintings, prints, craft items
Friday 12 to 4.30pm; Saturday 10am to 4.30pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm.
Saturdays to 30th September 2017
Guided History Walks in West Mersea. Tours start and finish at the Museum and take about 2 hours.
Saturday afternoons at 2.30pm.
£1.50 per person. Tickets available from the Museum on the day.
Friday 17th March 2017
Reformation to Revolution - the effect on Mersea Islanders of conflict and upheaval
in Tudor times
Illustrated talk by Sue Howlett.
Friday 17th February 2017
The Ground Beneath our Feet The Hidden Stories Beneath our Feet: a Tale of Deep Time, Ice,
Floods, the Seaside - and an Island Buried Beneath Essex.
Talk by geologists Ian Mercer and Ros Smith
Saturday Sunday Monday 4th-6th February 2017
Art Show - "Circling the Square" 10am to 4pm
Free admission - most paintings for sale. Come in and enjoy.
Friday 20th January 2017
To Fetch a Pail of Water Illustrated talk by Patrick Denney
Friday 18th November 2016
The River Colne, from Source to Sea Illustrated talk by Alexander Bass
Friday 21st October 2016
The Pubs of Colchester Illustrated talk by Jess Jephcott
Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th September 2016
Exhibition of Peggy Fortnum's illustrations for Paddington Bear books In the Resource Centre - 2pm to 5pm.
Saturday 23rd July to Sunday 24th July
2016
Exhibition of Vintage Clothes In Resource Centre - women's, children's and babies' clothes, uniforms
underwear and accessories, from Victorian times onwards.
2pm - 5pm.
Friday 8th July to Sunday 10th July
2016
Plaster Art Exhibition in Resource Centre by West Mersea School
2pm - 5pm.
Friday 18th March 2016
A Fisherman's Tale Talk by David Nicholls
Friday 11th March 2016
Zeppelins over Essex - including the 1916 Little Wigborough Zeppelin
Illustrated talk by Peter Jones
Friday 19th February 2016
Church heraldry An illustrated talk by Martin Clarke
Friday 15th January 2016
Colchester voices: local history from oral sources An illustrated talk by Patrick Denney.
Friday 20th November 2015
Colchester from the eye of the Picture Postcard Illustrated talk by Jess Jephcott.
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th July 2015
2pm to 5pm
Plaster Artwork exhibition in Resource Centre Planet Earth - a project by Mersea Island School Year Six.
Saturday 6th June 2015
Special All Day Opening 10am to 5pm Mini exhibition of tapestries, textiles and samplers.
Wednesday 4th March 2015
Oystermen's Clothing in the 1880s A special presentation of recreated clothing
by Brightlingsea U3A in conjuction
Friday 20th February 2015
The Edge of Extinction Travels with enduring people in vanishing lands.
An illustrated talk by Prof. Jules Pretty,
based on his latest book. We are welcoming back Jules,
who gave us a fascinating talk
about the East Anglian Coast last year.
