14 THINGS TO DO IN WINCHESTER
AUTUMN HALF TERM
26 - 30 Oct 2020
Architecture
This amazing piece of architecture and history is a great activity for a rainy day. The Great Hall, “one of the finest surviving aisled halls of the 13th century”, contains the greatest symbol of medieval mythology, King Arthur’s Round Table, and is all that now remains of Winchester Castle. Free admission and guided tours available on request. The castle is open all year round.
The Great Hall is open 11am to 3pm daily, except for Thursdays when it is closed to the public. See opening times for specific closures. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Great Hall and gift shop.
A walk round the Cathedral takes you through centuries of English church architecture, from the massive vaults of its early Norman crypt to the ornate glories of its Renaissance chantry chapels. It’s also home to some great works of art, including paintings, sculptures and carvings. The Cathedral is open to all visitors every day from 10am to 4:30pm. We can’t yet offer guided tours but there’s plenty to explore in this great Cathedral.
Kids
3. Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium
An exciting family destination, Winchester Science Centre is the South of England's interactive science and technology centre with the largest standalone planetarium in the UK. Open 7 days a week, we provide exciting, hands-on science experiences to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of great scientists! We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium and gift shop.
The Adventure Barn is a brilliant indoor adventure playground where your children can play safely and securely whatever the weather. Part of Marwell Outdoor Activity Centre, they also offer a range of outdoor activities. The Adventure Barn also has an on-site bistro. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium and gift shop.
Everyman creates a warm and friendly atmosphere, with an excellent food and drink selection and fantastic customer service. With a wide array of mainstream, independent and classic films, there is something for everyone at Everyman. The Addams Family is showing on Friday 30th Oct, just in time to enjoy before half term ends. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Cinema.
Arts
The Theatre is a beautiful 400 seat venue, rich in history but fully attuned to the 21st century presenting a dynamic programme of the highest quality drama, music, dance, comedy, children’s theatre and pantomime. Situated at the cultural heart of the city of Winchester we are committed to bringing our audiences the best work, as well as supporting artists and performers. Live performances are limited at the moment due to Covid-19, however, Ukulele Improvers, Ukes for All host a series of intermediate ukulele classes for all ages. Wed 07 Oct 2020 - Wed 18 Nov 2020. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Theatre Royal Winchester.
Whitewall Galleries offers beautiful and innovative original paintings, collectable editions and sculptures from internationally acclaimed artists alongside the most exciting emerging talents through a nationwide network of over 40 galleries. Ideal to spend a rainy day browsing beautiful new pieces for your wall. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Whitewall Galleries.
The Colour Factory is a wonderful hub of creativity now in its 24th year with a vibrant programme of art courses run by the resident artists. A unique and inspiring environment which was formerly the old park keeper’s house next to River Park Leisure Centre. The Colour Factory Studios sits in an idyllic secluded setting with a beautiful beach garden and classroom within the city centre and only minutes away from the train station. Along with the artists’ studios you will find a wonderful shop and gallery selling original works of art that are definitely “not on the high street”. All classes starting from September will be limited to only 4 students to allow for social distancing. Or come along to The Colour Factory for a private 1 to 1 class or bring a friend for a relaxed 2 to 1 art class. We recommend pre- booking before arrival by booking online.
Quirky
Cabinet Rooms was founded by Gary and Marcus in 2014 as a way to share their passion for learning more about the food and drink they enjoy. The pair are behind events both large and small, from Winchester Cocktail Week and the Ginchester Fête to cocktail workshops for small, private groups. Since Government guidelines were issued at the start of July, they have worked hard to ensure they can operate a COVID secure café. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Cabinet Rooms.
ClueCapers offers challenging, fun escape room games with lots of unique puzzling conundrums! Organise yourself into teams of two to six to take on missions requiring keen observation skills, lateral thinking and problem solving. In line with government guidelines, only form a team with your own household or support bubble (this does not include ‘school bubbles’ or ‘work bubbles’). The twist is that you have just seventy-five minutes to achieve your goal and escape from the room. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in ClueCapers.
The Railway Inn is the longest established and only dedicated Live Music venue in Winchester, Hampshire. Dating back to 1856 as a public house, The Railway Inn is a blend of traditional bar and a music venue/arts centre. They provide some of the finest live entertainment in the south of England hosting well known artists including Beans on Toast and The Sound of Sirens. Open mic nights are still going strong, with more information provided on their website. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in The Railway Inn.
History
Located in the heart of the historic city of Winchester, City Museum tells the story of England’s ancient capital, the seat of Alfred the Great. From its origins as an Iron Age trading centre to Anglo‑Saxon glory, the last journey of Jane Austen to the hunt for King Alfred’s remains, explore the sights and sounds of Winchester past and present in the museum’s three galleries. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Winchester City Museum and the Gift shop.
Situated on the historic site of Peninsula Barracks, next to the Great Hall, no visit to Winchester would be complete without visiting Winchester's Military Museums. A unique site with six military museums, there is plenty to see and do and with the delightful Copper Joe's Café located on-site, this is the perfect day out to enjoy in the half term. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Military Museums and Copper Joes Café.
Situated adjacent to Winchester’s Great Hall and within easy walking distance of the City centre, The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, opened in 1989, is one of the best regimental museums in the Country. It is also one of Winchester’s five military museums. Visited by thousands every year, the Museum records, visually, graphically and entertainingly, the history of The Royal Green Jackets and their predecessors who were three of the finest and most famous regiments in the British Army. We recommend pre-booking before arrival by booking online. Follow social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are required in the Royal Green Jackets Museum.
