This October, Ripon Museums will explore the nature of crime and punishment in the Victorian era, through a series of themed activities both online and in person.
During the half-term holidays, we’ll be asking Whodunnit at the Workhouse? Running from Tuesday 26 to Friday 29 October from 12pm to 3pm, this family friendly activity will take visitors on an interactive trail across the sites of our three museums as they try to solve a murder at the workhouse. Visitors will learn about how policing worked in the Victorianera, about plants and poisons in the Workhouse Museum Garden, before discovering forensic science at the Prison & Police Museum. Solve the crime and you could be in with a chance of winning a small prize! Activities are included in the cost of museum entry.
On Thursday 28 October at 7pm, Ripon Museums will host an online exploration of Victorian criminality with Shocking Murder! Investigating Suspicious Death in Victorian Ripon. In 1874, two savage murders rocked Ripon. In both cases, the formal murder investigation began with an inquest. In this talk, postgraduate student Sophie Michell will discuss how Victorian coroners worked, and how inquests formed the basis of a murder trial. Tickets cost £5 per person. The talk will be hosted on Zoom.
Visitors can also explore the darker side of the city’s history with a Ripon Ghost Walk, where they will hear tales of ghouls and ghostly goings on. Two Halloween special ghost walks take place on Sunday 31 October, at 5pm and 7pm. Tickets cost £3 for adults and £2 for under 16s.
Further information about all of our events and activities is available at riponmuseums.co.uk, and tickets for the talk and ghost walks can be booked online. Contact the museum team by emailing info@riponmuseums.co.uk or call 01765 690799.
