The Norris Museum

02/11/2026

The Friends of the Norris Museum 🎄 Christmas 🎄 cards are now in stock. The picture, by Stuart Littlewood, was used for the card in 2006. This year there is no printed greeting inside leaving you to write your own message and use the card for other occasions. They are on sale at the Museum for £4 for 5 cards. We also have in stock cards from previous years, £3 for 5 cards.
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31/10/2026

🎃👹 Happy Halloween! What better way to celebrate than with a whole host of wonderfully monstrous creations! 👹🎃

These were the result of our sold-out Felted Monster Faces workshop that took place yesterday with textile artist Ricki Outis.

Families got creative with the magic of wet felting, layering colourful wool fibres to design their very own monster faces. Then, with warm water, soap and plenty of rubbing, they transformed their designs into wonderfully unique felted creations to take home.

There were so many fantastic monsters made, each with its own personality and character! It was lovely to see everyone getting stuck in and discovering this creative textile technique together.

A huge thank you to Ricki for leading such a fun and creative workshop, and to all the families who joined us.

Take a look at the photos to see all the amazing monster faces – they're certainly a wonderfully spooky sight!

Wishing all our visitors and followers a very happy Halloween! 🧡🎃

29/10/2026

📢 A little reminder about our opening hours this half term! 🍂

Just a quick reminder that The Norris Museum will be closed today (Thursday) as part of our new regular opening hours, and we'll also be closed on Friday morning this week.

✨ If you've booked onto our sold-out Felted Monster Faces workshop on Friday, don't worry – we're still open for everyone with a confirmed booking! Just come to the museum entrance at your booked time. 😊

We'll reopen to general visitors on Friday afternoon, and we'll be open as usual on Saturday, 10am–4pm.

🍂 You're very welcome to pop in and enjoy our free Autumn Quiz Trail while you're here! Explore the museum, test your autumn knowledge and collect some free stickers when you complete the trail. 😊

Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you soon! 🧡

28/10/2026

🌿✨ **What a magical day! ✨🌿

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us on Tuesday for our Enchanted Nature Wands drop-in! 🪄

We had over 100 people attend and it was wonderful to see so many happy children proudly waving their magical creations! 💚 There were so many beautiful wands made, each one unique and full of natural magic.

We loved seeing all the creativity, imagination and little touches of enchantment that everyone brought to their wands. 🌱🍃

🎥 Here's a little glimpse of one of the wands catching the breeze!

Did you make a wand with us? We'd love to see your creations! 📸 Share your photos in the comments below so we can all admire the wonderful wands you made.

Thank you for making it such a lovely day at the Norris Museum. We hope your wands bring a little bit of magic wherever you go! ✨🪄

28/10/2026

We are warming up our voices here at The Norris Museum as we are going to be the newest venue for Sing for Joy with Bobbi!

We look forward to welcoming everyone here on Wednesday 4th November 12:30-1:30 🤩

📣VERY EXCITING NEWS FOR MUSIC LOVERS & CAR/KITCHEN/SHOWER SINGERS…

🎶Sing for Joy, my weekly drop in singing group which has been running for nearly 3 years on a Monday evening in Bluntisham, is getting a NEW SESSION ADDED!!! 🎉

🎶JOIN ME AT THE NORRIS MUSEUM IN ST IVES ON WEDNESDAYS 12.30-1.30pm for a friendly and relaxed singalong to well known pop tunes (and occasional treats from other genres such as musical theatre, folk or music hall).

💗This session is designed for anyone who loves to sing regardless of your level of skill or experience. We are not rehearsing for any performances, we are simply letting our voices out for all the wellbeing benefits that brings; increased breath capacity, sense of social connection, relaxation for body and mind and most of all - JOY!

📆This timeslot will commence on NOVEMBER 4th and run weekly barring school holidays.
Msg me before you attend for your first time and then beyond that no booking required, come and go as you please 🤗

🎤Monday nights are still going strong if you would like to join us 6.30-7.30pm at Bluntisham Baptist Church hall and next week we will be singing Halloween inspired songs! 🎃

Hope to see you soon for a singsong, it’s good for the soul!

Bobbi xx

28/10/2026

This silver cup is a trophy from the early days of skating races. It was awarded to James May in January 1821 to mark his victory over John Drake.
The cup is a strange mixture. The writing on the front has been carefully cut by a professional engraver, but scratched on the back is a little portrait of James May himself - our earliest portrait of a Fen skater. He is wearing knee-breeches and a jockey cap and has side whiskers. Just like a modern cartoon there is a bubble coming out of his mouth telling us what he is saying - "Gently Drake, I have cut one wing and will soon cut the other". This is a pun on Drake's name (i.e. a male duck) and on the fact that May hoped also to defeat one or both of Drake's brothers: John, William and Matthew Drake, all from Chatteris, were great skating champions of the 1820s.

27/10/2026

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲

The Parade marches on at 𝟏𝟎.𝟒𝟎𝐚𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 (𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞).

The Act of Remembrance takes place in 𝐒𝐭 𝐈𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟎.𝟓𝟎𝐚𝐦.

All are welcome.

The service will be led by Canon Simon Kershaw, Chaplain to The Mayor of St Ives, Cllr Alexander Thompson.

This Act of Remembrance is offered for all the people of St Ives and beyond. The Christian Faith holds that we are all God’s Children regardless of faith or indeed none. Therefore everyone is invited to take part in this service.

27/10/2026

🍂✨ TODAY AT THE NORRIS MUSEUM: ENCHANTED NATURE WANDS! ✨🍂

Looking for something magical to do this half term? Come along to the Norris Museum today and create your very own Enchanted Nature Wand! 🪄🌿

Join us between 11am and 3pm for a free, fun family drop-in activity. Decorate a natural stick with colourful wool, beads, feathers, buttons and other crafty treasures to create a wand inspired by autumn leaves, magical creatures or woodland adventures. 🍁🧚

Will your wand help you tell magical stories, take you on imaginary adventures or become a special keepsake? The choice is yours!

✨ When: Today, Tuesday 27 October, 11am–3pm
✨ Where: The Norris Museum, St Ives
✨ Cost: FREE!
✨ Booking: No need to book – just drop in!

Why not make a visit to the museum part of your half-term adventures? We look forward to seeing you! 💚

26/10/2026

🔥 Discover the Great Fires of St Ives and London! 🔥

Have you spotted our latest display? 👀

Come along to the Norris Museum and take a look at these fantastic leaflets created by Year 2 pupils from Eastfield Infant School’s Otter and Raccoon classes!

The children have been learning about the Great Fire of St Ives (1689) and the Great Fire of London (1666) in school, before joining our Learning Team for a Great Fire of St Ives walk. They discovered how the fire started, traced its path through the town and explored how people tried to put it out – including having a go at a traditional leather bucket chain! 🪣

The children have done a wonderful job sharing what they've learnt, and we’d love you to pop in, explore their leaflets and find out more about these fascinating events in local history. Well done, Otter and Raccoon classes! 👏

🍂 Visiting us this half term?

Our usual opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10am–4pm. We are now closed to general visitors on Thursdays, although group visits, school trips and room bookings continue as usual.

Please note that this week we will also be closed to general visitors on Friday morning (30 October), reopening on Friday afternoon. Visitors with confirmed bookings for Friday’s workshop will still be admitted.

We’ll be open as usual Monday to Wednesday and Saturday, 10am–4pm, so there’s plenty of time to pop in and enjoy our free Autumn Quiz Trail, explore the museum and collect a free sticker when you complete the trail! 🍁

We look forward to seeing you!

24/10/2026

A reminder that the evenings will be getting darker as the clocks go back 1 hour tonight. The good news is we get an extra hour in bed!
Picture is of Warboys Clock Tower.