Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Trust Ticket Portal

Welcome to our free Lunchtime Talk.

Held in our Auditorium on the first Tuesday of the month 13:00-14:00

5th August 2025

Roman Carlisle: The View From The North - Dr. John Reid.

Carlisle, or Luguvalium as it was known, was undoubtedly a key strongpoint in Roman
military strategy for at least three hundred years. However, in modern times, there has
been something of an eastward emphasis when retelling the story of Rome’s northern
frontier and this talk will explore why that might be. He'll also review Carlisle’s strategic
importance to the Roman Army with a particular emphasis on how the interaction with
the indigenous peoples to the north may have shaped its development.

2nd September 2025

The Bittersweet Beginning: A Story of Postpartum and Grief

In this deeply personal talk, Emily Bewley (Scribbles of Sanity) shares her journey of navigating the early days of motherhood while grieving the loss of her sibling. She’ll explore how bereavement reshaped her identity as a new mother, the unspoken emotional layers of postpartum life, and the ways in which grief and growth intertwined. This is a story about holding both joy and sorrow, learning to mother while mourning, and discovering quiet strength in the most tender of transitions. Through honesty, reflection, and gentle insight, she’ll offer space for others walking the path of complex, layered grief — especially when life keeps moving forward.

Every Friday evening (from 4 July to 29 August), slots at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm

£15 pp - minimum 5 people per slot, maximum 12. Booking required.

Fancy yourself as a Dr Alan Grant figure? Jurassic Park meets Crystal Maze in these fun evenings of puzzling palaeontology. Conveniently timed to coincide with Scran & Peeve evenings.

For ages 16+

Enjoy dino crafts and special dinosaur appearances before you get cosy in the Auditorium with a classic dino film. Snack boxes included for all the tiny Triceratops.

• The Land Before Time – 30 July, 2pm
• The Good Dinosaur – 27 August, 2pm

£12 per child and £5 per adult.

Booking required.

Suitable for ages 3+

Join our knowledgeable guide for a tour around our newest space the Carlisle Gallery. Hear about the history of our city and find our more about it's hidden heritage. 

Illustrated talk by local historian Chester Forster on the history of the terraced streets of Carlisle 

Inter Alia a new play by Suzie Miller

Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Saltburn) is Jessica in the much-anticipated next play from the team behind Prima Facie.

Jessica Parks is a smart Crown Court Judge at the top of her career. Behind the robe, she is a karaoke fiend, a loving wife and a supportive parent. When an event threatens to throw her life completely off balance, can she hold her family upright?

Writer Suzie Miller and director Justin Martin reunite following their global phenomenon Prima Facie, with this searing examination of modern motherhood and masculinity.

Adult £15, Friend £12. Booking required.

Bar opens at 6.30pm with shows starting at 7pm.

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October 2025

Back by popular demand! Learn how to create your own piece of beautiful Ruskin Lace. £85 per person (2-day course) which includes refreshments in the morning and afternoon and admission into the museum. A starter pack of materials can be purchased from Karen on the day.

This ticket covers both days of the course.

Mrs. Warren’s Profession
by Bernard Shaw, directed by Dominic Cooke

Five-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown) joins forces with her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the very first time, playing mother and daughter in Bernard Shaw’s incendiary moral classic.

Vivie Warren is a woman ahead of her time. Her mother, however, is a product of that old patriarchal order. Exploiting it has earned Mrs. Warren a fortune – but at what cost?

Filmed live from the West End, this new production reunites Staunton with director Dominic Cooke (Follies, Good), exploring the clash between morality and independence, traditions and progress.

Adult £15, Friend £12. Booking required.

Bar opens at 6.30pm with shows starting at 7pm.

The Fifth Step
by David Ireland, directed by Finn den Hertog

Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk) is joined by Emmy and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Responder) in the critically acclaimed and subversively funny new play by David Ireland.

After years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka. The pair bond over black coffee, trade stories and build a fragile friendship out of their shared experiences. But as Luka approaches step five – the moment of confession – dangerous truths emerge, threatening the trust on which both of their recoveries depend.

Finn den Hertog directs the provocative and entertaining production filmed live from @sohoplace on London’s West End.

Adult £15, Friend £12. Booking required.

Bar opens at 6.30pm with shows starting at 7pm.

Hamlet  
by William Shakespeare, directed by Robert Hastie

Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) is Hamlet in this fearless, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

Trapped between duty and doubt, surrounded by power and privilege, young Prince Hamlet dares to ask the ultimate question – you know the one.

National Theatre Deputy Artistic Director, Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Operation Mincemeat) directs this sharp, stylish and darkly funny reimagining.

Adult £15, Friend £12. Booking required.

Bar opens at 6.30pm with shows starting at 7pm.

Sunday 5 October 

Loosen up your landscapes with award-winning Carlisle artist Martin Evans.

In this comprehensive session, Martin will take you from idea to completed (is an artwork ever truly complete?) painting.

The day will look something like this:

11am-1pm

In the first part of the session you will generate ideas and work through some painting exercises focused on expressive painting techniques, colour and composition. Weather permitting, you may also head out into the garden to take inspiration from the autumnal colours.

1-2pm

Break for lunch and opportunity to visit the Colour exhibition.

2-4pm

The serious work/fun begins. In the final stretch, you will decide on a final composition and complete a canvas work which you can then keep (and continue working on at home if you so desire).

Martin will be on hand throughout the session to offer advice and guidance. All materials provided including paper, canvas, acrylics, pencils and charcoal. Please feel free to bring your own if there's anything else you might want to use.

Tickets are £75 (£67.50 for Tullie Friends)

About Martin Evans

Martin Evans lives and works in Carlisle, Cumbria and studied Graphic Design at Cumbria Institute of the Arts where he developed his eye for colour and composition. A self-taught painter and mural artist, it is the pure joy of painting and expression that drives his process. Cumbria has some of the most spectacular landscapes in the UK, and he is constantly inspired by this subject matter.

Martin’s work has been exhibited in Cumbria with Proseed, StArt, CCA and EVAN, while he has also worked with major charities and organisations such as Tullie Museum & Art Gallery, Prism Arts & Blank Wall Assassins. More widely he has won the Society of Scottish Artists Prize at the 'Big Art Show' 2024, been selected for the prestigious 2020 and 2023 Discerning Eye Exhibitions at the Mall Galleries London, long listed for the 2022 and 2023 Jacksons Painting Prize and exhibited at the 2024 Venice Biennale with the Proseed collective.

Sunday 16 November, 1-3.30pm

Get to grips with watercolours in this fun and experimental session with local artist Seren Shaw. 

In this 2.5 hour session, you'll get to try out a number of techniques which you can then incorporate into your own practice. 

The first half of the session will focus on trying out techniques and getting used to the medium. In the second half, you'll put those techniques to the test to create a painting. 

We'll provide subject matter for you to paint, though you are, of course, welcome to paint something from your imagination. 

Tickets are £30 (£27 for Tullie Friends). All materials included. Suitable for beginners or those looking to add a few more tricks to their arsenal. 

Join us for a relaxed and engaging session designed especially for our youngest visitors. Each week, little ones and their grown-ups are invited to explore the museum through sensory play, movement, storytelling, poetry, costume, and song — all inspired by our collections.

Led by a member of the Tullie Learning Team and taking place in a different space each week, each session is themed and thoughtfully planned to support early development while encouraging curiosity and connection with the museum’s spaces and objects. Sessions follow a gentle structure, but we adapt timings and activities to suit the group’s energy and interests. Children are welcome to join in, take breaks, or engage in their own way throughout.

When: Every Thursday during Cumbrian term time, starting at 11am. 
Who: Suitable for children aged 0–4, accompanied by a participating adult.
Cost: Children go free with an adult Annual Pass or Day Ticket. Advance booking is required.

On arrival, please check in at the Welcome Desk to receive your Tullie sticker. Then make your way to the welcome area seating by the large window, where a member of the Tullie Learning team will meet you to take you to the start location.

Illustrated talk tracing the history of this long established firm with its origins in Sebergham and then the arrival of “John Willie” Laing who left school early and projected the firm from local jobbing builder to Britain’s largest construction company.