As part of Shropshire Archives popular Off the Shelf series, John K Hughes - Darwin House Project Manager, will explore some fantastic finds that have recently come to light in the archive collections which open a window on the Darwin family’s former home and legendary (now lost) beautiful gardens at The Mount in Shrewsbury.

Join us for an enchanting evening as renowned raconteur Ted Maidment presents an insightful exploration of the lives of Emma Darwin and Frédéric Chopin - composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period.

Accompanied by John Moore, this event promises to be a delightful experience for music and history enthusiasts alike.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to delve into the lives of Emma Darwin and Chopin, all while enjoying the beautiful setting of Charles Darwin’s birthplace.

Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable evening of history and music!

Charles Darwin: From Shrewsbury Schoolboy to International Scientific Super Star - A reflection on Charles Darwin: Illustrated by a selection of Charles Darwin’s personal letters and other items at Shrewsbury School

This fascinating public lecture will be presented by Shrewsbury School’s Dr Robin Brooke-Smith – (Taylor Librarian and Archivist) and Naomi Nicholas (Assistant Archivist).

Book early to avoid disappointment

Fellow of the Royal Historical Society Nigel Hinton examines the life of Charles Darwin including his university days, marriage, family and Shrewsbury connections.

This will be an illuminating talk about Shrewsbury’s most famous scholar.

Join us for an enchanting afternoon as renowned raconteur Ted Maidment presents an insightful exploration of the lives of Emma Darwin and Frédéric Chopin - composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period.

Accompanied by John Moore, this event promises to be a delightful experience for music and history enthusiasts alike.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to delve into the lives of Emma Darwin and Chopin, all while enjoying the beautiful setting of Charles Darwin’s birthplace.

Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable afternoon of history and music!

This talk, presented by Jon Fraser King, uncovers the story of Darwin and Wallace and the formulation of their theory, providing a fascinating insight into the collaborative process that marked their friendship.

Charles Darwin’s Shrewsbury - A Darwin themed guided walk with local historian, author and speaker, Nigel J Hinton.

*Please note the tour will begin and end in Shrewsbury's Town Square at 2pm. Meet under the Old Market Hall.

This fragment of the Darwin family garden is the only remaining part of the formerly extensive grounds attached to The Mount, Charles Darwin's birthplace. Located above the River Severn the site includes the thinking path, which provided a daily route for walking and reflection.

Join Dr Cath Price for a tour of the site and surrounding area to learn more about how the garden and Shrewsbury would have influenced young Charles Darwin.

This fragment of the Darwin family garden is the only remaining part of the formerly extensive grounds attached to The Mount, Charles Darwin's birthplace. Located above the River Severn the site includes the thinking path, which provided a daily route for walking and reflection.

Join Dr Cath Price for a tour of the site and surrounding area to learn more about how the garden and Shrewsbury would have influenced young Charles Darwin.

Go behind the scenes of Shrewsbury’s public library, home to Shrewsbury School when Charles Darwin was a schoolboy.

Find out about Darwin’s experiences as a pupil, life in the school and the history of the building.

FREE EVENT - Booking Required

An opportunity to walk around and explore Charles Darwin’s birthplace and family home.

Book early to avoid disappointment

An opportunity to walk around and explore Charles Darwin’s birthplace and family home.

Book early to avoid disappointment

Exploring the background to why Darwin was so interested in the town's glacial deposits and what he was hoping to prove through his investigations.

The talk will outline how the Ice ages affected Shrewsbury and describe the different theories put forward to explain the secrets contained in the town’s surrounding rocks and landscapes.

Aimed at 0 - 5 year olds, our popular Wildlings sessions offers children the chance to become a wild child, engaging their senses and encouraging a love of wildlife within a safe environment. Sessions are led by our inspiring Wildlings leaders.

What do you think the Beagle looked like?

Charles Darwin set off on his voyage in 1831 on a ship called The Beagle. The voyage, which lasted almost 5 years, became one of the most famous and important voyages of exploration ever made.

Have a go at making your own Beagle ship in this fun craft activity.

Suitable for ages 2+

This FREE lunchtime event is part of Shrewsbury Museum’s ever popular Spotlight Talk series.

The talk examines ‘living fossils’, a term coined by Charles Darwin in the Origin of Species and focusses on the horseshoe crab, which has changed little over the past 450 million years.

Shrewsbury boasts numerous buildings and locations that were the backdrop to many pivotal moments in Charles Darwin’s early life. His story is written on the walls and cobbled streets of the town...

In the footsteps of the young Charles Darwin is a walking tour around Shrewsbury town centre led by local historian Nigel J Hinton.

Charles Darwin was fascinated by rocks and fossils from an early age. Come and find out what it was that inspired the great man.

A FREE Shropshire Wildlife Trust drop-in event (between 10:30 – 3:30) at The Cut.

Andrew Bannerman delivers a fascinating talk on the relationship between Charles Darwin and his wife Emma (nee Wedgwood). The death of their beloved daughter Annie features prominently – ultimately a source of strength between Charles and Emma.

Andrew’s engaging talk takes place in Darwin House - Charles Darwin’s birthplace, on what will be his 215th birthday!

On the 21st anniversary of the festival join the founder, Jon King for the annual toast to Shrewsbury's famous son.

Bring a drink to toast the great man with the option to then join Jon for a guided tour of Darwin's hometown.

Places on the walk are limited so please reserve your tickets in advance.

Find out about the life of Charles Darwin and build your own Lego® model inspired by the great explorer.

Suitable for children aged 5+. Children should be accompanied by an adult for this workshop.

Is your birthday February 12th? And are you aged eight to 16?

Here's an opportunity for children aged eight to 16 to have a private tour of Darwin's birthplace - provided they share his birthday of February 12th!

Follow in the footsteps of the young Charles Darwin. Be inspired by Wroxeter Roman City to explore the amazing archaeology and have a go at testing the theory behind Darwin’s Worm Stone. Learn how worms from over 2 millennia help bury ancient buildings. Also, make your own wiggly worm to take home!

Dr. Isabelle Winder is Senior Lecturer in Natural Sciences at Bangor University where she is an award-winning teacher. Her research work takes a contemporary, multidisciplinary approach to studying Primate Evolution. It is however, firmly rooted in the foundations laid by Darwin, Wallace and Huxley.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Dr. John-Robert Curtin from The University of Louisville - who will be presenting an interesting talk on the topic of "Civility".

Susannah Darwin, née Wedgwood, is the mother of renowned naturalist Charles Darwin and daughter of the famous potter Josiah Wedgwood. She is often silenced, anonymized, and referred to only as ‘Darwin’s mother’.

This unique and FREE event is an opportunity to discover more about Susannah’s life, including her experiences of motherhood, her guiding influence on the young Charles, and her contribution to the Darwin family home, business interests, and garden.

Throughout the day a team of notable academics, experts, and creative practitioners will examine various aspects of Susannah’s life. .

This event is not to be missed! Places are free but strictly limited, so please only book if you can definitely attend.

Come join us for an exciting event at the Church of St Mary the Virgin. We'll be exploring the fascinating connection between St Mary's, Charles Darwin, and Samuel Butler, the former head of Shrewsbury School. Discover the historical ties that bind these influential figures together and gain insight into their impact on the local community.

Get ready to explore the fascinating world of conflict and complexity of Darwin’s Captain. This event will delve into the challenges faced by Captain Fitzroy during the famous voyage of the HMS Beagle.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to gain insights into history and science while immersing yourself in the medieval atmosphere of the Bear Steps Art Gallery and Medieval Hall. Book your spot now!