Heritage crafts in action
Come and see heritage crafts in action at Chiltern Open Air Museum. Visitors will have the opportunity to step back in time and witness traditional crafts in action, including blacksmithing, lace making, bodging, spinning, natural dyeing, flint knapping, chair making, spoon carving, and more. The Dacorum and Chiltern Potters Guild will be on-site building a clay and willow kiln and visitors can make a clay dragon egg.
Blacksmithing, one of the oldest professions in human history, will be on display in our Victorian forge. You can also see bobbin lace making in action and discover the techniques used to create different styles of lace. You can learn about how our ancestors dyed their clothes, the processes involved and the plants that they used to create different pigments. See the spinning wheel in action as our re-enactor demonstrates traditional spinning techniques.
The Museum’s team will also be busy working in the woodland bodging area showing countryside crafts. You can watch traditional chair making in action, a popular skill from our Chilterns’ history. Local bushcraft expert, David Willis will also be carrying out wood carving demonstrations. On Sunday you can see flint knapping demonstrations.
This event is part of Bucks Open Weekend, The Festival of Archaeology and the Chair Festival.
Activities are subject to change.
Book Tickets
Book your tickets now to join us for traditional craft demonstrations
This is a Premium admission day
Free entry for COAM Annual Members
The event will run from 10am until 5pm
Event Information
With 45 acres at your disposal, there is plenty to explore, including woodlands and an exciting adventure playground
Dogs on short leads are welcome but must not go inside residential buildings
Light lunches, drinks, cakes and snacks are available to purchase from our Skippings Barn
Sensory backpacks are available to borrow (subject to availability)
Mobility scooters are available to borrow (subject to availability - pre-booking is advised)
Lots of free parking
Photography and filming may take place during this event for the Museum archives and publicity. These photographs and video footage may appear in promotional or educational materials including on our websites, social media pages, newsletters, or in newspapers and magazines. If you do not wish to be photographed, please speak to the photographer. For further details please email marketing@coam.org.uk
