What’s on at Malton Museum 2025? History, Beer, and Birthday Celebrations

Malton Museum is back for 2025 with a fresh mix of local stories, hidden treasures, and a few cheeky nods to beer brewing. Whether you’re a history nerd, a fan of old buildings, or just fancy a stroll with a side of storytelling, there’s something happening this year that’s got your name on it. And yes—there’s even a festival.

Let’s break down what’s coming up, starting with the big one...

Malton Museum turns 90!

It’s a big year for Malton Museum—it turns 90 in 2025. Not many places can say they’ve been around that long and still have new stories to tell. While they haven’t spilled all the birthday plans yet, expect some fun, celebratory events sprinkled throughout the season.

Think of it like your gran’s 90th—full of memories, but still ready for a party.

A Sense of Place: Trade, beer, and a bit of trickery

This year’s main exhibition is called A Sense of Place, and it zooms in on trade and industry across Malton and Norton. If you’ve ever wandered through town and wondered why certain buildings look the way they do, or how people made their living centuries ago—this is for you.

Here’s what to look out for:

• Beer brewing history, thanks to the Woodham Stone group and the Tate Smith family, who’ve lent some fascinating artefacts. Expect barrels, bottles, and stories about how brewing shaped Malton.
• A little bit of scandal with Flint Jack, the Victorian faker who fooled collectors by selling counterfeit archaeological finds. Some of his (very fake) objects were actually in the museum’s very first display back in 1935. Bold move, Jack.

Summer lectures: From Roman soldiers to photo time machines

There’s a whole line-up of talks happening over summer, covering everything from buildings to blurry black-and-white photos. If you like your history with a side of expert storytelling, pencil these in:

• Steve Roskhams will chat about how soldiers and everyday people got on (or didn’t) over the years.
• Simon Green is all about celebrating the buildings that make Malton, Norton, and Old Malton so special.
• Nicholas Hatton will take a deep dive into 19th-century photographs—basically the Instagram of the Victorian age.

Walk the talk: Guided tours around Malton

Fancy stretching your legs while learning something new? Walking tours are back from April to September, and they’re not just your typical "this building is old" kind of thing. They’re proper stories, told where they actually happened.

Each tour lasts about an hour and 15 minutes, and they’re £10 a pop.

Tour highlights this year:

• 5 April & 6 July – The Georgian Period: Think big windows, fancy brickwork, and a growing town.
• 19 April – Roads, Railways and Rivers: How the town shifted from quiet river life to clattering trains.
• 3 May & 2 August – Medieval Tour at The Priory Church, Old Malton: History layered on top of more history.
• 7 June – Roman Fort Tour at Orchard Field: Straight roads, sandals, and ancient walls.
• 5 September – Horses in Malton through the ages: Perfect if you're into horse racing, or just like a good story about animals with jobs.

Oh—and if beer’s your thing, a brand-new Beer and Brewing in Malton tour is on its way. It’s still “fermenting” (pun absolutely intended), but it’ll be worth the wait. Plus, there's going to be a brewery tour in the Castlegate area—dates still under wraps.

Roman Festival: History with a bang

Circle 20 July in your diary—the Roman Festival is back for its fourth year, and it’s always a hit. Expect re-enactments, food, crafts, and more tunics than you can shake a gladius at.

Whether you’ve got kids, or you are the big kid, this one’s a crowd-pleaser.

Quick look: What’s happening and when

Date	Event
3 April	Museum reopens
5 April & 6 July	Georgian period walking tour
19 April	Roads, Railways and Rivers tour
3 May & 2 August	Priory Church medieval tour
7 June	Roman Fort tour
20 July	Roman Festival (4th year!)
5 September	Horses in Malton tour
Date TBA	Brewery tour – Castlegate
April–September	Regular walking tours, including new beer-themed one

So if you’re local to North Yorkshire, planning a visit, or just need an excuse to wander somewhere with a bit of charm and a lot of history—Malton Museum’s 2025 season has you covered.

Grab a ticket, join a tour, and raise a pint to 90 years of brilliant stories.