Come along to our friendly talks for adults, every first Friday of the month. Drop in, no need to book. Please note, these talks are sometimes busy - entry is on a first come first served basis. Refreshments provided.
Leeds City Museum is a Give What You Can venue. We don't want price to be a barrier to a great experience. Simply pick the price you can give when you arrive at the museum, and enjoy your visit.
See below a list of speakers and topics for our upcoming sessions.
Friday 4 September
Leeds Hidden Queer History by Historian Kit Heyam
Join historian Kit Heyam for a virtual tour of Leeds's hidden LGBTQ+ history, inspired by their walking tours for The Bookish Type (Leeds's queer indie bookshop). From Pride to squats, from pubs to circuses, you'll see the city and its past in a whole new light.
Free light refreshments provided.
Friday 2 October
Ralph and John Went To Church: Ralph Thoresby and John Lewis, the first recorded Black person in Leeds
On the 1st February 1708 a remarkable thing happened, Ralph and John went to church. Ralph was Ralph Thoresby, the Leeds antiquarian and diarist. John was John Lewis, a servant and the first recorded Black person in Leeds. How were the two linked? What brought John to Leeds? And what connections did Ralph have to the Caribbean? In this talk Danny Friar answers those questions and more when he tells the story of when Ralph and John went to church.
Friday 4 December
Taxidermy Then and Now
Join Curator of Natural Science and Specialist Bird Taxidermist, Sarah Burhouse for a look at taxidermy through the ages. The talk will cover the process of bird taxidermy and show how the methods and materials in modern day mounts differ from those of the past. This session will include handling objects and a live taxidermy demonstration.
Friday 5 March 2027
Animal Sounds in Different Languages: A Musical, Linguistical and Cultural Exploration by Nicky Bray
If ducks make the same noises in France as they do in England, shouldn't the words used to represent them also be the same?
If Old MacDonald's farm was in Poland, would he still hear an "oink oink" here and an "oink oink" there?
And if not, why not?
Find out the answers to these and more in a fun, fascinating and noisy voyage revealing how animal sounds can provide an insight into other languages and cultures.
