First day down of the 10th century traders market. Us (not used to welcoming nearly 100 people):

Finding out it’s the Chinese year of the ‘Fire’ Horse. 😳

It's a cool February morning in #Orkney and #BookyMcBookface is away on the ferry to the beautiful islands of Rousay and Egilsay. 📚 Rousay is known as the 'Egypt of the North' due to its incredible density of archaeological sites including neolithic tombs, chambered cairns and Viking remains.

Good morning early birds. Here’s an interesting fact to enjoy over your cereal: The floor boards of the Great Hall are reclaimed pine from West Yorkshire cotton mills and York prison. Just think of the people who have walked on that floor!

We like to think that this is us and @romanpalace.bsky.social 🥰

⚔️Exciting Viking themed news alert! ⚔️ From Friday we will throwing off our medieval robes and donning a striking beard. Yes the 10th century traders market as part of the JORVIK Viking Festival returns this weekend with merchants selling Viking themed goods from across the world.

Would you like to look at the banner of the Grocers? Those are cloves. Nothing else.

Happy Pancake Day everyone! Join us for a little story as we explain the origins of this bell and what it has to do with Shrove Tuesday. It will leave you as fulfilled as if you had eaten 10 pancakes with lemon and sugar!

It's #mosaicmonday so here's a Pegasus (just like the ones on our Coat of Arms). Before you all come running to see this amazing 2nd century mosaic in an equally amazing medieval guild hall, it's actually on display at the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba, Spain. Just thought we should clarify.

Peel, boil and slice turnips, layer them with cheese, butter and a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a lot of black pepper, at least two layers of everything, top with grated cheese, bake in the oven. 'Garnished turnips' from a 15th century Neapolitan collection. It's amazing! 🤍💜 turnip love 💜🤍

And not a turnip in sight. Just your reminder that medieval food far from being bland could be full of flavour (if you had the dosh).

Oh look at that, it’s raining again. Let’s look at some early daffodils on York’s walls instead.

Blind Date: Merchant Adventurers’ Hall edition! 🧵 ❤️

Happy Valentine’s Day, from us to you. Tag your exes. Xoxox

Happy #ValentinesDay! It's time to bring out the annual 'hearts on buildings' again. If you know of more examples, do post them below.

Happy Valentines Day! Do you know what we love (apart from @romanpalace.bsky.social)? That yellow ball in the sky. Why hello there sunshine. 💛

We wonder if we rolled over biscuits whether it would work in the same way? 🤔

Roses are red, violets are blue, we’re not very good at rhyming, so here are some love hearts from our medieval hall… …for you. ❤️ Because it's nearly #valentinesday

Looking for something a little saucy for Valentines Day? 😘 Those of a nervous disposition may wish to avert your eyes because this is literally too hot to handle. An 1804 silver brandy saucepan. Swit. Swoo.

It says "Merchant's House Museum". 😮 @merchantshallyork.org have you checked your dressers?

Just a reminder everyone - we will see the sun again. We don't know when, but we will. Be strong. 💪

The Winter Olympics but in this c1695 Dutch Snowscene by Jan Griffier the Elder...

The universe according to bluesky. 😍 ⭐

In need of a mid morning snacc?! We’ve got you. 😘

Never mind the #superbowl this is what we’ve been waiting for. Yes it’s #museumsuperbowl I! Not everything in our very old Hall is very old. This bowl is a good example: Made in 2000 this Christening bowl/dish has the Merchant Adventurers prayer and wavy lines representing its seafaring past.

Unlike our esteemed Bluesky beau, @romanpalace.bsky.social we do not have a Superb Owl. We do however have an angry looking bird on a 17th century silver porringer. Not so #superbowl

It's Superbowl Sunday! So here's our traditional, and predictable Superb Owl. 🏈🦉 #SuperbOwl #SuperbOwl2026

Sunday greetings! Here’s a real time view of the Hall, with what you will see is a light grey sky. This is an improvement from the dark grey sky of yesterday.

We knew we were cool but we have an ice sculpture to prove it! 😉 This is ‘Wings of Ice’ - a Pegasus in frozen form. The Pegasus as you will know is on our Coat of Arms. This sculpture will be in our garden today and tomorrow as part of York’s Ice Trail!

Would you like to lick our pig? There's a sentence we never thought we'd use.... Happy Saturday! bsky.app/profile/barn...

Is it wrong that we want to lick this?

This! 👇

📢 Help us spread the word and bring back the #MuseumSuperbowl On Monday morning let's flood Bluesky with bowl and owls 🍜🦉 @wakefieldmuseums.bsky.social @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social @romanpalace.bsky.social @merchantshallyork.org @roystonmuseum.bsky.social @penleehousegallery.bsky.social

It's grey (again), it's raining (again) and we've run out of biscuits (absolute disaster). We are in need of some red door energy. May this bobby dazzler bring you some much needed oomph to get you through Friday. ❤️

I started this sketch of the @merchantshallyork.org during a visit seven years ago today, found it, and realized I should probably finish and scan it, so here we go!

We saw this book illustration and were taken with the ladies in medieval style costumes and then… Is that a cat? In armour?

We saw this book illustration and were taken with the ladies in medieval style costumes and then… Is that a cat? In armour?

Afternoon. It is still cloudy. Therefore our blue sky series continues with the Fossgate entrance to the Hall. Sunshine, 17th century brickwork, some rather lovely shop fronts and a colourful coat of arms. A veritable rainbow!

We don't know about you but we need some sunshine. Here's a view of the Hall in late summer just in case anyone has forgotten what blue sky looks like.

Today is a very grey day in York. The sky in this artwork for a railway advert is also very grey but they do have some FABULOUS 1920's fashions to brighten up the scene. Check out that cocoon coat!

It's National Golden Retriever Day and that's all the excuse we need. 🥰🥰

Mondays…

Prepare for your mind to be blown. The oak trees that make up the Undercroft were felled in 1358. Their size and scale would suggest that they were at least 250 years old. Which means they were saplings only 40 years after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Mind. Blown. 🤯

Attention everyone! Behold our beautiful staircase and red wall. That is all.

We see everyone is throwing it back to 2016. We thought we’d go back a bit further. So what about 1416? 😉

Do you come here often? 😙

Why hello there. 😙

Good evening! Our mouse says thank you for all the likes and reposts - she loves you too. 🐁 ❤️

Good morning from everyone at the Hall including Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson's mouse. She's doing very well she says and thanks you for asking.

It was horrible today - rainy, windy, cold. Generally rubbish. However the upside is that the Undercroft looks like this on a drab day. 👇