Unicorns. Dragons. Mermaids. Griffins. Who stole your heart in Mythical Creatures? Let us know, before they’re gone! Ends 22 Feb: colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/events/mythical-creatures

These brave snowdrops are already staking their claim on the castle grounds, a sure sign that spring isn't far behind. While winter still lingers over Colchester Castle's Norman walls, these delicate white blooms are quietly staging their annual takeover.

There's a special kind of stress that comes with driving into town: circling for a parking spot, feeding the meter, wondering if you've left enough time before it runs out. Skip all of that. All 3 Colchester Museums sites are now on Good Journey, which means you can plan your entire visit car-free.

We went to @colmuseums.bsky.social today, and saw a beautiful glowing dragon (made by puppet maker Stephanie Reeves)

Not only does this work for the #SuperBowl, but also in a (weird) way works for #ValentinesDay?

Dragons loved gold, or so the stories go. This gleaming Tudor crown was minted for Henry VIII between 1536 and 1537, and it's currently part of a dragon's hoard in our Mythical Creatures exhibition.

This curved fragment of glass once circled someone’s arm in Roman Britain. A simple object, but a surprisingly rich story. It’s a type 2.Ai bangle, one of several styles found in Romano-British contexts.

🎉 Good news! The lifts in the castle are now fixed and back in full working order. Thanks for bearing with us!

New to tabletop gaming? Friday 27 February at Colchester Castle is a friendly place to start. Ace Comics will be there to suggest games and help you learn the rules, whether you prefer co‑operative storytelling, head-to-head strategy, or party games.

Today’s #ThrowbackThursday is the distinctive Victorian building at the bottom of East Hill which was once an orphanage. Photographed in 1973, it stood where East Hill meets Brook Street, its detailed brickwork and arched windows giving it real presence.

Recognise this #ThrowbackThursday building with its sharp gables, decorative brickwork, and gothic-style windows? Snapped in 1973, this eye-catching structure sat right at the bottom of a Colchester hill... but what was it used for? Have a guess and check back this afternoon for the full story!

How is this exhibition almost over! Feels like we only put it up last week… If you haven’t already, try and make a visit. It’s one I’m particularly proud of! 🐉🦄🧜‍♀️(🦅🦁)

From thunderbolts to unicorn tusks, every object in Mythical Creatures holds a story. Some are ancient. Some are wild. All are waiting. Final chance to see them before the spell breaks on 22 February: colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/events/mythical-creatures

Both lifts at the Castle are currently out of service due to recent power surges. We expect one to be repaired within a week; the other may take up to three weeks. Thank you for your understanding and patience. We’ll keep you updated.

Colchester Castle has weathered almost a thousand years of change, from Norman conquest to central heating. Even ancient buildings have modern lessons to share.

This regulator clock was designed with precision in mind. Patented in 1836, its “dead beat escapement” mechanism reduced friction and compensated for changes in atmospheric pressure, which are vital for keeping accurate time.

There’s a lot happening at Colchester Museums this month, from family adventures to quiet moments in our historic spaces.

⚠️ Temporary closure – Colchester Castle Due to a power outage today, Saturday 31 January, Colchester Castle is closed until further notice. We’ll share updates as soon as we have them. Thank you for your patience.

The Castle always chooses drama. We respect it. Come see it for yourself this weekend: colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/visit/colchester-castle

This image of three women is found across the North-West Roman Empire. Probably originating in cultures before the Roman occupation, but not to be confused with the triad of Hecate, Luna and Diana. We have this less fancy one in Colchester Castle. cim-web.adlibhosting.com/ais6/Details...

We reopened earlier today, but a second power outage means we now have to close Colchester Castle for the rest of the day. Thank you for your continued patience. We really appreciate it, and we’ll keep you updated.

Planning your next campaign or strategy session? For one night only, you can take over your own corner of Colchester Castle. For Gaming Evening on Friday 27 February, you book an area for your group, then make it your base for the night.

Before the bombs fell, someone in Colchester had to decide where people would run. This wartime folder from our collections holds ten scale drawings for public air raid shelters, prepared by the borough engineers in 1939 and 1940.

Thank you for your patience this morning - we're now open at the Castle as usual. See you soon!

⚠️ Temporary closure notice Due to intermittent power cuts in the surrounding area, Colchester Castle is currently closed until full power is restored. Hollytrees Museum and the Natural History Museum remain open as usual. We’ll share updates as soon as we have them. Thank you for your patience.

DND night!

Our #ThrowbackThursday image showed Dr Renny's House in Crouch Street in February of 1930. It was a fine Georgian building that once offered meals and lodgings. Just a year later, it was replaced by The Regal cinema, which opened in 1931.

It's #ThrowbackThursday time! Can you place this impressive corner building? Whilst no longer standing today, the area still has some familiar faces. Have a guess and swing back later for the reveal!

Just 4 weeks left to face fire-breathers, horned guardians, and deep-sea legends. Mythical Creatures leaves Colchester Castle on 22 February. Don’t miss your chance to wander through centuries of story: colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/events/mythical-creatures

Colchester has just been named one of Britain’s most beautiful Roman towns and cities. From the Temple of Claudius beneath Colchester Castle to the Roman circus and Balkerne Gate, the town’s Roman story is still written into its streets, walls and underground spaces.

Are you a podcaster, blogger, illustrator, artist, or general history nerd who likes collaborating? We’re always up for working with creative people on projects around Colchester Museums. If that sounds like you, say hello 👋 or drop into our DMs.

Better keep an eye on that coin - the dragon does like a shiny...

This would be fun for a writers' retreat.

Who fancies a sleepover in a castle's jail?

Fancy a sleepover in Colchester Castle?

Sleep inside Colchester Castle! A private experience for schools and organised groups. Explore the Castle after hours, including spaces not usually open to the public, then settle in for a night inside this historic building. 📞 01206 282939 📧 [email protected]

Before you even read the name, the black border told you someone had died. This mourning envelope was posted in 1870 and sent to Philip Moore of Barrack Street. In Victorian Britain, even stationery followed the etiquette of grief, edged in black to signal a death in the family.

A sleepover in the Castle’s old gaol might sound like something from a story, but for some groups it’s a real night away. After the doors close, you get torchlit tales, then unroll sleeping bags right where people once spent the night for very different reasons.

Board game night is back at Colchester Castle with Ace Comics. Bring a board game or RPG, grab a table for up to six, and play after hours among the galleries: colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/events/gamin... What’s your first game of the night?

If The Traitors ever want a castle with form, Colchester has a strong contender. Under the galleries are the old prison cells, where people once faced real trials, rumours and long waits to hear their fate. The walls are still covered in carvings and quiet traces of the people who passed through.

The Castle is going red next week, joining landmarks across the country to shine a light on Kawasaki Disease and those affected by it. You can read more in this Colchester Gazette article: buff.ly/k3HYkbR If you spot the Castle glowing red, share your photos with us and help spread the word.

Ever walked past a gap in the High Street and felt like something is missing? Here’s your #ThrowbackThursday reveal!

I assert that every museum should have at least one inexplicably sketchy room. It may have just normal museum things in it or have something off like a reconstructed 1880s town¹, but it should just be...strange feeling.

A good mini thread about old-time punctuation

I would've loved to do something like this with my Scouts!

this sounds like so much fun--if I wasn't. y'know. an ocean away 😭 I want to have a sleepover at Colchester Castle for my birthday! I am an adult!

I’ve been doing some research into the Roman graffiti in @colmuseums.bsky.social and came across this lovely example. Sabina was probably either the person that wrote this or who owned the vessel (or both). Either way, a rare example of a Roman woman’s name written on an object.

Fascinating little document here. By their nature these were temporary, and the vast majority will have been carried about until they were worn to shreds, so its survival to this day is very much against the odds; but this would have been a key part of someone's scrabble for a livelihood.

It’s #ThrowbackThursday! Captured in 1935, this structure stood quietly with its windows shuttered and plaster peeling. But just a few months later, its façade would be completely transformed… or rather, removed. What stood here, and what replaced it? Stay tuned this afternoon for the full reveal!

We regret to inform you that this room in Hollytrees Museum is under suspicion. No hard evidence. Just vibes, watchful portraits and the sense a Secret Traitor could be sitting just out of frame. Would you banish it or keep it in? Visit and decide: buff.ly/uMPUYFn