This weekend at the Museum we'll be baking, bodging and rope making. On Saturday we’ll be making loaves traditionally and multi- skilled craftsman, Alan will also be showing visitors his rope making skills. On Sunday see chair making demonstrations. Find out more >> www.coam.org.uk/events

Work is continuing on site to reconstruct our 1950s bandstand. This is a view of the roof struts. Cedar shingles will be going on soon, so these wont be visible for much longer.

Our beautiful roses outside of Astleham cottage are in bloom. #flowers #roses #garden

Thanks for visiting

Thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant we now have x2 paid 30hr/week traineeship opportunities. Collections and Interpretation NLHF Trainee Marketing and Visitor Experience NLHF Trainee We're also recruiting an Evaluation Consultant. Find out more www.coam.org.uk/joinus/careers #job

We're now on Bloomberg Connects - the arts & culture app. Discover more about our historic buildings, traditional gardens and heritage farm in this digital guide. Have all the Museum information at your fingertips! Download it at www.bloombergconnects.org

We love these knitted knight hats in our museum shop. What’s your favourite museum purchase? #museumshop #museum

Bright and sunny daffodils in our Leagrave cottage garden. #daffodil #Spring

Our scarecrow family are back in our Dig for Victory allotment. #1940s #chilternoam #scarecrow

We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Museum + Heritage Awards in the Visitor Accessibility Award! The global awards celebrate the very best in the world of museums, galleries, and cultural and heritage visitor attractions, so we're really excited to have made the shortlist.

Have you entered our photo competition yet? Your images of our Museum could be gracing the walls of one of our historic buildings this spring. Find out more at www.coam.org.uk/blogs/coam-p...

Hedgelaying is a traditional technique for creating a living fence by partially cutting and bending the stems of shrubs or small trees. The goal is to encourage new growth from the base of the stems. It's only carried out between October and March when trees and shrubs are dormant.

This week our Estate Manager joined the talented COAM Costume team for a fitting of the wonderful smock they've been creating. These fabulous volunteers have been working on the smock since September and Rachael was thrilled to try it on. Find out more www.coam.org.uk/blogs/costum...

An unusual view of our Iron Age roundhouse captured by our Warden earlier today. The fire in the roundhouse helps to dry the thatch and prevent infestations. It doesn't have a chimney or visible hole for the smoke to escape, so always looks quite magical when it billows through the roof.

This week's Object of the Week is a Daily Mail Year Book 1948. Located in the lounge of Amersham Prefab, you can find a 1948 edition of the Daily Mail Yearbook. It contained a selection of news headlines, to provide a summary of the year for its readers. #artefact #museum

Our new chickens seem to be having a competition to see who can lay the biggest egg. One of the girls is clearly winning! #chickens #eggs

We're looking to commission 6 artists (with lived experience) to create works for a St Albans Museums' Black History Research Group (BHRG) zine.  Submissions by 28 Feb 2025.

Despite a difficult year, our 2024 survey results revealed encouraging wildlife highlights: 🍄 New UK fungi species recorded 🌷 19,143 orchids at Aston Clinton Ragpits 🐦 Dartford warblers increased at Snelsmore Common Read a full account here: https://buff.ly/423GCc4 📷 Phil Townsend

We've seen your #WindowsOnWednesday posts and raise you these windows from our own collection.

Our talented costume team have been working on a smock for our Estate Manager. The design is early Victorian although smocks had been worn by agricultural workers for centuries. Find our about the history and design of smocks on our blog www.coam.org.uk/blogs/creati... #historiccostume #history

We're celebrating #HeritageTreasures! Chair-making is part of the heritage of the Chilterns, our High Wycombe Furniture Factory was home to Elliott & Sons, holders of the National Scheme for Employment of Disabled Men Certificate. www.coam.org.uk/buildings/hi... @heritagefunduk.bsky.social

Recently we received a new donation of a scrapbook once belonging to Mr Walter Keep. This is a fantastic record of his experiences in the First World War, and we'll be sharing some highlights on our pages! He kept a great record of his service and has filled the scrapbook with lots of annotations.

🔔 We're hiring 🔔 The (RBOR) Nature and Greenspaces Officer will help nature recover by working with stakeholders on the development of a series of projects that take action to improve outcomes for wildlife. To find out more and apply: https://buff.ly/3DFFlh9

Heritage Crafts and @theroyalmintuk.bsky.social have launched four new training bursaries for new and early-career precious metal workers who will benefit from up to £4,000 in funding as well as one-to-one support from Heritage Crafts. Deadline 7 March. www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-stories/...

We may be closed for the winter but work continues, maintaining and improving the site ready for re-opening in spring. This week our volunteers have been installing a new ramp for Thame Vicarage Room, making it accessible to more visitors in the new season.

The wildlife that live on the Museum site have been exploring in the dusting of snow. In front of the tollhouse we saw prints from badgers, deer and a heron. What prints have you found during these wintery days? #snow #pawprints

An embroidered sampler, dated 1853 in its original frame, can be found hung on the wall of our Haddenham Cottage. It shows a number of embroidered images, including flowers, shrubs, birds and butterflies. It also shows the alphabet in capitals and numbers up to 50. #museumobject #embroidery

This week's Object of the Week is a George VI Card. It’s a printed card, with the royal coat of arms on the front and a message from King George VI. This was issued to all school children after the end of WW2, to thank them for everything that they had endured and to encourage them for the future.

🎄This festive season, as families gather, share your RAF Story! 🥳 Download the RAF Stories app, record and send us your memories of love, bravery, and friendship. 💖💪🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Join stories like Peter Taylor’s WWII journey and help us preserve the RAF's legacy. Start today! #RAFStories 👉 bit.ly/3BQcHt6

This week's object of the week are lace bobbins. In Haddenham cottage, we have an assortment of wooden, lace bobbins. Making wooden bobbins was a delicate craft, which was popular in Victorian textile mills. Now, machine sewing uses bobbins made of plastic or metal cylinders. #lacemaking

This fabulous coal duty post topper was made by one of our volunteers for our Festive Weekend event this weekend. #Volunteers #ChristmasEvent #Museum

#OtD 4 Dec 1868 anti-militarist postal worker Clara Gilbert was born in the UK. She was active in opposing World War I, founded a League Against War and Conscription & was associated with Sylvia Pankhurst's Workers Socialist Federation stories.workingclasshistory.c...

This weekend we’re opening for a special Festive Weekend. Come and see our buildings decorated for Christmas, listen to local choirs, meet Tudor re-enactors, shop at local stalls, take part in crafts, ride a pony, meet Father Christmas and more Find out more www.coam.org.uk/events/festi... #events

This #GivingTuesday we’re asking you to support us. With costs rising and a lot of rain this year (not good for an outdoor museum) generating enough income has become more challenging. Please support us by sending us a gift from our list or by making a donation. www.coam.org.uk/coam-wish-list

⏳ 4 days to go! 🏅 Join us on Friday to hear from wheelchair racer Nathan Maguire. 🌟 📅 2 sessions to choose from! 🎟 Hurry! Bookings close Wednesday at 5pm. Secure your FREE ticket today and don't miss out! 👇 www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/Pages/Events... #MeetTheParalympian #Inspiration

Over the past year we've had a great team of researchers investigating our Victorian records for traces of Buckinghamshire's LGBTQ+ past, and now we're looking to create some art to bring their stories to life! Interested in volunteering? Apply at the link below. forms.gle/YgsRqKarCLMe...

Come to our Festive Weekend event this weekend.

Our blacksmith has made this fantastic sign for our Victorian forge from Garston. #blacksmith #traditionalcrafts #museum

In need of #Christmas preparation inspiration? Take a look at our ideas of ‘green’ gifts, to help get you organised, encourage outdoor experiences and support local organisations. www.colnevalleypark.org.uk/christmas-ar... #SupportLocal #GetOutdoorActive

It’s #MuseumShopSunday a day we shout out about all our museum shops and remind everyone that when you shop at a cultural venue or heritage site, you’re contributing to its future, as well as supporting the local suppliers and makers that create some of the products you’ll find there.

A precursor to our Advent beginning tomorrow, let’s start with #SANTACLAUS Or Saint Nicholas a rich bishop from Myra (now in Turkey) in the 4th Century! Meet our #Santa @chilternoam.bsky.social 7th & 8th Dec! Tune into PTLH TV for some fun fascinating #Christmas facts: youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Foundations have gone down for a 1950s bandstand that we are reconstructing. We hope it will be built in time for our 2025 Spring opening. #museum #bandstand #history

Who wants some figgy pudding? You can make your figgy pudding following our traditional recipe. We'll also be doing some traditional Christmas cooking during our Festive Weekend on the 7 and 8 December. Find out more at www.coam.org.uk/events/festi... #FiggyPudding #Christmas #ChristmasRecipe

Artefact of the week: Edward Briden created this stained glass window in 1946. He made it from fragments of stained glass from bombed church windows after WWII, subsequently preserving and appreciating the art that was destroyed by the war. #museum #museumobject

Calling mid-career library and archive professionals 📣 Looking to advance your career and connect with international peers? Join our International Library Leaders Programme for behind-the-scenes access and valuable insights. Apply by 6 February 2025: bit.ly/BL-Internati...

Henry has gone to pastures new. This rare breed Oxford Down ram has gone to help the breeding of another flock. The largest and heaviest of the British Down breeds, we'll miss the (often grumpy) nudges from this fella but we're sure he'll be having a lovely time with the new ladies in his life!

Looking for somewhere local to walk? Try one of our 18 Short Circular Walks: an easy way to start exploring the Colne Valley Park. Varying from 1½-5 miles. See here for directions, a map, points of historical interest and cafes en route. www.colnevalleypark.org.uk/things-to-do...

Our volunteers have taken over our meeting room with their Knit, Natter & Needlework club. With the Museum closed for the winter, they've been meeting for a cuppa while they work on their creations. You will discover some of their handmade items in the Friends shop during our Festive Weekend.

We've been commended for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism in the Tourism South East Beautiful South Tourism Awards for 2024. The award recognises our efforts to make our site as accessible and inclusive as we can. 👉 www.coam.org.uk/accessibility #museum #accessibility #access #inclusion

Marsworth Cattle Shelter used to house 8 horses. It is now home to a wooden horse displaying a horse collar, reins and other horse tack. These collars are used to distribute the load around a horse's neck and shoulders when pulling a wagon or plough. Find out more www.coam.org.uk/historicbuil...