We are now closed for the winter.
We’ll be reopening in March 2026. As well as a six-acre site and over 20 heritage buildings to explore, we have a varied and creative programme of events and activities throughout the year, so do check back for updates.
Apple and Pear Pruning Workshop
- why we prune fruit trees
- when to prune
- how to prune for general maintenance and to encourage fruiting
- how much wood to take off
- managing an overgrown fruit tree
Apple Tree Grafting Workshop
Saturday 28 February 2026, 9.30am – 1.00pm
Apples don’t ‘come true’ from seed or root cuttings. Grafting allows for the propagation of known, desired apple varieties, ensuring the fruit will be the same as the parent tree. The technique involves joining a scion (a cutting from a desired apple variety) to a selected rootstock, determining the height and vigour of the new tree.
In this workshop you will learn how to graft – mastering the technique by watching demonstrations and having a go.
Scions will be taken from a selection of the Museum’s heritage apple trees and joined to rootstock (provided), suitable for producing cordon, espalier, step-over or freestanding apple trees so your new tree will fit into even the smallest garden. Full aftercare instructions will be given.
Please dress in warm clothes and good shoes as some of the workshop will be outside in the Museum’s orchard. Demonstrations and hands-on aspects will be inside. All tools will be provided.
Includes coffee and cake, and one grafted rootstock to take home.
Course participants limited to 10. £30.00pp.
No dogs.
Making a Meal of it
Closed for winter, re-opening in March 2026
From the humblest cottage bakers, to the farmers and growers, how our ancestors fed themselves is a story of hard graft. Join us on a tantalising journey through the resilience, innovation and culinary creativity of the people of the past. Behind every bite and morsel, there is a story.
Discover… the story of the Sonley bakers from Kirkbymoorside, baking recipes of Museum founder Hannah Crosland, old beer brewers and bottlers of Ryedale, pig, poultry and beekeeping of the past and ways to cook and eat your Yorkshire Pudding – plus more!
This exhibition is included with admission to the Museum.
May Day Celebrations
Monday 4 May 2026
Maypole Dancing
Marking the arrival of summer, May Day has traditionally been an important day in the folk calendar. We will be celebrating with traditional maypole dancing to live music, with a chance for visitors to have a go or just watch the fun!
More details of dancing times will be posted here shortly.
Bee Skep Making Demonstrations – 10.30am – 3.00pm
Museum volunteer, Jim Wood, will be showing visitors the craft of bee skep making. Bee skeps are baskets woven from straw and used to keep bees in, before modern hives. This traditional craft is endangered and very few people across the U.K. can make skeps.
Jim was recently featured on BBC Two’s Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes where he showed Robson and friend, Chris Kamara how to make a bee skep at Ryedale Folk Museum. You can watch the programme on iPlayer, using the link above.
A previous May Day at the Museum in the 1970s
Filming at the Museum with Robson Green and Chris Kamara