✨ Special upcoming events at Bristol Central Library ✨

Fugitives in the Archives: Curator's Tour

Wednesday 26 November 2025 at 12:30PM

Join guest curator Heather Marks for a talk and guided tour of her exhibition, Fugitives in the Archives. Discover the stories behind the collection as Heather shares insights into the research and themes that shaped this fascinating display.

Fugitives in the Archives will be on display at Bristol Central Library until 30 November 2025. 
Book your place

Ask AI about your ancestors: Using AI to trace your family tree

Saturday 22 November 2025, 3-4pm

Curious about how artificial intelligence can help uncover your family history?

Join us for a hands-on workshop exploring the exciting, and sometimes tricky, world of using AI tools to trace your ancestry. This session will guide you through practical exercises using AI chat platforms to investigate your family tree. 

Tickets for this session are free but must be booked in advance.
Find out more and book online

Lunchtime Talk with Author David Cairns: Writing Historical Fiction

Thursday 27 November 2025 at 12:30PM

Join us for a free lunchtime talk with author David Cairns, who will discuss the research he undertakes to make his fiction as 'real' and accurate as possible, how he has been inspired by British writers including Arthur Conan Doyle, and his love of a good mystery. The talk will be followed by a Q&A. 
Book now

Lunchtime Talk: Mistletoe and Vinyl - The Story of the Christmas No. 1

 
Thursday 11 December 2025 at 12:30PM

Marc Burrows explores the peculiarly British cultural phenomenon of the Christmas singles chart. The festive top spot was something that, prior to 1973, wasn’t particularly important but has since become a cornerstone of the December news cycle and, for years, an annual cultural moment … that may have reached the end of its life.

He traces the origins of the concept, through the Beatles and the-years-when-it-wasn’t-really-a-thing, the Glam rock boom, Band Aid, novelty records, the X-Factor years and the Sausage Roll charity records of the 2020s.
Book Now

Livestream: The Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution

 
Thursday 11 December 2025 at 6:00PM and Tuesday 16 December 2025 at 6:00PM 

The Christmas Lectures are broadcast every year and have been a family festive tradition for generations. In the 2025 Christmas Lectures Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock will take viewers on an epic journey through space and time, exploring the extraordinary breakthroughs that have revolutionised our understanding of the universe, enabling us to see ever further into space, and ever further back in time.

Watch live at Bristol Central Library in the Reading Room.

Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.
Reserve your place
Medieval Manuscripts at Bristol Central Library

Exhibition on display 4 – 18 Dec 2025

A rare opportunity to view a selection of medieval manuscripts from our collections. Highlights from this unique display include a richly decorated Book of Hours, a Missal made for St Augustine’s Abbey and an illustrated fifteenth-century guide to surgery. These beautiful and fascinating books offer a window into the faith, art, and learning of the Middle Ages.

On display for a limited time - not to be missed.

Upcoming events:
Book now

 Celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th Anniversary at Sea Mills Library  


Saturday 22nd November, 1pm

Join the Friends of Sea Mills Library for an afternoon of Regency charm including cakes and refreshments, a children’s drawing exhibition, raffle, silhouette drawing, story time & reading, giveaways and more.

Step into the world of Jane Austen and honour one of literature’s most beloved authors. Costumes encouraged!

Free entry – everyone welcome!
Find out more
Email: library.ideas@bristol.gov.uk
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