News release
For Immediate Release
Friday 22 August 2025
New weekly early years sessions starting at Worcester’s historic Commandery
Pikelets: Tots Through Time is The Commandery’s first-ever early years programme designed to encourage little ones to explore, play and learn.
Every Wednesday morning, the session will take place in a different area of the museum and gardens, with the activities tailored to the space. Little ones can be a shape detective in the Medieval Great Hall, join in a tea party in the Georgian rooms, take part in sensory scavenger hunts in the beautiful walled gardens and much more. Every session is rounded off with a drink, biscuit and a story.
Pikelets: Tots Through Time has been carefully designed for crawlers to pre-school children, with fun activities each week to help develop fine motor skills, counting, play-based learning and creative thinking – all within The Commandery’s unique museum setting.
“We can’t wait to welcome even more of our youngest visitors to The Commandery – and for them to meet each other!” Helen Manning, Events and Activities Coordinator.
The Commandery’s facilities include a baby change, lift access to the first floor of the building, all in a convenient city centre location (WR1 2HU). Parking can be found nearby at King Street (WR1 2NX) and Commandery Road (WR1 2HY).
Onsite café Little Al’s at The Commandery is the perfect spot for a post-Pikelets coffee and cosy chat indoors or in the canal-side garden.
The Commandery has a fascinating and varied history, most famous for being the Royalist Headquarters during the Battle of Worcester 1651. Built on the site of an early medieval chapel, it has also been a monastic hospital, family home, a college for the blind, and it housed the Littlebury Printworks before becoming today’s museum revealing significant stories of its city’s history.
Sessions are on Wednesdays, 10.15 – 11.45am, are £5 per child and £2.50 for any additional siblings. For visitors wishing to look around the museum after the session, you can enjoy a 50% discount on day admission (£4.50 for adult day ticket instead of £9. Under 5s go free).
Plan your visit and find out more at museumsworcestershire.org.uk/events/pikelets-tots-through-time-early-years-sessions.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Images attached show Pikelets: Tots Through Time participants.
Opening hours
The Commandery is usually open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm, and Sundays, 10am – 3pm.
The Commandery’s History
The Commandery was founded as a monastic hospital around 1085 by Saint Wulfstan, then Bishop of Worcester, to serve the needs of travellers outside the city walls and beautiful wall paintings from the 1500s can be seen on the walls of The Commandery today.
Most of the building dates form the late fifteenth century and is of timber framed construction. The Commandery was one of the last monastic institutions to be dissolved by Henry VIII in 1540. In 1651 Charles II marched into Worcester and set up his Headquarters in the city, with the commander-in-chief the Duke of Hamilton billeted at The Commandery.
The building has also been a family home, a school for the blind, and a printing works.
For more information or further images please contact Alice Benbow, Museums Marketing Officer: alice.benbow@worcester.gov.uk / 01905 361828.