Families in Ipswich can take part in a new painting trail at Christchurch Mansion starting this week. The activity, featuring the museum’s woolly mammoth mascot Woolly, runs from 23 May to 31 May 2026.
Organised by the Colchester + Ipswich Museums Service, the trail invites visitors to explore the historic site while hunting for 12 different artworks. For those needing easier access, a special Ladybird Trail is available on the ground floor of the building.
No advance booking is required for the event. Participants can simply purchase a copy of the trail from the Christchurch Mansion gift shop when they arrive. The trail costs £5 and includes a prize for children aged three and over.
The event coincides with the Constable 250 programme, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of Suffolk-born artist John Constable. The mansion, which sits within the 70-acre Christchurch Park, is well known for housing the largest collection of paintings by John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough outside of London. The celebration programme, supported by Ipswich Borough Council, runs until March 2027.
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