Upcoming Events

"1919, 1969, 1994: New Beginnings and Key Influences" To be presented by Mrs Gillian Johnston. This is an open evening followed by a social gathering. The Lord Mayor of Leicester will attend. President Mrs Gillian Johnston with the Lord Mayor of Leicester Councillor Annette Byrneafter her address The lecture will be held at the New Walk Museum:

To be presented by Professor Kate RetfordProfessor of History of Art, Birkbeck, University of London Earlier this year, the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery was able to purchase William Hogarth’s important painting of the Wollaston family (1730), thanks to a crowdfunding campaign and crucial support from the Art Fund. This was a major acquisition, securing one of the most important examples of a conversation piece painted in Britain in the early eighteenth century. In this lecture, Professor Kate Retford, author…

To be presented by Professor Martin Barstow.Space Park Leicester Project Director School of Physics & Astronomy , University of Leicester Sponsored by British Science Association Space programmes are often viewed as an expensive luxury, even for developed nations, and are criticised for swallowing resources that might be better spent on social needs such as hospitals. However, in the 21st century, space is inextricably part of our lives. Exploration has revealed the incredible diversity of the Solar System and helped us understand…

To be presented by Dr Nicholas CambridgeHonorary Research Fellow in Humanities and Medical History, University of Buckingham Sponsored by the University of Leicester Charles Dickens' broad interest in medicine is evident in his novels and journals. What is less well known is Dickens' florid medical history. Having carefully read over 14,000 letters in the 12-volume Pilgrim Edition plus 400 others, the speaker has identified 20 separate medical conditions that Dickens suffered from and believes that he was in denial with…

To be presented by Professor Greg Walker FRHS FEA FSA FRSE Regius Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature, University of Edinburgh. Sponsored by Loughborough University. Pieter Bruegel the Elder - Children’s Games What did Tudor audiences find funny, and why? Taking inspiration from the Bruegel painting known in English as Children's Games, the talk will look at the ways in which children's movements as represented in that painting can help us to understand important aspects of clowns in plays such…

To be presented by Professor David Howarth, Professor of Law and Public Policy, University of CambridgeFellow of Clare College Cambridge. The lecture will be held in the New Walk Museum

To be given by Professor Bob White FRS Professor of Geophysics, Bullard Laboratories, Cambridge Joint lecture with the Geology Section Volcanic eruptions in Iceland have fascinated writers for centuries. In 1775 Benjamin Franklin correctly identified the cause of the terrible weather that summer in Europe as caused by an eruption in Iceland, which turned out to be the biggest known historic eruption. In 1864 Jules Verne based his ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’ on a presumed volcanic conduit…

The Leicester Mercury Media Lecture To be given by Mr Mike Sassi, Editor of Nottingham Post The lecture will highlight the fact that although local newspaper circulations may have diminished, readership of their websites is increasing rapidly. At least part of that increase is due to the fact that their brands are still trusted - which is why they can perform a valuable service for the communities that they serve. To be held at the New Walk Museum

Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff CBE FRSResearch Professor in ChemistryUniversity of Nottingham Sponsored by Royal Society of Chemistry To be held at the New Walk Museum:

To be given byProfessor Raanan GillonProfessor Emeritus of Ethics Imperial College London, Chairman of the Institute of Medical Ethics, President of the British Medical Association Sponsored by De Montfort University To be held at the New Walk Museum: