Roman Exeter and the Seaton Down Hoard gallery handling

RAMM is running a Roman Exeter gallery handling session on Thursday 29 October, part of a series that's been popping up across the autumn. It's a drop-in activity in the Making History gallery, so you can just wander in whenever suits you between 10.30am and 3.30pm. The whole thing centres on Roman Exeter — known then as Isca — and the chance to get your hands on real and replica Roman artefacts.

The main draw is the Seaton Down Hoard, which was found in East Devon and contains more than 22,000 Roman coins. It's one of the most significant Roman finds in Britain, and the hoard itself is described as a vivid snapshot of life, economy and empire in the 4th century. The session is led by volunteer guides rather than being a museum-led school visit, though a 20-minute handling session can be worked into a teacher-led trip if you're bringing a group.

If you're not around on the 29th, there are other dates to choose from. It ran on 19 August (10.30am – 3.30pm), 3 September (10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm), 16 September (10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm), and 7 October (10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm). There are still more coming up: 18 November (10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm), 2 December (10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm), and 16 December (10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm).

RAMM itself is Exeter's world-class museum, an ACE Accredited public venue whose galleries and exhibitions trace Devon and Exeter's history and global connections. The World Cultures galleries show items from all over the world, and admission to the museum is free. The handling session is also free of charge, so you can just turn up on the day.