Home history, tuxes, Constable’s art...and Saturnalia. It's all happening in Essex's museums this week. 

1. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19

WANT to discover the secrets of your home and who used to live in your house? Have you ever wondered about the history of your home?

Now you can, via to an event at the Essex Record Office in Wharf Road, Chelmsford.

Whatever kind of building you call home, how old it is, or where it stands, your own special place is sure to have a history – and the record office may hold the key to unlocking your home’s past.

A special session later this week will help you to begin to discover the history of your house, or any other building for that matter, using documents from the Record Office archive.

2pm-4pm. Tickets are £10 and must be booked in advance by calling 033301 32500

2. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19

JAMES Bond wouldn’t be seen dead without his, but there’s much more to tuxedoes than you might imagine. Southend’s Beecroft Art Gallery, in Victoria Avenue, is the venue for a lunchtime Black Tie Exhibition tour with costume volunteer, Iona Farrell on Thursday.

Join Iona for a tour of the museum’s black tie exhibition, a celebration of stunning evening wear and accessories through the ages, including a silky celebrity number.

12.30pm-1pm. Admission £2 southendmuseums.co.uk

3. ALL WEEK 

WANT to get a closer look at one of John Constable’s masterpieces? The Essex artist’s work, On the Stour, is now on permanent display in the Beecroft Art Gallery in Victoria Avenue, Southend and can be found on the first floor gallery, along with other works from the gallery’s collection.

It has been on loan for the past six months to the Museo Centro Gaiás in Santiago de Compostela in Spain, as part of amajor exhibition, but is now back in Southend.

More details: southendmuseums.co.uk 

4. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1

essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk GEORGINA Green from the Essex History Group will be giving a talk entitled Explorers and Traders, focusing specifically on their Essex connections next mont at the Essex Record Office, in Wharf Road, Chelmsford.

10.30am. £1 including tea and coffee. No need to book.

5. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4- SUNDAY JANUARY 3.

COLCHESTER Castle Museum is exploring the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia this season.

Before we had Christmas, there was Saturnalia – a festival in honour of the God Saturn. It included many aspects of our modern Christmas, including gift-giving and feasting.

Pick up a 50p trail leaflet from the front desk at Colchester Castle and follow the Saturns around the museum for your chance to win a Roman goodie pack.

More details: visitcolchester.com.