Celebrating THE HERDS: an epic climate action project at UK museums
THE HERDS visited the UK in summer 2025. Discover more about this epic climate action project, which saw life-size puppet animals sweep through the UK.
From April to August 2025, herds of life-size puppet animals journeyed 20,000 kilometres from central Africa to the Arctic Circle. THE HERDS stampeded into cities, including London and Manchester, fleeing climate disaster.
This groundbreaking public art and climate initiative – the new project by the creators of The Walk – was designed to inspire action and renew our bond with the natural world.
On their journey THE HERDS met, collaborated with and performed alongside artists, dancers, theatre-makers and schoolchildren. Thousands of people experienced the performances in person and many more have engaged with their stories online.
How we helped everyone get involved
Art Fund supported 44 museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK to deliver activities inspired by THE HERDS' global journey.
Museums delivered activities and events, from puppet-making to nature walks, and invited their local communities to come together to explore, learn about and appreciate local nature and the challenges it faces in the face of the climate crisis.
Items in museums' collections were reinterpreted through an environmental lens, and families explored local biodiversity and the importance of habitat conservation with their own puppet creations.
Many activities were delivered in partnership with local nature groups, connecting with audiences, sparking conversations and inspiring local action.
Watch THE HERDS' journey
Here's a roundup of just some of the amazing things THE HERDS got up to:
Discover all participating museums, galleries and trusts:
Art Exchange – Colchester, University of Essex
Bankfield Museum – Halifax
Barnsley Museums & National Trust – Wentworth Castle Gardens, South Yorkshire
Beach Creative CIC – Herne Bay, Kent
Broughton House and Garden – Dumfries and Galloway
Chapter – Cardiff
Co-operative Heritage Trust – Rochdale
Culture Coventry Trust – Coventry
Dales Countryside Museum – Hawes, North Yorkshire
Falmouth Art Gallery – Falmouth, Cornwall
Great North Museum: Hancock – Newcastle upon Tyne
Gwella, Flintshire Libraries and Leisure – Mold, North Wales
Haslemere Educational Museum – Surrey
Hay Castle Trust – Hay-on-Wye
Herefordshire Museum Service – Worcestershire
Judges' Lodgings Museum – Lancaster
Kendal Museum – Kendal, Cumbria
Kirkleatham Museum – Redcar
Manchester Museum – Manchester
Museum of Oxford – Oxford
Natural History Museum (First Light Festival) – Lowestoft
Nature in Art Trust – Gloucester
Norton Priory Museum and Gardens – Cheshire
Our Big Picture – Grimsby
PK Porthcurno - Museum of Global Communications – Porthcurno, Cornwall
Quaker Tapestry Museum – Kendal, Cumbria
Rockingham Forest Trust – Stanwick, Northamptonshire
Science and Industry Museum – Manchester
Silk Heritage Trust – Macclesfield
St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery – Lymington, Hampshire
Stevenage Museum – Stevenage
Storiel – Bangor, Gwynedd
Tenby Museum & Art Gallery – Tenby, Pembrokeshire
The Art House – Wakefield
The Brunel Museum – London
The Exchange Erith Ltd. – Erith
The Mint House – Pevensey
The Museum of Land Speed – Pendine
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust – Stratford-upon-Avon
The Watt Institution – Greenock
UCL Grant Museum of Zoology – London
Wheal Martyn Trust – St Austell, Cornwall
Wigan Museum – Wigan
Yr Ysgwrn (Eryri National Park Authority) – Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd
Activities to do at home
Couldn't make an event? You can download fun activities to do yourself from THE HERDS website.
Let the Wildness In is a set of free resources, education and activity packs, puppet-making guides and more.