Fun for families this May half term

Enjoy a great day out this May half term with our Ways to Play programme. There are lots of free and low-cost family activities to enjoy across our museums and galleries.

Stephenson Steam Railway

A woman and toddler stick their heads out of a train carriage window. The toddler is pointing at something off camera and they both look excited

Heritage train rides and a museum to enjoy 

Stephenson Steam Railway offers a family-friendly journey into the coal-powered past, with heritage train rides and exhibits of historic rail vehicles in the museum. It's located near Silverlink retail park in North Tyneside.

Plan your visit to Stephenson Steam Railway.

Heritage Train Ride 

Take a trip along the historic route once taken by the coal trains from the collieries to the River Tyne, in a 1950s passenger carriage. 

Stephenson Steam Railway | 25, 29 May and 1 June | Child / concession - £7, Adult - £9, Family (2 adults and 2 children) - £23, pay once and ride all day. 

Book tickets for your Heritage Train Ride.

Teddy Bear Picnic Train Ride 

Bring your favourite bear along on a heritage train ride and enjoy puppetry from The Mosstroopers. 

Stephenson Steam Railway | 26 May | Child / concession - £7, Adult - £9, Family (2 adults and 2 children) - £23.

Book tickets for a Teddy Bear Picnic Train Ride.

Discovery Museum

A woman and toddler laughing together

Newcastle's story through the ages 

Discovery Museum is a family-friendly museum in Newcastle city centre showcasing Tyneside's rich maritime, scientific, military and industrial heritage. 

Plan your visit to Discovery Museum.

Build A LEGO® City

Celebrate 140 years of Newcastle upon Tyne's city status by building it in Lego®.

Discovery Museum | 29 May | £1.50.

Book tickets for Build A Lego® City.

Tiny Tyneside 

A free play space for our smallest visitors. 

Discovery Museum | Daily | Free, drop in.

Find out more about Tiny Tyneside. 

Great North Museum: Hancock

A head and shoulders close up of a boy smiling

A natural history and archaeology adventure 

Great North Museum: Hancock is a family-friendly museum in Newcastle city centre exploring natural history, archaeology and human cultures. It was founded in 1884 by the brothers John and Albany Hancock.

Plan your visit to the Great North Museum: Hancock.

Blossom

Follow the dawn to dusk cycle of a Japanese cherry blossom tree in this immersive experience. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 24 May - 1 June | Free, drop in.

Find out more about Blossom Festival events at the museum.

Mouse Tales

A storytime session with songs and activities for under 5s and family. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 27 May | Free, booking essential. 

Book tickets for Mouse Tales.

Relaxed Mouse Tales 

A storytime session for under 5s and families who need a quieter environment. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 27 May | Free, booking essential. 

Book tickets for Relaxed Mouse Tales.

Relaxed Early Opening

Enjoy early access to the museum for a quieter, more relaxed experience. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 27 May | Free, booking essential.

Book tickets for Relaxed Early Opening.

Underground Adventures With Murray The Mole 

Free family trails where you can explore the museum and collect prizes. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | Daily | Free, drop in.

Find out more about Underground Adventures With Murray The Mole.

Woodhorn Museum

A boy wears a cardboard drum around his neck. He is surrounded by other children playing on grass.

Celebrating Northumberland's proud mining heritage 

Woodhorn is a family-friendly museum in Ashington, Northumberland. It tells the story of what daily life was really like for miners in Northumberland, alongside an ever-changing contemporary arts and events programme. 

Plan your visit to Woodhorn Museum.

Pop Up Ashington Group Hut 

Create some bait for a miner's dinnertime using the materials provided. 

Woodhorn Museum | 24 May - 1 June | Included with Annual Pass, drop in.

Find out more about Pop Up Ashington Group Hut.

Birds Of Prey 

Meet the team from Ridgeside Falconry and see their spectacular birds of prey flying display. 

Woodhorn Museum | 28 May | Included with Annual Pass, drop in. 

Find out more about Birds Of Prey.

Build The Woodhorn Band 

Have a go at making your own musical instrument for the Northumbrian Miner's Picnic. 

Woodhorn Museum | 28 May | Included with Annual Pass, drop in. 

Find out more about Build The Woodhorn Band.

The Northumberland Open Exhibition 2025 

Your last chance to see this year's annual Northumberland Open Exhibition, featuring submissions from artists from Northumberland and beyond. 

Woodhorn Museum | Until 1 June | Included with Annual Pass. 

Find out more about The Northumberland Open Exhibition 2025.

The Coal Town Collection 

A new gallery celebrating the legacy of social documentary photographer, Mik Critchlow. 

Woodhorn Museum | From 24 May | Included with Annual Pass. 

Find out more about The Coal Town Collection.

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort

A woman and child sit at a table, drawing

Roman buildings reconstructed

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site in South Shields. You can step into reconstructed Roman buildings on the fort site and explore fascinating archaeological finds from Arbeia in the museum. 

Plan your visit to Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort.

Archaeology Drawing Activity 

Excavate an object and then record and draw what you find. 

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort | 28 May | Free, drop in. 

Find out more about Archaeology Drawing Activity.

Hexham Old Gaol

A man looks over the shoulder of a boy. He is pointing at a craft table.

England's oldest Gaol

Hexham Old Gaol is a family-friendly museum in Hexham, Northumberland. You can delve into the history of what life was really like for prisoners from the 1300s to the 1820s. 

Play Medieval Board Games

Learn to play the popular Medieval strategy game, Six Men Morris. 

Hexham Old Gaol | 24 May - 1 June | Included with Annual Pass, drop in. 

Find out more about Play Medieval Board Games.

Segedunum Roman Fort

A girl dressed in Roman clothing holds and blows into a long trumpet

Where Hadrian's Wall begins and ends

Segedunum Roman Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Wallsend, North Tyneside. Built in AD 122 to guard the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall, Segedunum housed 600 Roman soldiers and stood as a symbol of Roman rule for nearly 300 years. 

Plan your visit to Segedunum Roman Fort.

Create Your Own Roman Character 

Have a go at creating your own Roman character.

Segedunum Roman Fort | 26 May | Children, under 21s and NE28 residents go free, charges apply for adults.

Find out more about Create Your Own Roman Character.

Hooves And History 

Historical re-enactment group, Equistry bring the Roman cavalry to life, to celebrate 25 years of Segedunum. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 31 May - 1 June | Children, under 21s and NE28 residents go free, charges apply for adults.

Find out more about Hooves And History.

A great value day out with Tyne & Wear Metro

Nexus' Kids go free campaign graphic

Our May half term events are part of our Ways to Play programme of free and low-cost family-friendly activities. 

Make your Ways to Play adventure a great value day out by travelling to our venues by the Metro and/or Ferry. Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the Metro and the Shields Ferry with a fare-paying adult. Metro is the convenient, fast and frequent way to get to your favourite attractions and now it's even more affordable. 

To find out more about kids go free on the Metro, visit the Nexus website.

Ways to Play is sponsored by Tyne and Wear Metro.

Tyne and Wear Metro logo