Family fun this summer at North East Museums

Enjoy great family days out this summer holidays with our Ways to Play programme. There are lots of free and low-cost activities to enjoy across our museums and galleries.

Let's have fun!

Stephenson Steam Railway

Two children stand at the door of a rail carriage, they are looking towards the camera and smiling.

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.

Dinky Dinosaur Adventure Day 

Meet a group of adorable baby dinosaurs and join them for a heritage train ride, as you learn all about them from a team of expert handlers. This experience is perfect for dino fans aged 5—12, but fun for the whole family. 

Stephenson Steam Railway | 25 August | Tickets from £7 | Book tickets for Dinky Dinosaur Adventure Day

Heritage Train Rides

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 | 20, 24, 27 July and 2 August | 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

Woodland Walk 

Explore this new outdoor space and learn about the area's natural and industrial heritage. 

Stephenson Steam Railway | Open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday | Free, drop in | Find out more about the Woodland Walk

Family Craft Activities

Take part in a different family craft activity inspired the railway and its surroundings every Thursday. 

Stephenson Steam Railway | Thursdays throughout the summer holidays | Free drop in events, various dates:

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort

Two children put their heads through the holes of a caricature of Roman soldiers. The text on the caricature reads Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort.

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.

Time Quest: A Mini Dig 

Become an archaeologist every Wednesday. Uncover 2000-year old Roman artefacts and learn about life on the fort. 

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort | 23, 30 July and 6, 13, 20, 27 August | Free, timed slots | Find out more about Time Quest: A Mini Dig

Free Guided Tours 

Join one of our knowledgeable volunteers for a guided tour of Arbeia, where they'll bring history to life with fascinating stories and expert insight into the Romans. 

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort | Thursday throughout the summer holidays | Free, booking essential | Book tickets for your Free Guided Tour

Meet the Tungrians 

Travel back to the early second century and meet the Tungrian Auxiliaries. Visit their encampment, chat to the Roman soldiers and their families, try on armour and take part in drill exercises. 

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort | 26, 27 July | Free, drop in | Find out more about Meet The Tungrians

Victor the Veteran

Meet Victor the Veteran and find out all about Roman food and the equipment carried by soldiers. 

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort | 13 August | Free, drop in | Find out more about Victor The Veteran

Roman Toys and Games 

Join Louisa and her mule, Frances and have a go at lots of fun, Roman-style games and activities. 

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort | 20 August | Free, drop in | Find out more about Roman Toys and Games

Great North Museum: Hancock

A child smiles at the camera, holding a magnifying glass.

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. 

Clay? Relay! Archaeological festival activities

Create your own clay artwork inspired by clay artefacts, and learn more from museum experts.

Great North Museum: Hancock | 21 July and 25 July | 10am-2pm | Free, drop in | Find out more about Clay? Relay!

Mouse Tales

Storytime, songs and a special opportunity to handle a museum object for under 5s and their families. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 22, 29 July and 5, 12, 19, 26 August | Free, booking essential | Book tickets for Mouse Tales

Time Odyssey: A Family Adventure  

An exciting new interactive learning experience which takes families on a quest physically and virtually. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 22, 29 July and 5, 12, 19, 26 August | Free, booking essential | Find out more about Time Odyssey

Canvas Painting and Collage

Help us to decorate four large canvases inspired by objects in the museum. Visit again after the summer holidays to see them on display. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 30 July and 6, 13 August | 10am – 2pm | Free, drop in | Find out more about Canvas Painting and Collage

Creatures for a Changing Climate

Come along to the museum and create a new species of animal from recycled materials. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | 31 July and 7, 14 August | 10am – 2pm | Free, drop in | Find out more about Creatures for a Changing Climate

Mindful Colouring

Grab some crayons and relax in the Living Planet gallery with some mindful colouring in. 

Great North Museum: Hancock | Daily | Free, drop in | Find out more about Mindful Colouring

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 woman and child look at a glass jar next to a bed of flowers

Woodhorn Museum is a family-friendly museum in Ashington. It tells the story of what daily life was really like for miners in Northumberland. 

Pop Up Ashington Group Hut

Have a go at creating your own football pennant, making your own Victorian cooking range and making a meal for a miner this summer holidays. 

Woodhorn Museum | 19 July — 31 August | Free, drop in | Find out more about Pop Up Ashington Group Hut

Family Craft Activities 

Join us for Wild Wednesdays and take part in free, family-friendly craft activities. 

Woodhorn Museum | Wednesday throughout the summer holiday | Free, drop in | Find out more about Family Craft Activities

Woodhorn Wild Trail 

Follow our family-friendly wild trail around the museum grounds to discover the animals and plants living at Woodhorn. 

Woodhorn Museum | Daily | Free, drop in | Find out more about Woodhorn Wild Trail

Segedunum Roman Fort

A child dressed in a Roman cloak and collar stands against a wooden backdrop and smiles at the camera

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.

Victor the Veteran

Find out about life on a military campaign and recruitment for the Roman army. Do you have what it takes?

Segedunum Roman Fort | 21 July | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Victor the Veteran

Make a Roman Shield

Every Roman soldier would paint their shield with something important to them or their unit. Have a go at creating your own. What would you choose?

Segedunum Roman Fort | 21 July | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Make a Roman Shield

Explore Archaeology 

Find out what archaeologists do with an object once it has been removed from the ground. Have a go at finding, sorting and recording your finds. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 28 July | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Explore Archaeology

Living History Day 

Try on armour and helmets and handle the weapons of the Roman legionary or British Warrior to see what life might have been like in Roman occupied Britain. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 4 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Living History Day

Make a Roman Flag 

Create your own flag and have fun flying it. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 4 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Make a Roman Flag

Gladiator Encampment 

Visit the encampment to see the gladiators train, see how they lived, ask questions and take part in historical crafts. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 9 and 10 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Gladiator Encampment

Mini Roman Character 

Create your own Roman figures using art straws in this workshop led by Simon Terry. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 11 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Mini Roman Character

Graham the Potter 

Enjoy a Roman pottery demonstration, talk and handling session with Master craftsman and experimental archaeologist, Graham Taylor. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 18 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Graham the Potter

Crown Making

Make your own crown or staff and become a Roman god or goddess for the day. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 18 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Crown Making

Hadrian Festival 

Celebrate Emperor Hadrian's birthday with a festival of combat demonstrations, horse parades, cavalry displays, cooking and crafts. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 23 and 24 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Hadrian Festival

Make a Roman Cavalry Mask 

Have a go at making your own Roman cavalry mask, like the ones that would have been used at Hadrian's Wall. 

Segedunum Roman Fort | 25 August | Admission charges apply | Find out more about Make a Roman Cavalry Mask

Discovery Museum

Three children in a museum exhibition look up at the ceiling.

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

Racing Cars

Explore the power of potential energy and build your own elastic-band racing car. 

Discovery Museum | 22 July | £2.50, booking recommended | Book tickets for Racing Cars

Paper Planes

Make and fly your own gliders, paper aeroplanes and twirling helicopters with our simple paper makes. 

Discovery Museum | 24 July | Free, booking recommended | Book tickets for Paper Planes

Discover a Story 

Listen to a story and get stuck into crafts and play activities inspired by the themes of the story. 

Discovery Museum | 25 July, 1, 8, 15 August | £3.50, booking essential | Book tickets for Discover a Story

Robot Cargo Ships 

Can you design a contraption that allows a robot to carry a boat full of pennies across water? 

Discovery Museum | 29 July | £2.50, booking recommended | Book tickets for Robot Cargo Ships

Shipshape 

Take part in floating and sinking experiments and build origami boats to take home. 

Discovery Museum | 31 July | Free, booking recommended | Book tickets for Shipshape

Lemon Power 

Have a go at making your own lemon powered clock. 

Discovery Museum | 5 August | £2.50, booking recommended | Book tickets for Lemon Power

Going Green 

Explore alternative energy sources with a range of experiments using solar power, wind power and taking a closer look at hydrogen. 

Discovery Museum | 7 August | Free, booking recommended | Book tickets for Going Green

Clean it Up 

Invent a contraption and use a Sphero robot to collect rubbish and put it in the correct bin. 

Discovery Museum | 12 August | £2.50, booking recommended | Book tickets for Clean it Up

Simple Machines 

Create moving machines from K'nex and Lego®.

Discovery Museum | 14 August | Free, booking recommended | Book tickets for Simple Machines

Circuit Challenges

Make circuits and explore conductors and insulators. Test your skills by making a torch to take home. 

Discovery Museum | 19 August | £2.50, booking recommended | Book tickets for Circuit Challenges

Super Circuits 

Prototype an invention using littleBits. 

Discovery Museum | 21 August | Free, booking recommended | Book tickets for Super Circuits

Codes and Puzzles

Build your own Morse Code machine using Turing Tumbles. 

Discovery Museum | 26 August | £2.50, booking recommended | Book tickets for Codes and Puzzles

Secret Code

Investigate binary code using Lego®. Can you send a message using 0s and 1s?

Discovery Museum | 28 August | Free, booking recommended | Book tickets for Secret Code

Tiny Tyneside 

A new play space for our smallest visitors. Explore and play around the themes of the museum with replica transport, invention and bridges.

Discovery Museum | Daily | Free, drop in | Find out more about Tiny Tyneside

A great value day out with Tyne & Wear Metro

Metro Kids Go Free campaign graphic

Our summer holiday 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 its 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.