Children activity
Join free family activities this summer
National Museums Liverpool has a fun-filled summer of events and activities for the whole family to enjoy across all of the venues. Mini pirates, painters and explorers will love what is on offer in our eight museums and galleries.
The Museum of Liverpool reflects the city’s global significance through its unique geography, history and culture. Visitors can explore how the port, its people, their creative and sporting history have shaped the city. From 18 to 27 July the Festival of Archaeology, a series of special events and activities exploring Liverpool’s regional archaeology collection, will bring history to life. Families can explore the work of the Museum’s Archaeology team, their recent digs and take part in a range of interactive workshops, craft activities and even get to meet Vikings.
Over at the Albert Dock Merseyside Maritime Museum offers families the chance to uncover objects from Titanic, find out about life at sea and learn about the port of Liverpool. Uncover objects from the Titanic, find out about life at sea and learn about the port of Liverpool.There is also a busy summer programme for families, including one especially for little pirates! For any child who has wondered if a swashbuckling life is all it’s cracked up to be, the Museum is holding pirate-themed events (3 & 16 August), where children can create their own fearsome pirate masks, treasure chests or parrots in craft events.
Visitors can enter the world of the Customs Officer – a dark and unseen place of smuggling, intrigue and danger, where things are not always what they seem in Seized! Border and Customs uncovered. Families can learn all about smuggling by trying their hands at being a Customs Officer in rummage events (23 July and 14, 21 and 27 August); hearing tales of travelling, adventures and smuggling in storytelling sessions (28 July and 13 August), or meeting the UK Border Force dog team from Manchester Airport in a Sniffer Dog demonstration (4, 11, 18 and 26 August), learning how these cute animals detect hidden contraband.
Upstairs in the Merseyside Maritime Museum is the International Slavery Museum. Opened in 2007, it is the only museum of its kind to look at aspects of historical and contemporary slavery, as well as being an international hub for resources on human rights issues. There is plenty going on at the Museum over the summer holidays including the chance to make your own badges, mini heroes and comic books, inspired by the latest exhibition Afro Supa Hero (2, 3, 9, 10, 21, 22, 30 July and 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 29 August).
Afro Supa Hero badges (c) Gareth Jones
Discover treasures from around the world, explore outer space and meet live creatue floors of intrigue and excitement at World Museum help visitors to explore the whole world. From the wonders of space, treasures from around the globe, and live creatures in the Bug House and Aquarium, there is something for everyone including the Discover treasures from around the world, explore outer space and meet live creatures! Discover treasures from around the world, explore outer space and meet live creatures! Discover treasures from around the world, explore outer space and meet live creatures! Discover treasures from around the world, explore outer space and meet live creatures! Eye for Colour exhibition, back at World Museum for its 10th anniversary. A must–see visual feast of an exhibition that will alert the senses and stimulate the mind, it is packed with hands-on exhibits and interactive displays, exploring the endless ways in which colour shapes our world.
Visitors can also join in with batastic creative crafts to celebrate International Bat Night (27 and 28 August) and have a go at making finger puppets, bat masks and origami pet bats. Or there’s the brand new planetarium shows taking place every day in the school holidays. Just buy tickets from the Info Desk to take a space journey that’s out of this world! More information can be found here www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/planetarium.
The Walker Art Gallery, one of the finest art galleries in Europe, is the perfect place to take inquisitive children. Home to Renaissance masterpieces, Tudor portraits and one of the best collections of Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite art in the country the Gallery also has Big Art for Little Artists, a dedicated space for children. Stocked with costumes, stories, trails and games, families can explore the world-class collection in a fun way.
Every Monday in August, a member of the Walker’s Education team will help budding artists create their own wonderful piece of artwork to take home with you.
Outside of the city centre are two more wonderful art galleries. Both situated in picturesque surroundings, the Lady Lever Art Gallery and Sudley House are not to be missed and a perfect escape from the summer crowds.
The Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, Wirral is a beautiful building housing one of the UK’s finest collections of fine and decorative art. A recent development has seen the South End Galleries returned to their original architectural glory complete with fascinating interactives to help families get to grips with the spectacular collection.A beautiful building housing one of the UK’s finest collections of fine and decorative art.
In keeping with Lord Lever’s vision for the Gallery, families are invited to be inspired and get creative, with plenty of crafts, storytelling and music activities.. Join in with Moo Music (25 July and 22 August), see, make, do sessions (26-28 July and 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 29, 30 August) and explore the handling collection with a member of the Education team.
In South Liverpool, Sudley House is a great place to explore and learn about life in Victorian England. Take the family to the childhood rooms where they will see how children spent their time in the days before Minecraft and YouTube! Young fashionistas may be interested in the exhibition Putting on the Glitz, a glamourous display of 1930s fashion. The house is set in large grounds, perfect for kite-flying, picnicking or just letting off steam!
Sudley House, Mossley Hill
For more information and a full list of events at National Museums Liverpool: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/summer