Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Christmas at The Bowes Museum
Enjoy the magic of Christmas at The Bowes Museum this December.
Let your senses come alive as the Museum in Barnard Castle resounds with the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the festive season.
With the galleries and halls decorated with trees and garlands, a 12 days of Christmas festive trail, the return of Santa Claus and the ever popular Christmas Market, there’s lots to see and do!
To everyone’s delight, Santa has made space in his busy calendar to return to the Museum every Wednesday to Sunday from the 1st until the 24th of December.
Santa’s friendly elves will welcome lucky youngsters to his wonderful workshop, where they can gaze at the marvellous toys in the windows while creating Christmas crafts to take home from a special pack they’ll be given when they arrive.
Then they’ll be led down a snow covered corridor with trees glistening in the candle light before meeting Santa all cosy in his sitting room.
Once there, they can tell Santa if they think they’ve been naughty or nice and what they’d like for Christmas before receiving an extra special early Christmas present.
Tickets to see Santa in his winter wonderland grotto go on sale on Saturday 11th September. They are available from the Museum’s website: thebowesmuseum.org.uk and cost £15 per child, which includes admission for two adults.
Another highlight of the regional calendar returns with the annual Christmas Market from the 17th until the 19th of December, from 10am until 4pm daily.
There will be dozens of artisan makers and specialist traders from around the region selling a wide selection of wares both inside the Museum’s galleries and outside on the parterre garden.
Tickets to see Santa at the Christmas Market are £5 per child, which include a quick meet and greet with Santa and a gift but no craft. Admission must be bought for entry to the Christmas Market, which will be at a discounted rate of £5 for adults and £2.50 for children, under 5’s free and free to annual pass holders. Parking on site can be pre-booked for £5.00 a car. To book a trade stand please contact: christmas@thebowesmuseum.org.uk
The Museum also has lots of family events in the run up to Christmas including fun Elf Craft workshops on Saturday 4th of December. In hourly sessions from 10.30am until 4pm, families can discover how to make a magical Elf house and elves or fairies for £5 per family.
And on Saturday 11th of December the Museum will once again be holding a Virtual Family Fun Day, A Christmas Day Out At The Bowes Museum. From 10am until 1pm participants can join in creating their own Christmas tree decoration, a pop up Christmas card and a jolly snowman, as the elves take inspiration from different objects in the Museum’s collection to guide them through the process at home. It costs £5 to join in and that includes postage for a craft pack containing art materials needed to take part.
All of these events together with the return of Christmas lates and scrumptious Christmas specials in Café Bowes means there really does promise to be something for everyone at The Bowes Museum this festive season.
The Bowes Museum is open every day (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day) from 10am to 5pm. Entry to Café Bowes and the Museum shop is free.