Family Fun at Museums and Galleries across Tyneside this Easter

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) is offering a wide range of events and activities throughout the Easter holidays to inspire and entertain children and families across all of its venues. Visitors can take their pick from crafts, art school, Roman-themed food and drink, science adventures, heritage train rides, plus lots more. 

Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle 
Wednesday, 13 April; 11am – 3pm 
Hadrian's Wall 1900 Family Fun Day 

The museum is transformed into a Roman festival for the day with a range of Roman-themed activities. Watch chariot demonstrations, make a Roman mosaic, and sample Roman food and drink, plus lots more. Come dressed in your finest Roman costumes!

Free event, donations welcome. No need to book - just drop in. 

Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 
11 - 14 April; 10am – 3pm 
4-day Art School for 11-16 year olds  

Taking inspiration from the Laing's collection, young people will work with a professional arts educator to experiment with a variety of materials to develop their artistic skills and techniques, and create a portfolio of work. 

Cost: £100 plus booking fee. Pre-booking essential. 

Hatton Gallery, Newcastle  
Monday, 11 April; 10.30am - 12.30pm 
Springtime Art  

Create a wonderful collage based on the colours, birds and plants of spring in this drop-in workshop. 

Free, donations welcome. Suitable for children aged 4-11 years. 

Discovery Museum, Newcastle 
Eggstraordinary Easter Events

9 -24 April: Discovery Days - Complete the trail to be entered into a draw to win a chocolate hamper 

12 & 14 April: Discovery Days - Family crafts in our Play + Invent space  

13 & 20 April: Street Scientists at Easter - Bringing science to life through short interactive science demonstrations in the Museum galleries  

Free entry, donations welcome. Charge for some activities. 

South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
Tremendous Tuesdays  

Drop in between 11am and 3pm for arts and crafts activities inspired by the objects and stories in the museum. 

Tuesday 12 April - Tear and layer paper to create colourful landscape pictures. 

Tuesday 19 April - Make a hobby horse stick puppet. 

Free entry, donations welcome 

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort 
Crafty Romans  

Collect a free craft pack from the Museum 11am – 3pm. 

13 April - Plant your own Roman herbs to take away.  

20 April - Make and design a Roman dagger and pretend to be a Roman soldier in battle.  

Free activity, donations welcome 

Segedunum Roman Fort & Museum, Wallsend 
Roman-themed family fun 

Marvellous Mondays 
Collect a free craft pack from the Museum 11am – 3pm. 

11 April - Soldiers walked for 25 miles every day just for practice. Design a pair of soldier’s boots to practise marching in.   

18 April - Make and design your own Roman dagger and pretend to be a Roman soldier in battle.  

18 April - Victor the Veteran
Find out all about life as a soldier on Hadrian's Wall. Will you become one of Victor's recruits? 

Free activities, donations welcome. Kids under 16 get into the museum FREE, entry fee for adults 

Stephenson Steam Railway, North Shields 
Easter Family Fun at Stephenson

Heritage train rides: Sundays, Bank Holidays, and Thursdays during school holidays. Pre-booking recommended. 

15 April - Enjoy traditional Fish 'n' Chips served by Codrophenia 

14 April: Make & Take Thursday - Grow wildlife-friendly plants. Suitable for ages 3-11 years 

21 April: Make & Take Thursday - Learn all about train timetables and make a station clock. Suitable for ages 3-7 

Free entry, donations welcome. Charge for heritage train rides 

Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead 
Family Arts Festival  

Fun and creative activities inspired by the paintings, textiles, ceramic and glass artworks on display. 

14 April: Flower Sculptures | 19 April: Still Life Painting | 21 April: Bird Decoration 

Cost: £3 per person. Pre-booking essential. 

Entry to all TWAM venues is free, except for Segedunum Roman Fort where adults over 16 pay £5.95 and concessions £3.95 (including voluntary donation). At Segedunum, children under the age of 16 always go free, as do NE28 postcode residents. Pre-booking is essential for a few activities.  

TWAM is encouraging its visitors to use the Metro to travel to its venues, especially families looking for a good value day out. Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the Metro and the Shields Ferry with a fare-paying adult.