February Half-Term Ways To Play

This February half-term, families are invited to enjoy a great value day out across museums and galleries on Tyneside.

At a time when everyone is conscious of rising costs, Tyneside’s museums are offering a range of high quality, low-cost events at well-loved family destinations across South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Newcastle and Gateshead. All of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums’ venues are near a Metro Station, so families can take advantage of free travel for children under 11, with a fare paying adult. This February Half Term, adults can travel for £2 one way, or £4 all day using a Pay As You Go Pop Card.

The Ways to Play campaign is inspired by the range of ways a child can play, which encourages children to be active, creative and imaginative. Highlights of the Ways to Play programme include; the Angel Of The North’s 25th Birthday celebrations at The Shipley Art Gallery, Heritage Train Rides at Stephenson Steam Railway and a series of mixed media workshops, inspired by the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham art exhibition, at the Hatton Gallery. TWAM first partnered with Tyne and Wear Metro on the Ways to Play campaign in Summer 2021. The campaign has since received recognition at the North East Culture awards in 2022 by winning Best Arts and Business Partnership, as well as the best Not for Profit Marketing Award at the North East Marketing Awards in December 2022.

Discovery Days: Locomotives

Tuesday 21 February.

Join Discovery Museum this half term for a 30-minute* Locomotive themed craft session with your family. Decorate your own Locomotive engine toy, hanging decoration or try your hand at creating a train driver's hat.

Discover a Story: The Cat, The Mouse, and the Runaway Train

Wednesday 22 February. 

Join early years’ specialist Amy for stories and crafts. Small children of preschool age can listen to a story and then get crafty, as they design and decorate wonderful creations, inspired by the story!

Street Scientists Wednesday 22 February. Newcastle University's Street Scientists are a team of 'science buskers', a group of enthusiastic students who aim to spark an interest in science as well as amazing you along the way.

Hartbeeps - Toddler Disco Friday 24 February. Join Hartbeep’s for a Toddler Disco at Discovery Museum and bring your babies for a boogie. This fun upbeat session takes place in the spacious Great Hall on the 4th floor. With Hartbeep puppets, bubbles and lights all around. Transport Trail 18 - 26 February. Pick up a free trail to explore the amazing transport collections at Discovery Museum – from trains, ships, fire engines and more.

Mixed Media Landscape Artwork

Thursday 23 February. Workshop for 12-18 year olds based on the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham: Paths to Abstraction exhibition. Mixed Media collage Artwork Friday 24 February. Make a mixed media collage based on the paintings in the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham: Paths to Abstraction exhibition.

Half Term Heritage Train Rides

Sunday 19 February and Thursday 23 February. Take a four-mile return trip following the route of the coal trains from the collieries to the River Tyne behind a vintage locomotive in our 1950s passenger carriages.

Make and Take Thursday: Make a Teddy Bear Train Ticket Thursday 23 February. Bring along your favourite teddy bear for a fun day out at the museum! With guidance from the learning team, children can design their teddy's very own travel passport and train ticket.

Wonder Wednesday: Monsters in the Wild

Wednesday 22 February. Monsters in the Wild is a fun filled family activity day which is guaranteed to get you in the mood for our 2023 exhibition Myth Quest, opening March 2023.

Tremendous Tuesday Watercolour Painting Tuesday 28 February. Join the Museum's learning team and create a beautiful watercolour painting of your pet, or your favourite animal!

Marvelous Monday: Embossing Hadrian’s Wall

Monday 20 February. Explore the Roman Gallery to look for Roman patterns and Latin names and text. Collect them in your own sketchbook before using them to help you to emboss your own piece of Hadrian’s Wall.

Please contact: Sallie.Ball@twmuseums.org.uk