Ways to Play is back for summer
This summer families are invited to enjoy a great value day out across museums and galleries on Tyneside.
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) and Tyne and Wear Metro are continuing their award-winning partnership to offer families low-cost fun days out.
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.
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 summers Ways to Play programme include; heritage train rides at Stephenson Steam Railway.
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. It was also shortlisted at the Museum + Heritage Awards in May 2023 for Partnership of the Year.
Click to view the Ways to Play webpage.
The full list of events include:
Discovery Museum:
Thursday 27 July
Join Circurama and master mind-blowing circus skills. Try your hand at juggling, plate spinning, twirling diabolos, hula-hoops and more.
Discovery a story: Bird builds a nest
Tuesday 2 August
Join our dedicated Early Years expert Amy as she reads the story Bird Builds a Nest by Martin Jenkins, an introductory science and bird themed book.
Thursday 3 + 17 July
In this free family event for all ages join the museum team on the outdoor plaza for crafts, experiments and play throughout the day.
Discover a story: The Cat, the mouse and the runaway train
Wednesday 9 August
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.
Thursday 10 August
It's all aboard at Discovery Museum! If you care for a child who loves trains this is not to missed - join us in the Great Hall with Trainmaster. Trainmaster are toy-train party experts who will lay a giant toy train track in the Great Hall for little visitors to explore.
Play on the Plaza: Bubbles Galore
Thursday 24 August
Experience the marvellous Bubble-ologist Jesse when she returns to Discovery Museum. Jesse will dazzle you with her bubble skills in this free family event for all ages. She’ll be on our plaza at regular intervals throughout the day with fast and furious bubble shows and when she’s not around you can have a go at making and playing with your own bubble wands.
Professor Pumpernicke’s Science Show
Thursday 31 August
Join Professor Pumpernickel in the Great Hall for a 90-minute bonanza of bangs, Bunsen burners and brain-tingling bamboozlement that will leave you with a burning desire to learn more about the staggering world of science.
Great North Museum Hancock:
26 July, 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 August
The Moss Troopers are a roving trio of storytellers, historians, educators, entertainers and fools. For the summer holidays the Moss Troopers will bring to life elements of our Myth Quest exhibition to bring parts of the Myth Quest out of the page and into reality. Dressed in costumes these characters will weave amongst the Myth Quest trails looking for visitors who may have taken a wrong step in the parallel.
Every Thursday and Sunday in school holidays
Discovery Museum is home to a whole range of life-size and intricate models of ships and boats. Join the learning team for a series of family half term crafts to learn about the North East’s boats and ships and then decorate a sailboat magnet or design your own wooden ship.
Make & Take Thursday: Metro Hat Making
Thursday 27 July
The first prototype Metro train, carriage 4001, has been donated to the Stephenson Railway Museum. In celebration of this, have a go at making your very own Metro Car hat.
Make & Take Thursday: Bio Blitz
Thursday 10 August
Join the Environment Records Information Centre Northeast (ERIC) to find out how to record and identify species using the iNaturalist App. Learn about the work that local conservation groups are doing, and find and record as many species of plants, animals and fungi that live on the site.
Make & Take Thursday: Train Print Making
Thursday 17 August
At Stephenson Steam Railway, we have lots of different trains on display in our museum. Have a go at printing your own train design.
Make & Take Thursday: Creative Clay Making
Thursday 24 August
Inspired by the different trains and animals that we have at Stephenson Steam Railway, have a go at creating your own model of one of our trains or one of the animals that live alongside our railway tracks.
Make & Take Thursday: Nature painting
Thursday 31 August
Inspired by the nature that lives alongside the train tracks at Stephenson, have a go at creating and painting your own nature picture using natural materials such as leaves and twigs.
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery:
Tuesday 25 July
Explore the new SCRAN! Exhibition and then use vegetables and fruit to create artwork which is good enough to eat!
Tremendous Tuesday: The Hungry Caterpillar
Tuesday 1 August
Find out what a caterpillar eats and then make your own Butterfly mirror prints.
Tremendous Tuesday: Crazy Cones
Tuesday 8 August
Design your own ice cream cone with collage materials.
Tremendous Tuesday: Beautiful Biscuits
Tuesday 15 August
Make and decorate a biscuit pendent.
Tremendous Tuesday: Take a selfie
Tuesday 22 August
Using collage materials create a self-portrait, or make a portrait of a loved one.
Marvellous Monday: Explore Archelogy
Monday 24 July
Find out what archaeologists do with an object once it has been removed from the ground. Have a go at finding, sorting and cleaning Roman artefacts.
Monday 31 July
Victor the Veteran Roman soldier will be talking about life on a military campaign. Get your hands on Roman armour, helmets, shields and swords - all the sort of things that a Roman soldier might have used.
Marvellous Monday: Wild Animal Mask Making
Monday 31 July
Before gladiator fights, there were often wild animal shows which involved animals fighting against men or other animals. Try designing and making your own wild animal mask.
Marvellous Monday: Clay Lamp Making
Monday 7 August
Visit the To the Roar of the Crowd exhibition to view the different oil lamps on display. Make and add patterns to your own clay lamp.
Monday 7 August
The spectacle of gladiatorial combat and of circus entertainment were at the heart of Roman culture, and what better way to remember your day at the Colosseum, or the local amphitheatre in the province of Britannia, than with a souvenir to take home. Roman potters seized this business opportunity with enthusiasm, creating lamps, bowls and cups decorated with gladiators locked in combat, chariots speeding around the track, or herds of wild animals filling the arena.
Marvellous Monday: Make a Flower Garland
Monday 31 August
During Roman times, wreaths and garlands of flowers and greenery were worn by men and women on festive occasions. Try designing and making your own flower garland.
Marvellous Monday: Roman Bath Bags
Monday 14 August
The Romans liked to smell nice and would often visit bath houses to keep themselves clean. Have a go at mixing different scented herbs together to make your own Roman bath bag.
Marvellous Monday: Make a Gladiator’s Helmet
Monday 21 August
Have a go at making and decorating your own gladiator helmet with artist Simon Terry.
Marvellous Monday: Roman Amphitheatre
Monday 28 August
Gladiators fought in amphitheatres. Visit our exhibition To the Roar of the Crowd for inspiration, then design and make your own mini amphitheatre to take home with you.
Summer workshops: Printmaking for children
Wednesday 26 July
Printmaking for children 5-11 years. Inspired by the prints in the Works on Paper exhibition.
Thursday 27 July
Printmaking for 12–18-year-olds. Have a go at mono printing. Inspired by the Works on Paper exhibition.
Summer workshops: Draw & Print with Rubber Stamps
Wednesday 2 August
Draw and print with rubber stamps. For 5–11-year-olds. Inspired by the Works on Paper exhibition.
Summer workshops: Acrylic on Canvas
Thursday 3 August
Acrylic on Canvas. For 12-18 years. Create a painting on canvas using acrylic paints, inspired by the artworks in the Works on Paper exhibition.
Arbeia Roman Fort:
Re-imagining Regina: Regina’s Decorative Box
Wednesday 26 July
Join community artist Rachel Eleanor Brook for an activity that explores the story of Regina and her exquisite memorial. During the session, participants can design and embellish a box to take home with them, inspired by Regina’s decorative box.
Wednesday 2 August
Make your own Draco Standard, a banner carried by the Roman cavalry (soldiers on horseback) for scaring off the enemy.
Crafty Romans: Fabulous Frescos
Wednesday 9 August
Be inspired by the frescos in the Commanding Officer's villa and create your own mini-Roman fresco.
Wednesday 16 August
Be inspired by Roman face pots and make a small plant pot to grow herbs in.
Crafty Romans: Make a Flower Garland
Wednesday 30 August
During Roman times, wreaths and garlands of flowers and greenery were worn by men and women on festive occasions. Try designing and making your own flower garland.
Shipley Art Gallery:
Every Tuesday + Thursday in school holidays
Enjoy creative activities together on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer holidays! Each session has a different theme, and you'll take home something special you've made every time. Be inspired by the artworks on display and try a range of art materials in the beautiful surroundings of the gallery. Our friendly artists are here to support and can't wait to see what you create!
Tuesday 17 August
Join the team at the Shipley Gallery for a morning of exciting activities, all designed to engage young children in the gallery. There'll be an array of hands-on creative activities run by the following museums and galleries: Shipley Art Gallery; Laing Art Gallery; Great North Museum: Hancock; Discovery Museum.
Wednesday 26 July + 23 August
The Anne Frank Trust will be delivering two creative workshops this summer, aimed at 9-12 year olds. During the workshops young people will explore their identities and differences through creativity whilst discussing causes, issues and challenges which are important to them.
ENDS -
Media contact: sallie.ball@twmuseums.org.uk
About Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM)
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) is a major regional museum, art gallery and archives service. We manage a collection of nine museums and galleries across Tyneside and the Archives for Tyne and Wear. These include the Great North Museum: Hancock, Laing Art Gallery, Hatton Gallery and Discovery Museum in Newcastle; South Shields Museum & Art Gallery and Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort; Segedunum Roman Fort & Museum in Wallsend; Stephenson Steam Railway in North Shields; and Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead.
TWAM is supported by the four local authorities in Tyneside and Newcastle University. TWAM is also a National Portfolio Organisation funded by Arts Council England.
TWAM holds collections of international importance in archives, art, science and technology, archaeology, military and social history, fashion and natural sciences.
Tyne and Wear Metro’s take the kids for free offer https://www.nexus.org.uk/metro/take-kids-free?bbeml=tp-0RquZw-Vx0KIU2_wlH86ww.jGdkcb-yjU0-6wGJstgoGXA.rvmOitWikv0eR_56JNEEf3w.lViUsOxpe3UKQ42e9z8XhhA
