Free and affordable family adventures at North East Museums during May half term  

Families across the region can look forward to exciting, budget-friendly adventures at their favourite cultural attractions, thanks to Ways to Play – an ongoing collaboration between North East Museums and Tyne and Wear Metro.

The popular Ways to Play programme invites children to get active, creative and imaginative with a variety of engaging, affordable experiences designed to make the school holidays memorable.

This May half term, families can enjoy a varied programme of family events, from creative workshops to one-of-a-kind experiences, offering something to engage children of all ages.

Highlights from May’s events programme include:

Enjoy Interactive Storytime at Great North Museum: Hancock

Take a Teddy Bear Train Ride at Stephenson Steam Railway

Get up close to Birds of Prey at Woodhorn Museum

With rising costs affecting many households, the opportunity for families to make savings on travel costs makes visiting museums and galleries more affordable.

Many North East Museums venues are easily accessible via Metro, Bus or Shields Ferry. During school holidays children under 11 can travel free on Tyne and Wear Metro, the Shields Ferry and buses when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

Ways to Play has won several awards, including the Best Arts and Business Partnership at the North East Culture Awards in 2022 and the Not-for-Profit Marketing Award at the North East Marketing Awards the same year. It was also shortlisted for Partnership of the Year at the Museum + Heritage Awards in 2023.