Family Fun
We welcome families all year round, and offer children's activities and craft sessions on school holidays and special occasions.
- Drop in for some hands-on family fun with our Roman themed Holiday Activities this summer
- Book your tickets for a family-friendly tour
- Or just find out more about visiting with children
And if nothing here catches your eye right now, why not follow us on Facebook or Instagram for all the latest updates?
Canus's Special Events: Silly, Smelly Roman Story Tours
- Saturday 26 July & Saturday 23 August at Lancaster City Museum.
- Book your tickets now for a brand new family-friendly experience this summer with one of our Silly, Smelly Roman Story Tours - scroll down or click here for details!
Craft Activities
- Drop-in to Lancaster City Museum for craft sessions from 10:30am to 3:30pm every Moon Day and Mars Day (that's Monday & Tuesday to us Anglo-Saxons) through the summer holidays. No need to book!
- All of the activities below are £2.50 each except for Mosaic Madness, which is £4.50 (to cover the cost of materials)*.
| Moon Days (Mondays) | Mars Days (Tuesdays) |
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28 July Design & Make a Roman Shield Meet our Roman expert who will tell you all about Roman shields and their different colours and symbols. Then design and make your own. |
29 July Clay Pottery Workshop Handle real Roman pottery and be inspired to make your own clay oil lamp or votive offering to the gods. |
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4 August Timewarp Tablets The Romans will never have guessed that their wax tablets would inspire hi-tech tablets like today’s. Come and make your own really cool Roman tablet. |
5 August Mosaic Madness* You’ll be seeing squares before your eyes in this brilliant mosaic workshop, where you can design and make your own Roman-inspired mosaic coaster. Perfect for those aged 5 to 105! |
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11 August Mosaic Madness* You’ll be seeing squares before your eyes in this brilliant mosaic workshop, where you can design and make your own Roman-inspired mosaic coaster. Perfect for those aged 5 to 105! |
12 August Timewarp Tablets The Romans will never have guessed that their wax tablets would inspire hi-tech tablets like today’s. Come and make your own really cool Roman tablet. |
|
18 August Design & Make a Roman Shield Meet our Roman expert who will tell you all about Roman shields and their different colours and symbols. Then design and make your own. |
19 August Clay Pottery Workshop Handle real Roman pottery and be inspired to make your own clay oil lamp or votive offering to the gods. |
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25 August Timewarp Tablets The Romans will never have guessed that their wax tablets would inspire hi-tech tablets like today’s. Come and make your own really cool Roman tablet. |
26 August Mosaic Madness* You’ll be seeing squares before your eyes in this brilliant mosaic workshop, where you can design and make your own Roman-inspired mosaic coaster. Perfect for those aged 5 to 105! |
Everyone has a story... Our unique Story Tours let you discover our local history in a brand new way, through the personal stories of the people who lived it.
With a variety of tours running between March and October, indoors and out, there's something for everyone! We'll highlight the most family friendly tours right here, but you can find the full programme on our Events Page.
Advance booking is recommended to guarantee your place.
Booking options include:
- BOOK ONLINE using the direct links for each tour listed below, OR to see all available options, go to the main Booking Page and select Story Tours from the drop-down Categories menu.
- Buy tickets in person at Lancaster City Museum or the Maritime Museum.
- Email historydetectives@lancaster.gov.uk. Please include your phone number so we can call to arrange payment over the phone.
- Call us on 01524 64637.
Silly, Smelly Roman Story Tour
Indoor guided tour, 1 hour.
A Family-Friendly guided tour of our summer exhibition at Lancaster City Museum.
Hear about all things Roman, as we answer questions like: Why did they use sponges on long sticks? What did they eat? What games would children have played? What did a Roman bath smell like?
Dates
- Saturday 26 July @ 11am, 1pm, 2pm
- Saturday 23 August @ 11am, 1pm, 2pm
Tickets
- Adults - £5 - BOOK ONLINE
- Children (under 18) - £2 - BOOK ONLINE
Location & Accessibilty
This tour takes place inside Lancaster City Museum. The Insus Unearthed exhibition is in the ground floor gallery, which is accessible via a ramp to the right of the main entrance. The tour will also include the Insus tombstone itself which is part of our permanent displays upstairs. A stairlift is available for wheelchairs or anyone with limited mobility.
Family Friendly Georgian Walking Tour
Outdoor walking tour, 1.5 hours, ideal for ages 6+.
A fun guided tour of Lancaster city centre, starting from the City Museum.
Introducing your tour guide, ‘Johnny,’ a Lancaster coachman with a questionable history. You'll be captivated by his tales as he shares stories of the eccentric characters and dreadful events from the past.
Dates
- Saturday 26 July @ 11am & 2pm
- Tuesday 12 August @ 11am & 2pm
Tickets
- Adults - £10 - BOOK ONLINE
- Children (under 18) - £2.50 - BOOK ONLINE
Location & Accessibilty
Starting from Lancaster City Museum, this outdoor walking tour will take you around the city centre. Please get in touch with any questions about the accessibility of the route: lancastercitymuseum@lancaster.gov.uk.
Whenever you visit with children you'll find plenty to do in the museums...
We've signed the Kids in Museums Manifesto and we always include interactive elements for children in all our new exhibitions.
Children's trails or challenges are always available to enhance your visit to Lancaster City Museum and Lancaster Maritime Museum.
The Cottage Museum is now a fully hands-on experience for visitors of all ages!
Both the City and Maritime Museums have sensory backpacks for children and young people on the autism spectrum to borrow, free of charge. Just ask at the front desk if you'd like to use one of these during your visit.
Our museums are great destinations for schools and other children's groups as well as families. Please see our Learning page if you'd like to book a group visit.
Please note that for safety reasons, children up to the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult in all of our museums.
