Past Events

With disco, games, hot dogs and more! Suitable for ages 5-11 years; fancy dress optional but encouraged.

Celebrate halloween in and amongst real hawks and owls starting with a sunset flying display over the pumpkin scattered meadow then go on the Creepy Crawlie trail to win a trick or treat prize, as well as the 6pm pumpkin Halloween hunt, and Owl–o–ween craft! You will also learn about wildlife, conservation and the importance of the bugs, beetles and creepy-crawlies for nature everywhere. All of the proceeds from your entrance fee support the upkeep of the birds at the…

An intense multi-sensory horror event suitable for ages 15+. Navigate the house in darkness encountering the horrors of ‘Purgatory’, featuring live actors, special effects and disturbing aromascapes. Brave the dark underbelly of the House in the X-treme basement walkthrough experience and steady your nerves in the Bloody Mary’s Bar serving horrifyingly good cocktails and drinks.

A place of myths, rumours and secrets, The Hotel looms over the dark Fens, tall and grey in its Gothic splendour. Built on cursed land, a history of violent death suffuses its very foundations –yet it has a magnetism that is impossible to ignore. On entering The Hotel, different people react in different ways. To some it is familiar, to others a stranger. Many come out refreshed, longing to return. But a few are changed forever, haunted by their time…

There will be clues, facts and activities about our favourite upside-down friends to tie in with the half-term holiday and halloween. Solve the clues and collect your prize at the end.

Offering a range of sports activities such as dodgeball, kick-rounders, capture the flag, infinity tag and much more. In addition, there will be some art and crafts, games and competitions, cinema club and tuck shop at breaktime. Suitable for school children in years 1-6 (ages 5-11 years). Wrap-around care available.

Offering a range of sports activities such as dodgeball, kick-rounders, capture the flag, infinity tag and much more. In addition, there will be some art and crafts, games and competitions, cinema club and tuck shop at breaktime. Suitable for school children in years 1-6 (ages 5-11 years). Wrap-around care available.

Sport-specific camps in trampolining, athletics and multi-sports with qualified coaches providing a fun and progressive environment to learn new skills and attempt new activities for children in Years 1-8. 28 October - multi-sports and trampolining 29 October - athletics and multisports 30 October - trampolining 9am-1pm 31 October - multisports and athletics 1 November - trampolining and multisports

An opportunity to enjoy some spooky fun craft activities in a relaxed and quieter way before the museum is open to the public (activities will be the same on both days). Limited to four accompanied children our Quiet Time sessions offer children, who would find the busy nature of the drop-in sessions uncomfortable.

Free entry to Parade Gardens and the door to the Colonnades, Undercroft and vaults under Grand Parade, and the Medieval East Gate on Boat Stall Lane. In addition to opportunities to speak with Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Regeneration Team, there will be half-term activities including live pumpkin carving, entertainment from the Natural Theatre Company and a pop-up coffee cart. There will also be sculpture from local artists, a pop-up living maze, winter garden installation, and a digital model…

Stonehenge is famous for its alignments with the sun, but did you know that the ancient monument may have also been carefully designed to align with the movements of the Moon? Visit the pop-up planetarium and embark on a journey through the solar system with an expert astronomer. In addition, learn how to identify celestial objects such as stars, planets, and the Moon and observe the night sky over the ancient stone circle. 2024 is a special year as an…

Free admission for families during half-term (26 October – 3 November) and a ‘Fantastical Tails’ gallery trail inspired by the wonderful creatures and animals in Chila Burman and Paula Rego’s work; suitable for ages 6yrs+.

Take on the apple trail and children's games in The Orchard. Tik off all the items on the trail and you will get a prize to take home. In addition, learn more about Avebury's stone circles and henge by joining a family tour (Wednesdays and Sundays). Normal garden admission applies for the apple trail and games; family tours £2.50 per child, with adults going free.

Experience a classic American halloween atmosphere and exciting outdoor and indoor trails, with fun activities every day including a reading corner, colouring, crafts or puzzles and seasonal treats at the Deli. In addition, on 31 October there will be trick or treating, dog and children's costume competitions and parades in the gardens. There will be a Halloween creature trail in the gardens with clues, and sensory boxes to find the secret letters and unlock the trail code with candy treat…

A celebration of all things autumnal including pumpkin patch Fur, Fangs, and Feathers scavenger hunt (28 Oct–1 Nov) to explore the zoo, hunt for hidden clues whilst learning all about some fascinating animals and native wildlife. Participants will receive a discount pumpkins purchased from the patch and win a family animal adoption of your choice. There will also be displays with a selection of birds of prey.

Lego Engineering Workshops: build a vehicle from LEGO that will actually drive! Led by Education Officer, Andrew, these sessions are limited capacity, book in advance; suitable for ages 7+. Assault Course: a miniature army-style assault course based on our grounds. Supervised by serving REME soldiers, have fun and surprise yourself!

Celebrating a journey through the diversity of American landscapes, history and culture in this contemporary, immersive experience, where visitors join in and share their own stories. There will be large-scale-travel games, theatrical sets, and an array of American road-trip memorabilia, as well a chance to get up close to an original 1958 Harley Davidson Duo Glide motorcycle, on loan from Haynes Motor Museum. Explore the origins and stories behind the cultural phenomenon, and be transported across thousands of miles on…

Follow a spider trail around the gardens with clues and facts about our favourite eight-legged friends, just in time for Halloween. Complete the trail and get a prize at the end; free with standard admission.

Explore the Museum, answering questions and completing fun tasks along the way; included with standard admission. Adults can test their trivia skills exploring our incredible exhibitions, diving deep into the fascinating world of motoring and cinema in the new History, Hollywood and Horsepower trail. In addition, visit the DriveTribe Exhibition, showcasing TV-famous cars like The Grand Tour’s Aston Martin from the “Sand Job” episode and Richard Hammond’s beloved Oliver from Top Gear.

An opportunity to plant a miniature garden to take home.

An opportunity for young netballers in School Years 8-11 to benefit from expert positional training. Holiday camps are open to players of all experience and coaches will split the players into groups according to age and ability, so that everyone plays and learns at the right level and has an enjoyable day. 28 October - holiday camp for school years 6-8 (10am-3pm); 29, 30 & 31 October - masterclasses for school years 8-11

Football camps run for girls and boys in school years 1-7 with competitions, matches and medals providing organised and safe football whilst promoting good behaviour, teamwork and effort run by a team of enthusiastic and experienced coaches.

Create an air-dry clay candle holder with plenty of decorations to stick on, then add a tea-light to take home. Suitable for ages 4+ years. Included in standard admission or free to Discovery Card holders.

A weekly opportunity to listen to a new picture book as well as enjoy some healthy snacks and tea and coffee for the accompanying adults. Suitable for ages 2-5 years. Please sign up in advance.

The Unforgettable Behaviour exhibition showcases 39 photographs from previous Wildlife Photographer of the Year collections, displaying some of the most incredible animal behaviour moments ever captured on camera. The photos show an extraordinary range of surprising, and often deeply moving, acts by animals. They have been chosen to allow visitors to connect with animals they might never otherwise see and to inspire everyone to care about the world around us. The collection includes the works of several American photographers, with…

An opportunity to enjoy some creative halloween pumpkin carving. Pre-book online to avoid disappointment.