This October half-term, those searching for rainy day activities for all the family, or a free green space to make the most of any October sunshine, should look no further than the Natural History Museum. From 26 October to 1 November, children and their grown-ups can take part in an array of activities with a difference at the South Kensington Museum.
Families can delve into the Jurassic period in a live show and meet the modern-day relatives of the animals that lived alongside the dinosaurs in the Jurassic Encounters experience. Little ones from ages 4 and over will have the chance to get up close to amazing animals including snakes, lizards and tarantulas, and learn more about them in a 45-minute animal experience.
Make sure to catch the Teach Rex show, an interactive, prehistoric journey all about Tyrannosaurus rex. Created for children of all ages, the life-like dinosaur puppets join a storytelling and educational performance about the life of T.rex, followed by a meet and greet with T.rex and friends.
For wildlife lovers, the world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibitions is open for its sixtieth edition. Through the eyes of some of the world’s best wildlife photography, visitors of all ages will experience the wonders of life on Earth and uncover what we can do together to protect it.
Don’t miss out on a guided tour at Museum during half-term. The perfect rainy-day activity for over 7’s, the Out of Hours Dino Tour takes you inside the Museum before it opens to the crowds. Small groups get the chance to explore the Dinosaur Gallery exclusively, led by an expert guide. Hear more about a dinosaur with a chewing mechanism unlike anything seen in animals today, a shocking avian revelation and the reason sauropods – think Diplodocus and Brontosaurus – didn’t fight each other for food.
Short on time? Join the Museum Highlights Tour for an hour-long tour of the most iconic specimens, from the world’s most complete fossil stegosaur to an infamous gorilla. This whistle-stop tour with an expert guide will ensure you don’t miss a thing.
Don’t forget to visit London’s newest dinosaur too, a bronze Diplodocus in the Museums gardens. Here visitors can explore 2.7 billion years of our planet’s history, and learn about the wildlife on our doorsteps. Or join the free Biodiversity Family Festival for a programme of family-friendly activities celebrating the importance of biodiversity.
Over October half-term visitors with a Natural History Museum Membership will be able to enjoy unlimited access to exhibitions including Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre, skip the queue and enjoy discount to Guided Tours, Teach Rex and Jurassic Encounters.
