Local toddlers and their adults have been enjoying free mornings of play at the National Civil War Centre’s Mini Museum, Newark, all year – and there are now just two sessions left for 2024.

Running every Thursday morning in term time, from 10.30am, Mini Museum offers a free hour of play and fun for under 5s and their parents/carers, taking place in the Tudor Hall and throughout the Newark Museum galleries.

Each week has a different theme, communicated through songs, stories, and play activities. The theme on Thursday, 12th December will be camping and will draw on the traditions of campfire storytelling and singing, while Thursday 19th will be inspired by the season of winter with its frosty imagery and snowball fights.

Coun Rowan Cozens, deputy leader and portfolio holder for Heritage, Culture and the Arts at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “Mini Museum is a fantastic initiative and a great way of encouraging children to feel welcome in museum environments from a young age.

“The great team at the National Civil War Centre have been doing a brilliant job of ensuring that the museum is a wonderful and inviting place for families, evidenced by them winning Best Small Museum at Kids in Museums’ Family Friendly Museum Awards this year. I encourage anyone with young children to go along and experience the fun of Mini Museum for yourself.”

It’s recommended that those wishing to take part in Mini Museum book their free place in advance by visiting nationalcivilwarcentre.com/whatson/events or by calling 01636 655755 during the museum’s opening hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

While the regular Mini Museum sessions won’t be running over the Christmas break, the museum, which now offers free entry to Newark and Sherwood residents, will be hosting plenty of fun for families alongside its usual offer of engaging interactives, dressing up and more.

Their Lost Soldier Christmas Trail invites children to hunt for a toy soldier who’s escaped his case in the local history gallery, opening little toy soldier-sized doors throughout the museum to discover where he is hiding and find fascinating facts about Christmas too.

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