Visit Beamish, The Living Museum of the North this October Half Term and enjoy two transport events, live music and Halloween-themed family fun!
During October Half Term, which runs from Saturday, 23rd to Sunday, 31st October, admire classic cars and traditional buses, see scary sights and have a go at the Haunting Halloween Teddy Bear Trail. Plus, enjoy foot-tapping tunes with the museum’s Musical Mondays.
Paul Foster, Beamish Historic Events Officer, said: “There’s lots to see and do at Beamish during October Half Term. From our Bus Running Day and our spooky Halloween activities to live music, Remaking Beamish fun and our Classic Car Day, there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained.
“We have a range of COVID-19 Secure health and hygiene measures in place, including pre-booked entry timeslot tickets. We have also been awarded the ‘We’re Good To Go’ standard, so be sure to book your timeslot tickets!
“As with all daytime events, visitors can use their Unlimited Pass or Friends of Beamish membership to enjoy our October Half Term events and activities.”
On Saturday, 23rd October, visit Beamish for the Bus Running Day when traditional buses will be travelling around the museum site and on display outside the Northern General Transport Bus Depot.
Visitors can also enjoy Halloween-themed family fun during the local school holidays, with scary sights and carved pumpkins at Pockerley Old Hall, plus join in with a fun family activity. Share your best spooky jokes and add them to the ghostly bunting in the 1950s welfare hall and try your hand at a game of flap the bat!
The sweet shop and bakery in The 1900s Town will be making spooky sweets and terrifically terrifying treats!
Can you spot the creepy costumed cast of not-so-cuddly bears in the Haunting Halloween Teddy Bear Trail? Find the bears in their handcrafted spooky outfits around the museum. The trail will be available to download from the museum’s website.
Beamish also needs your help during half term to decide which ice cream flavour will be used in John’s Café when the exhibit opens in The 1950s Town next year!
During the summer the museum asked people to come up with creative and fun sundae suggestions that only use vanilla ice cream and toppings that were available in the 1950s or earlier. Over 300 entries were submitted and these have been whittled down to the top three flavours by staff, volunteers and members of John’s family.
Beamish is asking visitors to vote for their favourite sundae suggestions in the 1950s welfare hall at the museum during October Half Term. Why not have a go at making some of the scrumptious suggestions at home? The perfect excuse to eat ice cream!
To find out more about the Remaking Beamish project, please visit https://www.beamish.org.uk/remaking/about-remaking-beamish/.
Thanks to the money raised by National Lottery players, the Remaking Beamish project has been awarded a £10.9million grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund – a major milestone in Beamish’s history and the largest single investment ever seen at the museum.
Beamish is still fundraising for the remaining project match funding, and there is a fundraising plan in place to guide this work.
Relive tunes from the past and remember the good old days from 1.30pm on Monday, 25th October with our Musical Mondays. Join in with some traditional music, songs and dance outside the band hall in The 1900s Pit Village.
Classic Car Day is due to take place on Sunday, 31st October where visitors will be able to see an impressive array of vehicles on the museum’s Events Field. Organised by Sunderland and District Classic Vehicle Society, the rally is for enthusiasts and novices alike!
The Mahogany Drift Mine in The 1900s Colliery is back open for the first time since the museum closed in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Discover the story of North East coal mining – the industry on which the region’s prosperity was built with a short underground tour. Face masks must be worn.
Plus, every day during October Half Term you can take a ride on The Waggonway in The 1820s Landscape and hop aboard one of the museum’s traditional trams or buses.
Pop up to The 1940s Farm and discover what life was like on the Home Front during the Second World War, spot the pit ponies in The 1900s Pit Village and enjoy some fish and chips from Davy’s. Visit the heapstead in The 1900s Colliery, take a walk down the cobbled street in The 1900s Town, plus, enjoy a drink from the pub and some sweet treats from the bakery and not-to-be-missed sweet shop.
Pop over to The Fairground by The 1900s Town and have a go on the gallopers or chair-o-planes (small charge applies to Fairground activities).
Admire the Georgian views at Pockerley Old Hall and visit the 1950s welfare hall, the first building to open as part of The 1950s Town. There’s so much to see and do at Beamish!
As with all daytime events, visitors can use their Unlimited Pass or Friends of Beamish membership to enjoy daytime activities and events during October Half Term. All visitors must book a timeslot entry ticket online in advance, including Friends of Beamish members and Beamish Unlimited Pass holders. Visit www.beamish.org.uk.
Beamish has a range of COVID-19 Secure health and hygiene measures in place across the museum, with the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers as the top priority and in line with industry best practice and guidance issued by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. These include pre-booked timeslot entry tickets, use of face masks, reduced capacity to manage the number of visitors and allow space, enhanced cleaning, hand sanitiser stations, and contactless card payments. The museum has been awarded the “We’re Good To Go” standard.
The museum is continuing to follow government and public health COVID-19 safety guidance and reserves the right to alter events, activities, facilities, operations and opening times without prior notice.
Beamish is open daily from 10am to 5pm during October Half Term. Find out more and book your visit to Beamish, see www.beamish.org.uk.
