The sky may be dark and grey, but the air is full of festive cheer as we hurtle towards yet another Christmas. But once you’ve done all the shopping, then opened your presents, stuffed yourself senseless, sozzled yourself with booze, watched too much TV and been driven round the bend by your relatives - what else is there to do?
Well, actually, there's lots - especially if you take the time to get out of the house to enjoy some of the UK’s fantastic museums, galleries and heritage. With the kids off for an extended break, this Christmas is going to be one of the best years for getting out there and having a cultural Christmas.
Here’s the 24 Hour Museum’s guide to some of the things on offer during the Christmas holidays, grouped into categories with helpful links to museums and heritage organisations where you can find out more.
Even if the good old Hornby train set is not as high on the kids’ Christmas list as it once was, the Christmas holiday period is still a great time for visiting a heritage railway.
Throughout December and right through the holiday period it has become something of a tradition for these mainly volunteer-run historic railways to put on a variety of special Christmas steam extravaganzas.
Many of the dedicated enthusiasts (the lifeblood of our historic railways) only stop for a bit of turkey on Christmas day before stoking up and chuffing their way through the whole holiday period with their Santa and Mince Pie Specials – not to mention the odd appearance by Thomas the Tank Engine and friends.
There will be special steamings at Didcot Railway Centre on December 31 and January 1 whilst at the Watercress Line in Mid Hants there will be a ‘Christmas Leave’ event on December 30 complete with WWII re-enactors, Forties enthusiasts and military vehicles. Period dress is optional – but positively encouraged!
Steam enthusiasts may also like to know that they’ll be warming up the Lancashire Boilers at Papplewick Pumping Station on December 30 and 31. The magnificent engines will be in steam throughout the day with lots of festive merriment to the accompaniment of the Bestwood ‘Black Diamonds’ Brass Band.
To find out where your nearest steam or historic railway is, simply input 'railway' into the 24 Hour Museum search box.
With the winter solstice falling just before Christmas, the end of December is the ideal time to explore many of Britain’s Neolithic, Megalithic and sacred ancient landscapes.
One of the most magical places to visit around the Winter Solstice is Maeshowe, the chambered cairn that lies at the heart of the Neolithic Orkney World Heritage site. During the Solstice and Christmas period as the winter sun sets, the last rays of sunlight stream down the entrance passage to the tomb, bringing warmth and light to the inner chamber.
Historic Scotland, which cares for the site, is giving visitors the opportunity to experience this amazing occurence more than once with a Winter Solstice ticket that allows solstice devotees to visit the site up to three times up to January 5 2007. See the Historic Scotland website for more details.
English Heritage have also recognised the importance of the yuletide period by adding extra opening times to Stonehenge on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day whilst those lucky enough to live near to Avebury in Wiltshire are rewarded with one of the richest Megalithic landscapes in Europe.
For more ideas of where to explore the megalithic pre-historic world see our trail of Francis Pryor's top sites in the UK Britain BC.
Besides, Christmas is traditionally a time for family walks, so why not walk off that bloated too-much-turkey-and-mince-pie feeling with a walk across Britain’s ancient landscape much of which is best seen on a fine winter's day walk.
But if stone circles and ancient landscapes aren’t your thing then there are lots of other heritage walks that will provide you with the requisite exercise and delightful sights to revive flagging Christmas spirits.
The National Trust's Neptune Walks take you to some of the best coastline in the country, diverse in landscape, archaeology and folklore. They vary from a four-mile military history walk above the white cliffs of Dover to a five-mile walk that takes you past the majestic Dunstanburgh Castle in the North East.
This year, the National Trust is also offering a nationwide programme of pre and post-Christmas guided walks guaranteed to revive the most jaded amongst us - and loosen the waistband! They take in some of the best views the country has to offer: from the dramatic Yorkshire Crags to the glorious coastal downland of the Isle of Wight.
The Winter Solstice will be welcomed on December 22 at Studland beach with a walk that begins in the dark, but ends in glorious techni-colour, as you watch day break over Old Harry Rocks, before tucking in to a cooked breakfast at the beach café.
Its starts at 7.15am, adults £6, children £4, meet at South Beach Car Park. You’ll need to bring a torch and pre-booking is essential – call 01929 450259 for more details.
Sheffield Park and Gardens in Sussex is the venue for a series of similarly enchanted walks when visitors will be treated to after sunset views of lakes and gardens specially lit for the occasion between December 27 and 30.
There are also free tours (normal admission fees apply) at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire between December 27 and 29.
For a Boxing Day walk with a difference why not take the family on a trip across the sea causeway to Lindisfarne Castle, which is opening specially on Boxing Day. Holy Island itself will also have lots of other activities taking place throughout the day.
At Hardcastle Crags and Gibson Mill a New Year's Day walk promises to set you up for the coming year whilst offering the chance to see the beautiful crags in all their glory. It’s free but booking is essential – call 01422 844518 for more details.
A similar New Year’s Day walk at Stourhead Landscape Gardens will be led by the Estate Warden and Head Gardener who will take visitors through beautiful woodlands and gardens. Followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Head Gardener's garden.
Tickets £12.50 for adults and £5 for children including refreshments. Booking is essential so call 01747 841152 or email stourhead@nationaltrust.org.uk
Belper North Mill Museum is getting in on the Boxing Day walk tradition by inviting the public to head out from Strutt's North Mill at 2pm for a gentle stroll round parts of historic Belper. The walk includes the historic Strutt housing buildings and end at the mill with a warm drink. £2 per adult – no need to book, just turn up.
There will be a similar heritage walk around the Woolwich Arsenal courtesy of Greenwich Heritage Centre on December 28 at 4pm. Admission is £3.00 including light refreshments. To book a place, call the Greenwich Heritage Centre on 020 8854 2452.
There’s plenty of walking to be done indoors this Christmas too, around museums and galleries in the UK. The Christmas holidays are the perfect time to check out that exhibition you have been meaning to visit ir perhaps make a seasonal visit to your local museum. Read on for a few ideas…
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is putting the true spirit of Christmas at the centre of its activities throughout December with a Nativity Art Trail through the galleries.
The trail is backed by a free glossy booklet that guides visitors through the Museum’s fine collection of Nativity-themed paintings. Included are works by Edward Burne-Jones, Arthur Hughes plus Flemish and Italian Masters including Gentileschi and Castiglione.
Getting into a similar spirit of Yuletide generosity Bede’s World is offering free entry to both the museum and its farm on December 28 and 29. Visitors will be invited to celebrate the Anglo-Saxon midwinter festival that gives us the name “Yule” and to take part in special Yuletide crafts.
At Rhondda Heritage Park you can visit Santa’s Toy Mine and Grotto until December 24, Whilst at Abingdon Museum they will be showcasing the Victorian and Edwardian Christmas collections of the Oxfordshire Museums Service until January 15 2007 with Christmas activities for children running between December 16 – 23.
At the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum they will be open right through the Christmas period (apart from Christmas Day) and will even have their traditional Sussex Christmas event running throughout with mulled wine included along with chestnuts, medieval music, carol singing and a variety of traditionally decorated historic houses.
If you want to learn about ancient Christmas traditions and how they evolved over time to what we know today, then Staircase House in Stockport is the place to go. They will be decking the halls with boughs and holly to show visitors how our ancestors would have decked their houses until January 3.
If you visit the Tower of London over the Christmas holidays between December 27 and 31, you’ll be stepping even further back in time to 1284 and the Christmas festivities of King Edward I. The Tower’s seasoned and expert costumed interpreters will be singing, fooling and entertaining visitors with plenty of wild banter to bring festive cheer to even the most jaded.
There will be similar shenanigans at Hampton Court Palace between December 27 and 31 where the palace’s food historians will be preparing a feast for King Henry VIII and his hungry courtiers. Both events are especially suitable for families and children.
Seasoned re-enactors will also be on board HMS Belfast during December 28 and 29 for a blow by blow re-enactment of the Battle of North Cape. (Normal admission prices apply).
The Imperial War Museum London is also the setting for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - tales from Narnia on December 16-22 and December 27-30. Performances take place at 12noon, 1.00pm, 2.00pm, 3.00pm.
Anyone who was happy to have Sting’s latest album in their Christmas stocking may want to head to Handel House Museum on December 28 for an early evening performance of lute music by Stuart Willis. Tickets £9/£7.50 concessions – booking on 020 7399 1953.
The UK boasts upwards of 20 science centres – each packed with interactives, pulley levers and even planetariums to enliven young minds and bring the world of science alive.
In Wales Techniquest operates over four sites and hosts exhibitions, shows and programmes intended to make science accessible. The sites are open at various times over the Christmas holidays and offer a range of exhibitions and workshops for kids of all ages – check the Techniquest website for details of what’s on when and where.
Birmingham’s Science Centre Thinktank has a similar remit (and a planetarium) and on Friday December 29 and Saturday December 30, will be hosting the Robo Challenge Christmas Special. Visitors are invited to come and meet the ‘battle-bots’ from Robot Wars, and talk to the roboteers controlling these deadly machines. There will also be a live show in the Robo Challenge full combat arena.
Bored young boffins will be enticed out of the house this Christmas at Sensation, Dundee’s live science centre. Christmas family workshops include Circuit Building, Genes in a Bottle and Robolab on December 28, 29 and 30, respectively.
At-Bristol, the city of Bristol’s Science Centre cum 3-d Imax cinema, and Wildwalk natural history galleries, is open every day except Christmas Day, whilst Newcastle’s Centre for Life is open everyday but Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Many of our heritage centres, historic house and museums open ice rinks for the festive season, here's some of the best.
Visit Eureka! this Christmas (Santa’s grotto open until Saturday December 23) and you can also pick up discount vouchers to skate at the Piece Hall Ice Rink – installed in front of Halifax's grade 1 listed building until 7 January. www.piecehall.info/pages/ice_rink.html
At Somerset House, the annual ice rink is open for business until January 27 (excluding Christmas day) whilst at the Natural History Museum a 1000-square-metre ice rink has been installed in the museum gardens and is open until January 21 2006 (apart from Christmas day).
The Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink is well into its regular run until January 14 and the Tower of London has transformed its moat into a rink (again until January 14).
More heritage and culture on ice can be found in the capital at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, where the annual ice rink has once again taken up residence in front of the Temperate House until Sunday January 7. You can also take a heritage ride across the majestic winter landscape of the gardens with a traditional festive horse and carriage ride until January 1.
The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich will be offering picturesque views of the Queens House, the Royal Observatory and across the Thames to Canary Wharf until January 14, whilst a similarly regal skate can be had at Royal Windsor Castle until January 7.
The grounds of the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea has been transformed into a waterfront winterland, including an ice rink, fairs and traditional rides. Open until January 6, call 01792 468321 for more details.
Newcastle’s Centre for Life is hosting a skate rink in Times Square until February 11 2007 and they are offering special party and group packages including children’s parties with free access to the Science Centre and 3-d simulator rides.
In York, a giant Ice Rink has taken up residence in front of Clifford’s Tower and is framed with The Castle Museum and the Law Courts on either side. With bars, viewing platforms and refreshments what better place could there be for a spot of festive skating? Open until January 7.
So there’s a few ideas to get you out of the house this Christmas, for more see the events section of the 24 Hour Museum website. And don’t forget to check your local museum for opening times this Christmas – many of them will be open over the holiday period and offering the perfect opportunity to get and see an exhibition or discover the collections on your doorstep.
