11am-4pm. Visit our Unearthed: Ancient Egypt exhibition and help our Egyptologist Dr Digby (played on film by Terry Deary, author of Horrible Histories) investigate and record his finds. Create your own archaeological treasures from paper.
Mon 23-Fri 27 Jul, 11am-4pm:
Explore the Museum and create your own treasure map of your favourite finds and make ancient Egyptian collars and cuffs in the Museum’s Discovery Centre. On certain days you can get hands on, practice your archaeological skills and see what you can find in our dig boxes. Part of the Festival of British Archaeology.
Mon 30 Jul-Fri 3 Aug, 11am-4pm:
Make your own ancient Egyptian paper amulet (lucky charm) to take home.
Experience playful surprises on Wed 1 Aug as part of National Play Day, part of our Happy Museum project.
Mon 6-Fri 10 Aug, 11am-4pm:
Have a go at making your own cardboard Canopic jars in the Museum’s Discovery Centre.
Mon 13-Fri 17 Aug, 11am-4pm:
Make mini ancient Egyptian pyramids to decorate and take home.
Mon 20-Fri 24 Aug, 11am-4pm:
Make an ancient Egyptian Cartouche (name tag).
Tues 28-Fri 31 Aug, 11am-4pm:
Make bookmarks and decorate with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Other activities over the summer holidays are:
Wednesday 25 July, 11am-4pm:
Skulls, death and the Dark Ages -
Watch a battle re-enactment and make your own sword and shield inspired by our collection. Part of the Festival of British Archaeology.
Drop-in, free, all ages
Wednesday 25 July, 1-2pm:
Skulls, death and the Dark Ages talk -
In this presentation aimed at a family and adult audience, our Curator of Archaeology, Bryan Sitch, talks about recent work on human skeletons from Heronbridge near Chester. Many of the bones show injuries from swords and axes. It is suggested that they died during the battle of Chester early in the 7th century AD, which is described in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People. This talk explores the recent discovery in the Museum’s collection, the painstaking reconstruction of the fighting and draws interesting parallels between the Dark Ages and the present day. Part of the Festival of British Archaeology.
Drop-in, free, 8+
Friday 27 July, 10.30-11.30am & 11.30am-12.30pm:
Magic Carpet: Rocks -
Storytelling and activity session for under 5s and their families/carers.
Book on 0161 275 2648 (from 20 July), free, under 5s and their families/carers
Wednesday 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 August, 1-3pm:
Manchester Anansi Spider -
Create your own stories by cutting and sticking characters from the original Anansi Spider stories. You can also take a look at the We Face Forward: Anansi Stories display and objects from the Museum’s West African collections.
Drop-in, free, 5-11 year olds and their families/carers
Saturday 4 August, 11am-4pm:
Big Saturday: Nature Discovery -
A day of hands-on activities for all the family, inspired by our Nature Discovery gallery.
Drop-in, free, all ages
Friday 31 August, 10.30-11.30am & 11.30am-12.30pm:
Magic Carpet: West Africa -
Storytelling and activity session for under 5s and their families/carers.
Book on 0161 275 2648 (from 24 August), free, under 5s and their families/carers