Summer of Play

At the National Maritime Museum, we take play seriously! This summer, come and enjoy lots of maritime-themed fun - we will be running a host of outdoor and indoor activities for the whole family. 

Please note that in the event of poor weather, all outdoor activities will take place in the Learning Space instead. 

Play Outdoors Tuesdays

Every Tuesday throughout the summer holiday

Join in with your under-5s and discover some fabulous and playful outdoor activities for the whole family.

Location: National Maritime Museum grounds by Romney Road entrance 

Click here for more information

Sessions on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays

See below for a range of sessions which will take place on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays throughout the summer.

Location: Learning Space (unless otherwise specified)

Suitable for all ages and abilities | Free, drop in

Bubble Painting

10 August

Play with bubbles and experiment with paint to create watery effects.

 

Moving Seas

11 August

Have you ever noticed how the oceans move? Using ropes we’ll be turning the museum space into a rippling, crashing, splashing ocean to play in.

 

Ocean Stories

13 August

Discover myths, legends and folktales of the power of the seas from around the world.

 

Waxy Water Pictures

17 August

Play and experiment with wax to create watery images inspired by pictures of water in the National Maritime Museum's exhibition ‘Our Connection to Water.’

 

Sounds of the Sea

18 August

Explore the sounds of the sea and create an ocean soundscape using different instruments.

 

Sun Prints

20 August

Inspired by botanist and photographer Anna Atkins, play with water and sun to create photograms of underwater specimens.

 

Magic Waves

24 August

Play with wax crayons and water to create hidden sea monsters inspired by the historic maps at the Museum.

 

Under the sea - cancelled

25 August

Unfortunately due to illness this session will no longer be going ahead. For more family ideas at the National Maritime Museum, click here.

Ocean Spray

27 August

Play with water and colourful inks to create patterns inspired by the movement of the oceans.

 

Working in Water

26 and 27 August

Workshop with Practitioner in Residence, Niamh Hannaford

These workshops draw inspiration from the Sea Things Gallery, together we will explore the boundaries of the Museum, how we interact with and embody objects and the stories we tell as a result of these joint explorations. We will take a tour of the Sea Things Gallery, leading onto object play and paper casting.

Click here for more information

31 August

What does a boat need to be able to work in the water? Play with different materials to create a working vessel.

Spray painting

1 September

Play with the patterns of water using water and paint mixtures, stencils and spray bottles. See what patterns show through.

 

Ocean Collages

3 September

What do you imagine you might find in the depths of the ocean? Using collage materials create your own seascape image to take home.

 

Games without Wires

15 August | 12 - 4pm 

Meet members of the Caribbean Social Forum and learn how to play games from around the world. 

Family trails and backpacks

Pick up a family trail or borrow a backpack of activities from the ‘Play and Explore’ trolley to discover exciting objects in the galleries. Choose from seven different trails across a range of galleries, with activities suited to any age, or try the Sensory Explorer backpack.

More information