Essential Information

Type Family fun
Location
Date and Times 25 May - 1 June 2025 | See page for timings
Prices Free

Head to the Queen's House this May half term for a free series of creative workshops and activities for all ages.

Get closer to the artworks and objects on display, and meet characters connected to the history of the House. There's no need to book in advance; pop in to the House and drop in to a session whenever you like.

Take a look at what's happening when below, and find out what else you can do as a family during your visit to the Queen's House here.

 

May half term at the Queen's House

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A family look at an image on an easel and laugh with a character actor.

Sunday 25 May

Character encounters

12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm

What’s in a picture? Come and join Inspector Canvass at the Queen’s House to discover hidden clues in the paintings hanging at the House. They'll be roaming the galleries throughout the day. 

Learn more about character actors at the Queen's House

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A teapot adorned with images of women and plants

Sunday 25 May

Magic Brews & Market Stories: Collage Your Own Tea Set

11am-1pm, 2pm-4pm | Undercroft

Learn about the hidden histories of herbs and market women while making paper tea sets in this free craft workshop. 

Collage different herbs and their uses onto your tea sets, or imagine your own plant with special powers! 

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An oil painting of a mountain landscape in Australia from 1802

Wednesday 28 May

Island Adventures: Create your own diorama

11am-1pm, 2pm-4pm | Undercroft

Create your own island diorama inspired by paintings in our collection in this free workshop!

Imagine a galleon ship appearing on the shores of your island. What might you see, and who might you meet?

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A woman gazes at portraits of historic figures. Three paintings are displayed in a gallery in front of her

Friday 30 May

Personalised portraits

11am-1pm, 2pm-4pm | Undercroft

Personalise the portraits in the Queen's House by making your own plastic picture frames. Hold your frame up to a painting as you go around the Queen's House to add your own characters and ideas to the artwork.

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Mistress Babbington looking out of a window at the Queen's House

Sunday 1 June

Character encounters

12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm

Discover characters from history with their own fascinating stories to tell.

Learn more about character actors at the Queen's House

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What’s On

Find more events for families at Royal Museums Greenwich.

Illustration of Ted in a spacesuit in front of the Moon.
Planetarium shows

Ted's Space Adventure

Join Ted the bear on an adventure around the Solar System in this special live planetarium show for under-7s - perfect for little astronauts everywhere!
Weekends and school holidays
Adult £12 | Child £6 | Student £8
Royal Observatory
A man dressed in period sailor costume leads a tour of the National Maritime Museum, with kids and parents following behind
Talks and tours

Character Encounters at the National Maritime Museum

Visit the National Maritime Museum every Saturday to discover a different character from history with their own fascinating story to tell
Every Saturday
Free
National Maritime Museum
Mistress Babbington character actor at the Queen's House
Family fun

Character Actors at the Queen's House

Meet historical characters connected to the Queen's House and take part in exciting performances
Sundays | 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm
Free
Queen's House
James Robson the cook, one of the characters you can meet on board Cutty Sark. He wears a flat cap and red scarf, and is pointing at the ship's rigging
Family fun

Cutty Sark Characters

Meet colourful characters from Cutty Sark’s past and hear astonishing stories about life at sea in the age of sail
Weekends during term term | Daily during school holidays
Included with entry to Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark
Adults and children enjoying a storytelling session.
Family fun

Play Tuesdays

Bring your under 5 on a different adventure every week! Explore the Museum together through song, dance and stories
Term time Tuesdays | 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.00pm, 2.00pm
£4 per child and accompanying adult | Under 6 months free
National Maritime Museum
Two young children pull on ropes that act as part of the rigging for historic ship Cutty Sark
Family fun

Ship Mates

Hop aboard Cutty Sark for sensory sessions for under 5s!
Term-time Wednesdays | 10.30am, 12.00pm & 1.30pm
£5 per adult, under 5s free
Cutty Sark
A group of four with adults and children participating in a craft.
Family fun

Safe Harbour

Safe Harbour is a series of free workshops created to provide a safe space for foster and adoptive families with children under 13 years
Monthly: Next date 28 June | 12.30pm - 2.30pm
Ticketed | Free
National Maritime Museum
Sensory Sailors
Family fun

SENsory Sailors

Come along and enjoy this brand new sensory play session for children under 13 years with special educational needs
Once a month on Saturdays | 11am-12.30pm
Free | Pre-booking required
National Maritime Museum
Family fun | Identity

LGBTQ+ Family Network

A safe space for local LGBTQ+ families to meet one another, get involved in creative activities for all ages and explore the stories within the collection
Next date: 17 May 2025 | 11am-1pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
Girls doing craft
Family fun

May half term at the National Maritime Museum

Find fun for all the family at the National Maritime Museum this May
24 May – 1 June 2025 | 11am-4pm
Free | Drop in
National Maritime Museum
A woman points out something of interest in a painting to a family group
Family fun

May half term at the Queen's House

Find free workshops, character encounters and creative activities for all ages inside Greenwich's historic villa
25 May - 1 June 2025 | See page for timings
Free
Queen's House
A composite image of the moons Io (small and yellow), Deimos (tiny and mishapen), Enceladus (white and covered in cracks) and the Moon (a deep grey and covered in craters) on a black background
Family fun

Out Of This World: Moons

Explore the moons of our solar system in this family workshop
27 May and 28 October 2025 | 10.30am - 12 noon
£5 per child
Royal Observatory
Ted the bear is stood on Mars, with a Martian rover behind him.
Family fun

Holiday to Space

Travel across the Solar System and help Ted prepare for a holiday on another world during a planetarium show and interactive workshop for ages 3-6.
29 May | 31 October 2025
£5 per child
Royal Observatory
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