Winter Solstice Festival

Make the most of the shortest day of the year and head to the Winter Solstice Family Festival at the National Maritime Museum, a midwinter celebration filled with fun activities.

The celebration includes music, dancing, storytelling, and arts and crafts inspired by the global stories, traditions and folklore of the winter solstice - from interactive tales of the holly and oak king to lantern making, shadow puppetry and much more.

Royal Observatory astronomers will also be out with telescopes, providing solar and lunar observing opportunities, answering all your astronomy questions and explaining what makes the winter solstice an important day in the astronomy calendar.

This event is being run by the astronomy team at the National Maritime Museum while the Royal Observatory is undergoing a transformation project.

More details about the festival, including activities, timings and locations, will be announced soon on this page. Get ready to join us on Saturday 19 December!