October School Holiday Activities at Summerlee Museum

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Entertain the kids with family activities over the October school holidays at Summerlee Museum!

About October School Holiday Activities at Summerlee Museum

Listed Under Family and Kids Events / Arts and Crafts Events / Nature Events / October Half Term Events / Outdoor Events

Get creative with arts and crafts, discover the underground mines, have a go at one our museum trails, play outdoor games, learn about the science of Summerlee Museum, handle animals with ZooLab, and more!

DAILY ACTIVITIES
Arts and Crafts in the Exhibition Hall
12pm – 4pm
Get creative with painting and making with these drop-in sessions.

Mine Tours
Saturday & Sunday: 1pm-4pm, Monday – Friday: 10am – 4pm
£2 per person (children must be 5+)
Immerse yourself in the past with this guided underground tour where you will learn about the life of Lanarkshire miners from the 1840s to 1910.

Please note: The mine is not physically accessible for people who use mobility aids.

Chariots of Steam Exhibition
10am – 4pm
FREE
An exhibition of spectacular Clyde-built model ships. This exceptional collection ranges from elegant paddle steamers to humble Clyde puffers, and from simple half-hull design models to magnificent display models.

Bazooka Arts Exhibition
10am – 4pm
FREE
Pop in to the café to see the beautiful work by Bazooka Arts on show as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Film Festival.

Terrifying Trail
£2
Hunt for the lost cats and brooms around the museum, inside and out, to solve a word puzzle to collect a prize.
Collect trail sheet at reception.

Rainy Day Trail
FREE
Our rainy day trail can only be completed on a rainy day, so get your wellies and raincoats out and splash around Summerlee to find the hidden symbols. Use the clues on the trail sheet to find your way and solve the puzzle.
Collect trail sheet at reception.

Maths Trail
FREE
Pick up a free trail and find out how much fun using maths can be.

Outdoor Games
FREE
Enjoy the weather with the games and toys around the museum – find the swings in the trees or the swing ball by the fountain, and don’t forget about the huge play area by the canal too!

Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 October: BrickM8 LEGO Weekend
10am – 4pm
FREE entry
Displays of amazing Lego models
Brick building competition
Tombola
Raffle
Mini Figure hunt
All in aid of Fairy Bricks.

Monday 14 October: Nature Numbers
11am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm
FREE
Picnic Hut
Are you older than a tree? How many spots does a ladybird have? Find the answer to these questions and more by exploring some of the outdoor areas at Summerlee Museum.

Tuesday 15 October: Victorian Mystery Object Quiz
11am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm
FREE
Exhibition Hall
Have a go at our Victorian Mystery Object Quiz

Wednesday 16 October: BioBlitz
10am – 2pm
FREE
Join us for a brilliant free October Week family activity as part of the ‘Summerlee: New Stories, New Audiences, Better Lives’ redevelopment project, in partnership with The Conservation Volunteers, Seven Lochs Wetland Park and Scottish Forestry.

A BioBlitz is a fun and informal way to create a snapshot of the variety of wildlife, flora and fauna found in a particular area. Help us to uncover and identify as many species of plants, animals, birdlife, fungi and other living things as possible, to help us better understand how Summerlee supports both the natural world and the wealth of species that call our site home.

Wednesday 16 October: The Science Behind Summerlee
11am – 2.30pm
FREE
Main Hall
Discover the science behind the coal and iron which fueled the main industries in Coatbridge, through hands on experience with historical objects.

Thursday 17 October: Science in the Museum – Steam Engines
11am – 1p & 2pm – 4pm
FREE
Main Hall
Summerlee is full of steam engines like Gibby the steam train, the Cardowan Winding Engine and our steam cranes. Find out how a steam engine works with a selection of hands-on activities and toys.

Thursday 17 October: ZooLab – Animal Encounters
1pm – 4pm
£5 per person
A 45-minute session with an animal expert, learning about and handling animals. The session is fun, educational and interactive. Animals may include a snake, frog, giant snail, millipede, hissing cockroaches and more (animals subject to change).

One ticket per person. All children must have a ticket and be accompanied by a paying adult.

Thursday 17 October: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920) with LIVE Organ Accompaniment
7pm – 9pm
£5 (free tickets available on request)
Step into the eerie shadows of Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life after-dark for a spine-chilling night of classic horror! The 124-year-old silent thriller “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” will be screened with live musical accompaniment by acclaimed organist, Aaron Hawthorne.

Immerse yourself in the sinister tale of Dr Henry Jekyll, a well-respected scientist whose experiments unleash the monstrous Mr. Hyde, wreaking havoc in the fog-shrouded streets of London. The 1937 Compton Pipe Organ was designed to accompany silent films and is the perfect instrument to bring this early cinematic masterpiece to life with its shrieking sounds and thunderous rumbles.

Friday 18 October: Science in the Museum – The Iron Boat
11am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm
FREE
Summerlee is home to the Vulcan, one of the earliest iron hulled boats. Discover the science behind making very heavy things float, and have a go yourself.

Friday 18 October: ZooLab – Animal Encounters
1pm – 4pm
£5 per person
A 45-minute session with an animal expert, learning about and handling animals. The session is fun, educational and interactive. Animals may include a snake, frog, giant snail, millipede, hissing cockroaches and more (animals subject to change).

One ticket per person. All children must have a ticket and be accompanied by a paying adult.

Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

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Other Events at Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life

Family and Kids

Bookbug at Summerlee

Selected dates between 10th January 2025 - 19th December 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

Discover the benefits of sharing stories, songs and rhymes with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers at Summerlee's weekly Bookbug sessions!

Family and Kids

LEGO Animation Club

Selected dates between 25th January 2025 - 14th June 2025

North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre, Various Locations Lanarkshire

LEGO Animation Club is a brilliant way for kids to learn about creating their own animation work and have a great time among fellow LEGO fans!

Exhibitions

The Artful Codgers

30th March 2025 - 9th June 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

The Artful Codgers Exhibition celebrates the work of three old pals – award winning artist, Jim Scullion, acclaimed actor and director Tony Roper and Scottish football legend, Danny McGrain.

Exhibitions

Everything Flows: Music in North Lanarkshire

28th June 2025 - 19th October 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

Come hear the memories of local musicians, see costumes, photos and records through the decades or even just come for a boogie at the Everything Flows: Music in North Lanarkshire exhibition!