SUNDERLAND’S MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES are the place to be over the Easter holidays.
There is a full programme of events and activities for children from Thursday 24 March until Friday 8 April at locations across the city.
A fantastic mixture of craft and design based family activities with an Easter theme has been put together to encourage more people of all ages into their local libraries and museums.
Sunderland City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Public Health, Wellness and Culture, Councillor John Kelly said:” With school holidays coming up it is great to see a fantastic range of free activities for the young and young at heart, across the city.
“Despite the ongoing government imposed budget restrictions, we continue to look at how best to deliver museum, library and heritage services across the city and I wholeheartedly encourage everybody to make the most of the top class facilities we have in Sunderland.”
Events taking place at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens:
Burdon Road, Sunderland, SR1 1PP Opening Times: Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 2pm – 5pm www.seeitdoitsunderland.co.uk/
Dinosaur Egg Hunt
Thursday 24 March – Sunday 10 April Museum opening hours
Calling all dinosaur lovers! Can you find all the dinosaur eggs hiding in the Museum & Winter Gardens? Find each one and crack the mystery code to win a dinosaur themed prize. £2 per entry. Purchase your egg trail at the museum shop.
Painting Sunderland!
Wednesday 30 March 11.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3pm (drop in)
Paint your own amazing views of Sunderland and add them to our pop up gallery in the learning rooms.
Then and Now Portraits
Friday 1 April 11.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3pm (drop in)
Dress up as an historical Sunderland character and have your photo portrait taken with artist Nicola Maxwell. There will a small charge for printed photo portraits.
Wallace’s Warriors
Wednesday 6 April 11am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3pm (drop in)
Help us to celebrate the launch of Wallace’s Warriors, our new membership club for children. Meet our costumed Wallace the Lion, make a lion mask and pin badge then try the lion trail around the Museum and Park. The event is free but there is charge for each membership.
Wallace the lion travelled the country with Mander’s Menagerie and lived until 1875. He has been one of the Museum’s most popular exhibits since 1879. Wallace has his own twitter handle @wallacethelion1 and regularly tweets about life in Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens.
Wallace’s Warriors memberships are £12 per child per year, but discounted to £10 per child at this special event. Membership is suitable for children aged 7 – 11 years old and includes a goody bag with a lion themed toy and stationery, a membership certificate, regular e-newsletters and VIP access to family events.
Inspired by Billy!
Friday 8 April 11.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3pm (drop in)
Join us for a special family day inspired by the story of Billy Elliot. Learn about the amazing uses of coal, help to decorate a mining banner and take part in history trails to explore the stories of the North East coal mining communities.
Events taking place at Monkwearmouth Station Museum:
North Bridge Street, Sunderland, SR5 1AP Opening Times: 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday
2pm to 5pm Sunday. www.seeitdoitsunderland.co.uk/
Easter Bunny Trail
Thursday 24 March – Sunday 10 April Museum Opening Hours
Can you find the Easter bunnies hopping around the Museum? Find them all to claim a prize sticker. Collect your free trail from Museum reception.
Musical Monkeez Easter Party
Tuesday 29 March Sessions at 12pm (under 5s) and 1pm (ages 5 and up)
Join the Musical Monkeez for an Easter themed party in the Entrance Hall. Come dressed as an Easter bunny and a prize will be awarded for best costume in each session.
Zeppelin Attack!
Thursday 31 March 11am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3pm
Monkwearmouth Station Museum was bombed by a German zeppelin aircraft on 1 April 1916. On the eve of the 100th anniversary find out more about this important event in Sunderland’s history and make your own model zeppelin to take home.
Topper Train Hats
Tuesday 5 April 11am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3pm (drop in)
Make a marvellous train hat with rails, steam and tracks, celebrating the days of the Railway King!
The Wheels on the Bus
Thursday 7 April 11am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3pm (drop in)
Make a brilliant bus with colourful collage materials. Will you choose the Fab 56, Fast Cats or the Prince Bishops?
For more information please contact the Learning Team on (0191) 553 2323 e-mail learning@sunderlandmuseum.org.
Chocolate Workshops (Booking Essential 0191 561 1235)
City Library and Arts Centre
Join our chocolate workshops including tasting, discovery and demonstrations. The session will kick off with a quick history lesson, followed by ‘chocolate readings’, you will then be indulged with truffle demonstration and tasting. Chocolate gifts can be purchased at the workshop.
Wednesday 23 March 3-4pm, tickets £5 There is also a special evening session 5.30-6.30pm, tickets £7 (includes a glass of wine)
ALL LIBRARIES during the Easter holidays will be hosting free children’s craft activities. Themes for these sessions will be “Spring Crafts” in the week beginning Tuesday 29 March and “Julia Donaldson” inspired crafts in the week beginning Monday 4 April. The craft activities are free and suitable for all ages. For further information contact your local library.
Spring Crafts Tuesday 29 March- Friday 8 April:
Spring Bird’s Nests
Hetton Library Thur 31 March 2.30 – 3.30pm
Washington Millennium Centre Fri 1 March 2.30 – 3.30pm
Springtime Wind chimes with Popples Tales (Booking essential)
Houghton Library Wed 30 March 2.30 – 3.30pm
Sandhill View Library Thur 31 March 10.45 – 11.45am
City Library Fri 1 April 2.30 – 3.30pm
3D spring Frames with Popples Tales (Booking essential)
Bunnyhill Library Tue 29 March 2.00 – 3.00pm
Washington TownCentre Library Thur 31 March 2.15 – 3.15pm
3D Rainbow Spring Cards
Washington Town Centre Library Tue 29 Mach 2.15 – 3.15pm
Ryhope Library Tue 29 March 2.30 – 3.30pm
Blossom Poet Tree
City Library Wed 30 March 2.30 – 3.30pm
Shiney Row Library Thur 31 March 2.30 – 3.30pm
Butterfly Craft
Fulwell Library Wed 30 March 2.00 -3.00pm
Kayll Road Library Fri 1 April 2.00 – 3.00pm
Gruffalo Storysack (Booking essential)
City Library Mon 4 April 2.30 – 3.30pm
Washington Millennium Centre Mon 4 April 2.30 – 3.30pm
Fulwell Library Wed 6 April 2.00 – 3.00pm
Shiney Row Library Thur 7 April 2.30 – 3.30pm
Sandhill Centre Library Thur 7 April 10.45 – 11.45am
Scarecrow Craft
Hetton Library Mon 4 April 2.30 – 3.30pm
City Library Fri 8 April 2.30 – 3.30pm
Kayll Road Library Fri 8 April 2.00 – 3.00pm
Character Art with Daniel Weatheritt
City Library Wed 6 April 2.30 – 3.30pm
Washington Town Centre Library Thur 7 April 2.15-3.15pm
Create a Ladybird
Bunnyhill Library Tue 5 April 2.00 – 3.00pm
Ryhope Library Tue 5 April 2.00 – 3.00pm
Washington Town Centre Library Tue 5 April 2.15 – 3.15pm
Houghton Library Wed 6 April 2.30 – 3.30pm