Family programme

The Great North Museum: Hancock offers a variety of family events designed to spark curiosity and inspire learning. Families can explore objects, participate in hands-on activities, and discover fascinating stories.

Our well-established Early Years programme offers various events throughout the year, including toddler and baby takeovers. Our Mouse House gallery is full of surprises, offering dress-up, storybooks and a crawling tunnel. We also provide free trails with objects hidden around the museum for visitors to find, encouraging family learning.

Mouse House

The Mouse House is a multipurpose space for our youngest visitors and their families. Designed to excite curiosity and encourage young children to explore, the Mouse House gallery is full of surprises introducing the museum’s diverse collections. Choose an activity from the walls of the Mouse House to help you explore the rest of the museum.

Museum Mice - mixed under 5's session

Our Museum Mice sessions are designed for children under 5 and are the perfect place for your little one to socialise with new people and make friends, whilst exploring our museum collections though play. 

Visit the What's On section of our website to find out about our regular events.

Curious Crawlers - for pre-walking babies

Curious Crawlers is a relaxed session for pre-walking babies who are finding their own unique ways to move around (crawling/bottom shuffling/high speed rolling with confidence). This is an opportunity for early movers to explore their curiosity, learn songs, make new friends and explore the senses whilst discovering some of our curious museum objects.

Visit the What's On section of our website to find out about our regular events.

Nurture Nest - for pre-crawling babies

Nurture Nest is a session for babies who haven't learnt to crawl yet. It is an opportunity for young babies to engage in tummy time as a group, learn songs, make new friends, and explore the senses whilst discovering some of our curious museum objects and exploring our sensory environment. 

Visit the What's On section of our website to find out about our regular events.

Mouse Tales - aimed at under 5's and their families

Come along and meet Georgina and Albany Mouse for Mouse Tales. Mouse Tales will include an interactive storytime, songs, and object handling. 

Visit the What's On section of our website to find out about our regular events.


Toddler Takeover Day

Discover what happens behind the scenes at the museum through a range of games and activities suitable for our little learners. Each toddler will receive a job checklist of things to do which will take you to stations set up around the museum to explore. These activities will  include:

  • Going on a gallery patrol
  • Making ‘puffballs’ to pack our museum objects safely
  • Carefully transporting objects
  • Sorting our museum 'store room'
  • Sweeping and dusting
  • Singing and signing

Visit the What's On section of our website to find out about our regular events.