Families

Make magical memories with the whole family

Enjoy a fantastic programme of activities, inspired by our collections, the surrounding parkland and special exhibitions. There’s something for all ages to enjoy — see below to see all the activities designed with families in mind.

Under-18s, students and carers always go free!

FAMILY EVENTS

Children
Every Thursday until 8 Jan 2026
10:00 am - 4:00 pm, included in admission
Stay and Play
Children
Every Saturday until 3 Jan 2026
1.00 - 3.00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers
Hands working on a mixed-media craft activity.
Families
Everyday until 1 Mar 2026
10:00 - 5:00, included in admission
Animal Origami
Three colourful origami animals—a pink cat, green rabbit, and brown dog—displayed on a yellow table in a creative workshop setting.
Children
31 Dec 2025
11:00 - 12:00, included in admission
Pet Explorers
A young girl wearing a fairy costume playing the in Pippa Hale Pet Project exhibition
Children
12 Dec 2025
10:00 - 4:00, included in winter market admission
Artist Makers: Festive Printmaking
A woman and her child creating art in a gallery space
Children
13 Dec 2025
10:00 - 4:00, included in winter market admission
Artist Makers: Hibernation Habitats
A girl and her mum doings crafts in the create space.
Children
14 Dec 2025
10:00 - 5:00, included in winter market admission
Artist Makers: Magical Mobiles
A young boy making art in the create space
Children
14 Dec 2025
10:00 - 5:00, included in winter market admission
Artist Makers: Seasonal Decorations
A young boy making art in the create space
Children
27 Dec 2025
1:00 - 3:00, included in admission
Artist Makers: Snow Scenes
A painting of a snowy landscape scene
Children
20 Dec 2025
1:00 - 3:00, included in winter market admission
Artist Makers: Snowflake Screenprinting
A young girl making art in a bright gallery space
Children
13 Dec 2025
10:00 - 4:00, included in winter market admission
Artist Makers: Tree Treasurers
Children
3 Jan 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Steam Train Masks
A young child wearing striped long sleeves and dark overalls smiles while holding up large, playful yellow sunglasses decorated with orange fuzzy eyebrows. The child stands indoors in a brightly lit room with soft-focus windows and displays in the background.
Children
10 Jan 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Clay Companions
Person shaping clay to make a shaped filled with seeds at a craft table with tools, tins and a seed packet.
Children
17 Jan 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Patchwork Pets
A brightly coloured craft table covered with paper scraps, envelopes labeled with colors, a glue stick, scissors, and printed floral reference images. In the center is a drawing in progress being decorated with small triangular pieces of coloured paper arranged in patterns.
Children
24 Jan 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Powerful Printed Words
A grid of small, monochrome printed art pieces is arranged on a bright yellow background. Each piece shows various textures and patterns, including leaves, feathers, geometric shapes, and bubble-wrap impressions. The papers are connected with colourful plastic links in orange, pink, and blue.
Children
28 Feb 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Framing Landscapes
A child's mixed-media sculpture of a tree in a museum gallery
Children
7 Mar 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Rooted in Nature
A paper ladybird on an eisel.
Children
29 Jan, 28 Feb, 26 Mar, 30 Apr, 28 May, 25 Jun, 30 Jul, 27 Aug, 24 Sep, 29 Oct, 26 Nov & 31 Dec 2026
11:00 am - 12:00 pm, included in admission
Bowes Babies
A young child with light hair, wearing a mustard-yellow shirt, khaki shorts, and colorful socks, smiles while crawling on a large white cushioned surface in a brightly colored play area with red and pink abstract shapes on the wall behind.
Children
28 Mar 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Sky Scenes
Children
21 Mar 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Spring Garlands
Colourful, mixed-media piece of artwork by a child
Children
14 Mar 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Transform Paintings
Two children sit at a brightly colored craft table in an orange-walled room, working on art projects. The child on the left, wearing glasses and a light gray sweater, holds scissors and a piece of paper. The child on the right, wearing a light blue sweatshirt, handles a piece of red translucent material. Various craft supplies—paper, glue sticks, sticks, tape, and markers—are scattered across the table.
Children
14 Feb 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Valentine Cards
Swans made from white card.
Children
11 Apr 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Groovy Shoes
A pair of black leather platform shoes with very thick, light-colored wooden soles. One shoe is upright while the other leans against it, showing the exaggerated height and chunky shape of the platforms.
Children
25 Apr 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Mini Museum
A large carboard version of The Bowes Museum with arched windows, paper flowers, small cut-out figures, and miniature cardboard cars, displayed indoors in front of an open orange-framed window.
Children
18 Apr 2026
1:00 - 3:00 pm, included in admission
Artist Makers: Punk Posters
Children creating art in the create space, using pencils to colour in.
Children
21 Feb 2026
10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 1:45 – 4:30 pm, free admission
Artist Makers: Making Tracks
A young girl with a long braid and a colourful crocheted headband is sitting at a bright yellow table, drawing on a sheet of white paper with a black marker. Various craft supplies—markers, scissors, glue, and cut-out shapes—are scattered around her. A piece of cardboard with a child’s drawing of a butterfly and stands upright nearby. The girl appears focused on her artwork in the Create Space.
Children
18 & 25 Feb 2026
11:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 – 2:00 pm, included in admission
Play the Part
Two young children sit together indoors on colorful cushions. One child with brown hair, wearing striped sleeves and dark overalls, smiles while holding an open book. The other child with curly red hair gently touches the first child’s cheek, smiling playfully. Behind them is a shelving display with various decorative objects and vases.
Children
21 Feb 2026
10:00 am - 5:00 pm, free admission
Family Open Day
In the Create Space, a brightly coloured room where two adults stand talking while two young children sit at a table doing arts and crafts. The table is covered with markers, glue sticks, scissors, paper, and printed images. One child concentrates on a piece of paper, while the other holds a marker. The room has orange walls, large windows, and museum-style displays in the background.
Children
21 Feb 2026
11:00 am –12:00 pm, 12:45-1:45 pm, 2:00 – 3:00 pm and 3:00 – 4:00 pm, free admission
Pet Prancers
Two children sit on large, colourful, painted cat and dog squishees and give each other a high-five in a brightly decorated room with green and red walls. They are smiling and appear to be having fun in a playful, creative environment.
Children
4 Apr 2026
Artist Makers: Bird Monoprinting
A handmade art project featuring a bird shape created with white string glued onto a blue card, perched on a black yarn “branch.” The card sits on a yellow surface surrounded by other children’s crafts, including painted paper plates, doodles, a black feather and a small figurine.
Young People
21 Feb 2026
11:30 am – 12:30 pm and 1:30 – 2:30 pm, free admission
Conservation in Action
A close up shot of a person wearing purple gloves and holding a historic brown boot
Young People
21 Feb 2026
11:00am – 12:00 pm, 1:15 – 2:45 pm and 3:00 – 4:30 pm, free admission
Young Curators Showcase

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