Victorian Christmas activities at Museums Quarter
TRADITIONAL: Horse and carriage rides will be on offer. Picture credit: Hull Museums
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
Victorian-themed Christmas activities will be held at Hull’s Museums Quarter later this month.
A traditional fairground carousel and horse and carriage rides through the Old Town will be among the events taking place at the two-day event which starts on Saturday, November 23, and runs from 11am to 4pm each day.
Visitors can also interact with Victorian and Dickensian characters as they wander and perform throughout the Streetlife Museum and the Museums Quarter garden, including Queen Victoria and her Prince consort, Ebeneezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchit. A number of the short performances throughout the day will be interpreted in British Sign Language.
Live festive music can also be enjoyed throughout the weekend with performances from Hull Visual Choir. On the Saturday there will also be performances from Barton Community Brass Band and Hull Choral Union, with Beverley Brass Band and the All for One Choir providing the entertainment the next day.
Interactive children’s storytelling sessions and festive craft activities will also be on offer, with families able to make their own Christmas crackers and Christmas top hats and crowns. At 1pm each day there will be Christmas hat competition, when children can enter the hat they have made with a chance to win a family ticket for Hull New Theatre’s 2024 panto, Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
A number of pre-bookable relaxed craft sessions and relaxed storytelling sessions will also be on offer each day, designed for children who have a disability, are neurodivergent, experience anxiety, who would find it difficult to attend the busier drop-in sessions. Spaces are limited and booking is essential. Free tickets can be booked here.
A selection of festive hot and cold food and drink will be on offer throughout the weekend, and visitors will also be able to do a bit of Christmas shopping at stalls selling handmade gifts. Gift shops at the Hull and East Riding Museum and Streetlife Museum will also be open and stocked full of gift ideas from toys and books to trinkets and more.
All the activities are free, apart from the carousel and horse and carriage rides, which cost £2 per person.
Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure at Hull City Council, said: “The Victorian Christmas event is a wonderful event and always incredibly well attended. Our Old Town lends itself perfectly to the theme and I know visitors really enjoy travelling back in time to enjoy Victorian Christmas activities.”
Museums and gallery manager Jane Avison said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to the Victorian Christmas event. The weekend will be packed full of entertainment and activities to help get everyone into the festive spirit.”