Summer holiday community activities for families

Summer holiday community activities for families  

LEGO: Build The Change Drop-In Sessions  
 Over the last year roughly 40,000 people created habitats using LEGO, where people and planet can thrive together, helping to inspire the builders of tomorrow as they learn about the natural world through play. Drop in to our free community sessions in the Investigate Centre (directions attached) where you can come in, create, explore and play 

• Wednesday 7^th, 14^th, 21^st and 28^th August 2024   

• Drop in anytime 11am-2pm   

• Natural History Museum [South Kensington]   

• Free , no booking required , snacks provided   

• All activities using LEGO® bricks are most suitable for ages 6+. LEGO DUPLO bricks are available for children aged 3+. Children must be supervised.  

 

Community Access Scheme – free tickets for our latest exhibition for local residents!   

We’re excited to offer free tickets on Wednesdays and Saturdays to our latest exhibition, Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre. Please use the link below to book your tickets, we just ask that this link is not shared on social media or to big mailing lists/groups as we want to make sure they benefit local people who wouldn’t usually feel able to visit. https://sway.cloud.microsoft/ySIkYRfumnL174S8?ref=Link  

Summer holiday activities for local community and youth groups 

 

Pond dipping workshop – at the Museum  

Join us in the Nature Discovery Garden for a pond dip with our Learning Facilitators. Discover the ponds and the animals living there and explore what you have found.  

• 3.30pm – 4.15pm, Friday 16 August  

• Location: Natural History Museum Nature Discovery Garden  

• Free, all materials provided   

• Most suitable for young people aged 6 – 11  

• Maximum group size 30, booked groups only  

Nature Discovery Garden Time Capsule workshop – at the Museum  

To mark the opening of our new garden spaces the Learning and Volunteer teams at the museum are creating a time capsule which will be buried in the Nature Discovery Garden, to be dug up in thirty years. Join us for a special one-off workshop exploring some local wildlife and ways to protect it, get hands-on with our specimens and science and decorate your own fabric patch for the time capsule depicting your hopes for a greener future.  

• 3.30pm – 4.30pm, on 15 or 29 August 

• Natural History Museum Nature Activity Centre, Nature Discovery Garden 

• Free, one-off workshop 

• Most suitable for young people aged 6 – 12       

• Maximum group size 15, booked groups only  

LEGO: Build The Change workshop – in your community space  
In our new workshop, young people use their creativity to design changes that would impact their local community.  

How to book  

If you would like to book a session date or have any challenges with the dates, please contact the Community and Youth Engagement team by emailing [email protected]. 

 

 

Autumn term after-school or evening activities for local community and youth groups  

At the Museum: exhibitions after hours 

Explore and Draw in the Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre exhibition. Visit our gallery after hours and sketch your favourite specimens, or simply explore the space free from other visitors.  

• Free sessions bookable in September, October and November, weekdays only from 6-8pm (subject to availability) 

• Suitable for ages 6-21 (young people must be supervised) 

 

 

In your community or youth centre  

Can’t come to the museum? Across September, October and November, weekdays from 4pm, we’ll be able to run free nature activities in your centre (subject to availability): 

• Nature Overheard – do some real-life science and help collect data for our community science project exploring the impact of noise pollution on insects. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/monitor-and-encourage-nature/nature-overheard/nature-overheard-survey.html  (Weekdays 4pm – 6pm, September only, suitable for ages 8-21) 

• Specimen Sketch and Scribble – Get creative with some museum specimens and science. Explore nature up close and create your own artworks using pens, pencil or water colours. (Weekdays 4pm – 8pm, suitable for ages 8-21) 

• Coral Constructors – Discover how coral reefs are responding to climate change and what we can do to help ocean life thrive and make your own coral reef headdress. (Weekdays 4pm – 8pm, suitable for ages 6-12) 

How to book 

• Please get in touch at least two weeks in advance to discuss dates and availability by emailing [email protected]  

• Sessions are free and only available to community and youth organisations in the boroughs of Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, and Hammersmith & Fulham and is offered on a first come, first served basis.   

• If none of these activities appeal or you have another activity you’d like us to offer do get in touch to discuss what might be possible. 

 

 

 
NHM Opportunities you might be interested in  

• JOB: National Education Nature Park Administrator 
  Are you over 18 and looking for a chance to work at the museum? The National Education Nature Park team are looking for a full time Administrator. Deadline to apply: 14^th August 2024, https://jobs.nhm.ac.uk/Job/JobDetail?JobId=226 

 

• Nature Overheard Survey  
  There is still time for you to take a closer look at the nature on your doorstep and discover what lives there. Find out more and take part: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/monitor-and-encourage-nature/nature-overheard/nature-overheard-survey.html  

 

 

 

 

News and what’s coming up: 

• New Gardens are open! Since our last email we have re-opened our gardens which has been a wonderful time for all involved. A big thanks to London Sports Trust and NOVA members for joining us to announce the name of our newest dinosaur, Fern, which was named by local young people. It was great to see so many of you who have been involved in the gardens and your families and friends at the preview.  

 

•  October Half Term activities coming soon 

We are thinking ahead to our next holiday and this year the October Family Festival activities are all based on biodiversity. There will be exclusive activities for our local community and also activities for all of our visitors so keep your eyes open for an email from us with more information coming soon. 

 

• Do you need volunteers for your local community or youth organisation?  

Could your community organisation benefit from some volunteers on a Friday in September or October? At the museum we have colleagues with skills in construction, archiving/storage and project management that are keen to support local organisations. They could help out with something specific that relates to their skills, or generally lend a hand with tasks that would be useful. If this sounds interesting, drop us a message at [email protected] or 07769 239024 and we can have a chat to see what might work. 

We hope to see you this summer at the Museum and in the local community!