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Modern Art, In Paint

When we visited the Tate on monday Garden Girl didn't think much of the art there. She said there wasn't enough colour and where there was she thought she could do better. I quote, 'Where are the flowers?, there is nothing there, its just a colour.' But in the spirit of trying new things Garden Girl and Garden Boy have spent the morning producing the next big thing for the Tate modern. I introduce you to 'Modern Art, In Paint'

Merrivale Model Village, Great Yarmouth

We visited Merrival Model Village in Great Yarmouth last summer, late in the afternoon when we had spent much of the day on the beach, paddling in the water and building sandcastles. Our Little Museum Visitors were getting ready for a change of activity and we fancied a stroll along the beach, so we set off towards Wellington Pier which is situated close by.

We spent about an hour and a half wandering through the model village at a slow pace, looking at each of the exhibits. Without the children we would not have spent half that time there, but we are glad we did, because the longer you look, the more you see. Garden Girl and Garden Boy loved wandering around the village spotting things their own size. They were drawn to the children playing on the playground, the bride and groom outside the church and delighted in watching the fun fair rides and activating the buttons to make them move. Garden Boy was thrilled to watch the trains appear and disappear all around the village and we spent a lot of time watching the busy engines come and go.

All the models are beautifully made with a lot of attention to detail and humour and the gardens in which they are situated are beautiful, making it a relaxing place to enjoy a gentle stroll. There is a lot for adults and children to discover and our Little Museum Visitors were eager to point things out they had spotted and seek out more and of course it is all at their eye level so there was no need to keep lifting them up to show them things.

Then, as it was time for dinner after we had completed our visit, we tried out the restaurant facilities. The food tasted great, the service was friendly and the prices were reasonable. It was a lovely end to a day at the beach and both our Little Museum Visitors loved the village and are eager to return this summer.

Practicalities

• The village lanes are narrow. We did push our buggy around and wheelchairs up to 26.5" wide can access the whole village, however we often felt we were in the way of other visitors when we were lingering to look at something, blocking the path with our pushchair. Double buggies would not be able to fit.
• There are toilets onsite, including a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities but although they were useable they were not the cleanest toilets. 
• The onsite restaurant is well priced, with good food and is definitely worth a visit. There is indoor or outdoor seating.
• Dogs can be taken inside the village as long as they are kept on a lead.
• There is a pay and display car park opposite the model village, as well as numerous other car parks around Great Yarmouth. 
• If you are arriving by train there are regular buses from the train station to the sea front.
• The admission fee is quite expensive but look out for vouchers in leaflets at the tourist information centre or other places of interest, as we managed to gain entry with a 2 for 1 offer. 
• There is a shop onsite.

Admission Prices

• The model village is free for the under three's, otherwise a child admission is £4.50
• Adult admission is £6.00 (Senior Citizens £5.50)
• A family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children can be purchased for £18.50
• Look out for entry fee offers in leaflets about Great Yarmouth at the tourist information centre or other places of interest.

Opening Times

• The village opens at 10am every day, 27th March - 31st October
• Closing times vary and last admission is one hour before closing so if you plan to visit later in the day it is worth phoning ahead
• From 25 July to 2nd September the village stays open after dusk and the model street lights and windows are lit up

Learn More

To find out more or to check for updated information prior to your visit, have a look at the Merrivale Model Village website.

Little Museum Visitors Rating
**** 

The National Football Museum, Preston

At Easter we visited my parents in the North and the weather was wet. No surprises there really, but what was a surprise was how much fun we all had at The National Football Museum. Grandad North is not renowned for his interest in visiting museums, but he does enjoy watching football and Preston North End is the winning team, so when we were looking for a place to visit that would keep us all dry, warm and happy The National Football Museum was the obvious choice.

The museum could so easily have contained very little to interest two toddlers but there was a brilliant mix of displays and information for the football enthusiast, interesting facts and information to engage those of us less interested in football and a wealth of interactives aimed at all ages to provide a fun afternoon for the whole family, football enthusiast or not.

There was a trail for toddlers that helped focus our Little Museum Visitors on the displays. They were asked to look for things of a certain colour, or choose the football merchandise they would most like to take home with them and it was useful to have something to help liven up the exhibits for the children. However, the museum really came into its own with the additional bits they had added for children. There were a number of backpacks around the museum filled with objects for them to discover, from football shirts to rattles and balls to gas masks. They loved opening the bags to see what was inside and enjoyed the opportunity to handle objects. The rattle was a big hit with Garden Boy and they both loved the story of Pickles the Dog. There was lots of colouring in to do, jigsaws and a little game of table football neither of them could play but which they both enjoyed having a go at.

Upstairs Garden Girl made her own film as a Match of the Day presenter while Grandma and Grandad North enjoyed a game of table football. For toddlers there was also a play corner, complete with a football net and ball, dressing up, tent and tunnel, jigsaws, musical instruments and toys. We were only there for a few hours and if I am honest this is all I expected we would be able to manage in a museum dedicated to football but we could easily have spent a whole day there. Our Little Museum Visitors wanted to return the next day and are both eager to visit again next time we are in Preston. The museum has obviously put a lot of thought and effort into attracting younger audiences and the museum should really be commended for this.

Practicalities 

• The entire museum is accessible with a pushchair and wheelchair, however the viewing platform which overlooks Preston's football ground is only accessible to wheelchair users via a lift which must be operated by a member of staff. With no staff nearby to operate the lift and no prior warning that assistance is required a wheelchair user would have to make a trek back down to reception to gain access here. 
• There are numerous activities throughout the museum for toddlers and a free trail which can be obtained from reception, although you need to ask for it as it wasn't just handed over when we arrived. The trail is divided into two parts with different tasks and questions aimed at younger and older children. 
• There are toilets onsite as well as baby changing facilities but be warned, the toilet cubicles are very narrow and fitting myself and a toddler into one cubicle at the same time was a feat worthy of Houdini. Luckily I had grandparents with me who were looking after Garden Boy but had it been the three of us visiting alone, I could not have got in and out of the toilet with two toddlers.
• There is a well priced cafe by the museum entrance offering basic food and refreshment which we didn't try but looked worthy of a visit. 
• There is ample free parking in the football ground car park.
• The number 19 bus from Preston bus station takes less than 10 minutes to reach the museum. 
• There is a museum shop.
• Visit the museum as soon as possible. The museum will soon be moving to Manchester, a poor decision in my opinion. I only hope that the excellent facilities that are provided for toddlers will be recreated when the museum relocates but a move will mean changes so take the opportunity to visit now, just in case.

Admission Prices

• Museum entry is free to everyone.

Opening Times

• Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm
• Open Sundays 11am - 5pm
• Open Bank Holiday Mondays 10am - 5pm
• On Preston North End match days the museum closes just before kick off so it is worth checking the fixtures on their website before a visit.
• The museum is closed on Mondays, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday.

Learn More

To find out more or to check for updated information prior to your visit, have a look at the National Football Museum Website


Little Museum Visitors Rating
*****

British Museum: Living and Dying/North American Galleries

Before I had children I was a frequent visitor of the British Museum. It is one of my favourite museums and each time I go I see something different. It isn't just that the museum contains some of the best and most inspiring collections in the world; the whole atmosphere of the museum is engaging. And this was not lost on Garden Boy on Sunday when I took him there for the first time. Walking into the Great Court Garden Boy's focus, in total wonderment, was drawn upwards, and he uttered a single 'Wow'; a word he repeated over and over again as we continued to explore.

We stayed at the museum for an hour or so while Garden Girl was with Garden Dad, watching the big screen for the very first time. So engaged was Garden Boy with the objects, that we only managed to look through two of the galleries. We didn't look at a map, but just wandered into rooms, which happened to be the 'Living and Dying' themed gallery and the North American gallery.

All the objects in the Living and Dying gallery relate in some way to how different cultures approach the challenges of maintaining health and diverting troubles in a spiritual way. There is an abundance of carved objects on display and Garden Boy was thrilled to look at the faces carved in wood, looking at the different features and facial expressions. There was also lots of colour and pattern in the gallery which provided a delightful focus for a little boy proud to be able to tell me the names of the shapes and colours he was seeing, pointing with a twinkle in his eye when he knew he was going to get it right.

Many of the objects were large so it was easy for Garden Boy to explore and engage with objects on his own, although there was also a lot that I had to lift him up to see. Aside from 'wow' his second most repeated word as we wandered the galleries was 'More' as he searched for more fantastic things to see. What impressed me most about this gallery for visiting with toddlers however, was the inspiration the objects gave me for follow up activities. We will be building our own papier mache tree of life on which Garden Boy will hang photos and magazine cutouts of images that are important to him. We will also be getting out the face paints and drawing designs on our cheeks similar to the ones carved and painted on many of the wooden figures we saw. We will be getting out the fabric paints to create our own geometric designs like those on the clothes we saw in the North American gallery and we will be making our own rattles with different faces drawn on them, using paper plates. 

I really wanted to buy a glossy photo book with the objects we saw to discuss with both Our Little Museum Visitors when doing these activities but it was time to meet Garden Girl and Garden Dad for lunch so I didn't really have time to browse the shop. I will however, be looking online for images to use and heading over to our local library for books with similar images as soon as Garden Boy is recovered from the sickness bug he has been struck down with this week. And it won't be long before we return to the musuem with Garden Girl to show her what we saw and explore some more.

Practicalities

• Steps lead up to the main museum entrance but just round to each side of these steps there are llift which will take you up to the top level. These lifts are suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs, although it isn't immediately obvious how to make them work and they have the sensation of being quite rickety and unstable while they are moving. I should say though, that they do move very slowly and are in reality very safe.
• Signs show very clearly where to go to access the lifts.
• There is a level entrance from Montague Place if preferred.
• There are disabled toilets and baby changing facilities throughout the museum as well as baby feeding areas for breast feeding mums.
• Most of the galleries and all the special exhibitions are accesssible by lifts which are located in the Great Court. 
• The museum can get very busy so it is essential to keep toddlers close by, as despite the large spaces, it is easy to lose sight of them amongst all the legs. 
• As there is so much  to see I would also suggest avoiding some of the more popular galleries, such as the Egyptians, at the weekends when the number of people getting in the way can make it frustrating for toddlers who can't really see round all the people.
• The museum does run a number of free trails and handling sessions for families so it is worth visiting their website before visiting to find out more if you want your visit to be more focused.
• There is no parking at the museum although it can be possible for disabled visitors to arrange parking facilities with the museum if they phone in advance.
• The museum is also within the congestion zone and there is very little parking on the nearby roads so it is advisable to get to the museum by public transport. Details of the nearest tube stations and bus stops can be found on the British Museum website. 
• There are cloakroom facilities but there is a charge of £1.50 per item to leave things here. Fold away pushchairs are free to leave at the cloakroom but with the cost of leaving changing bags and any additional baggage you might have lugged with you to keep the children entertained on the train/bus I prefer to take the pushchair with me through the galleries. 
• There is a museum shop onsite and online.

Admission Prices

• Admission to the museum is free, although there are sometimes charges for special exhibitions 

Opening Times

• Open daily, 10am till 5.30pm
• Closed on 1st January and 24th - 26th December   

Learn More

To find out more or to check for updated information prior to your visit, have a look at the British Museum Website.


Little Museum Visitor Rating
**** 

Imperial War Museum, London

The Imperial War Museum in London isn't really designed with toddlers and young children in mind, although this doesn't mean it isn't worth a visit with your little ones, especially if they have older siblings as it is a fabulous place to take an older child or teenager who is eager to learn more about the World Wars. In terms of a toddler however, you should not expect to spend the whole day there. Most of the displays are unsuitable for children of a young age with the objects telling a story that is very reliant on the accompanying text to appreciate. Throughout much of the museum the objects diplayed are not familiar to young children and have complicated stories to tell which will be difficult for a toddler to comprehend. An introduction to a few of these of objects is fine but a full day of this would not keep them engaged.

Our Little Museum Visitors however loved the Large Exhibits Gallery. This a huge, open, indoor space, filled with vehicles and large weapons from the World Wars. It includes a number of aeroplanes which fascinated Garden Boy and they were both thrilled with the opportunity to step inside part of an aeroplane and pull faces through the window. There is lots of space for them to have freedom to explore what they are drawn to in this gallery and Garden Dad was happy to wander with them, reading out amazing facts to them from the information boards.  They easily spent an hour in this gallery and would have stayed for longer had we not dragged them away to the 'Children's War' exhibition.

The Children's War exhibition is really the only other gallery that a toddler would find engaging. Despite containing some familiar objects such as toys and room settings, there is also a lot here that they will be unfamilar with such as gas masks and ration books which will raise enough questions and difficult concepts for them for one visit. It is a great place to introduce them to a difficult part of their history however. Garden Girl showed some understanding on a very basic level that it was a difficult time and food supply was short. She could identify with creating a vegetable patch and making your own clothes because things were not available in the shops. She was amused that there was no TV in the living room but liked the idea of telling stories together instead and listening to the radio and dancing. Garden Boy liked the toys, the barriers, navigating the staircase and sitting at the desks in the replica school room. The yellow brick road, leading to a short tunnel, provided much enjoyment for them both.

Even though these galleries are portrayed from the point of view of children in the war, it isn't an easy exhibition to show a toddler. There is a lot to explain and it isn't worth taking them if they are tired. They need to be willing to listen if they are not just going to run around aimlessly not looking at anything and will need some guidance. These galleries are also not easy to navigate with a pushchair. The 1940's house is on two storeys and there is no lift down that we could find so you will need two adults to juggle the children and pushchair down the steep 1940's staircase. The pushchair was also in the way a lot in the house part of the exhibit, blocking the path for other visitors while we stopped to look in the rooms. We were in the way a lot and this made us hurry around part of the exhibtion that they were both enjoying. There was no noticable place to leave pushchairs or belongings in the museum either, so we had no option really but to lug the pushchair around with us.

If you are in this part of London and have a couple of hours to fill, or a member of your family has a particular interest in the World Wars then it is worth taking your toddlers. We have friends who live close by and we take our Little Museum Visitors for a few hours whenever we visit them but I wouldn't otherwise plan a day trip there with them.

Practicalities

• Only some of the galleries are really suitable to create an enjoyable visit for toddlers. If you plan your visit to only incorporate the Large Exhibits Gallery and The Children's War you will save yourself some frustrated wandering around a maze of galleries in which your children will become increasingly bored and frustrated. (Note, The Children's War exhibit is a temporary display and ends in December 2012).
• The Large Exhibits Gallery and most of the museum is accessible with a pushchair and wheelchair but the 1940's house is difficult to navigate with a pushchair and a wheelchair user will not be able to access the upper floors at all.
• There is a cafe on the ground floor where you can buy hot food or sandwiches. As we usually eat with friends close by we haven't tried out the cafe so I can't comment on how good the food is but I did check the menu and they do offer a children's lunch box.
• There are wheelchair accessible toilets in the museum, although not on all floors and there are also baby changing facilities. 
• The main entrance to the museum has steps leading up to the doors and a further couple of steps once inside. We carried the pushchair in, but if you require wheelchair access or prefer a ramp then there is another entrance on the right of the building which is signposted.
• The museum staff are friendly and welcoming to children.
• There is no museum car park and there is only limited meter parking on the nearby roads. The museum is also located within the congestion charge zone so it is recommended that you travel by bus, tube or train. Details of the nearest bus stops and tube and rail stations can be found on the Imperial War Museum website.
• There is an onsite museum shop.

Admission Prices

• Entry into the museum is Free
• There is sometimes a charge for special exhibitions

Opening Times

• Daily, 10am till 6pm
• Closed 24th-26th December

Learn More

To find out more or to check for updated information prior to your visit, have a look at the Imperial War Museum website.

Little Museum Visitor Rating
***

The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

The Fitzwilliam Museum is a treasure trove of art and antiquities. It is a place of discovery, not just for the children but for any visitor. It is filled with curious things, beautiful things, big things, ugly things, fun things, familiar things and just more things. We started our visit in the European Pottery gallery and spent over an hour in here. One of the best things about this museum is that most of the galleries have display cases containing artefacts at toddler eye level so both our Little Museum Visitors were able to wander about the gallery peeping through the glass for things that interested them, while I was able to wander around the gallery doing the same, free from having to keep lifting them up to see. They pointed and shouted 'Look' at each other and at me, drawing attention to things I had missed and which had caught their eye.

Garden Boy loved anything that resembled an animal, in particular a tea set with all the cups and teapot shaped like his favourite animals. We ignored the slightly grumpy stares of 'quiet' visitors and made all the appropriate noises when we spotted an animal shaped vessel or an animal painting. Then Garden Girl noticed other teapots, shaped like other things and we took a closer look. When they started to run about with a bit too much energy I asked them to get their crayons and paper out of their backpacks and choose their favourite object to draw. Garden Boy chose a lion and Garden Girl a little rectangular vessel with a lid that had eyes.

A little calmer now and starting to feel hungry, we took a quick look at the armoury, where the armoured horse and rider thrilled Garden Boy. Garden Girl was less impressed with the horse and more interested in the curious weapons on display, asking what they were used for and how but it wasn't long before food became the priority and we headed to the courtyard cafe. The food, although not cheap, was delicious and the portions big. I ordered hot food from the children's menu for Garden Girl and Garden Boy and they could easily have shared one meal between them, which I will remember for our next visit. I'm not sure if they have a picnic area for summer. I will look out for one next time I visit and let you know.

After lunch we decided to try one of the toddler storybook trails. These are free and available from the entrance desks and are definitely worth doing. We borrowed the book 'I'm going on a Bear Hunt' which was to be used in one of the art galleries. The book was used as guide for looking at the paintings on display, encouraging our Little Museum Visitors to really pay attention to the paintings on the walls. We looked for a paining depicting swishy swashy grass, thick oozy mud, a swirling snowstorm and so on, each time pretending to go through the particular obstacle as we squelched, tiptoed ot stumbled around the gallery as we looked for the right painting. I have never had so much fun in an art gallery and the children loved it.

We by no means saw the whole museum. We just touched the surface but we can't wait to go back. All of us had a brilliant day out and the museum has really thought about their younger visitors. The only thing that was a little disappointing was that some of the other visitors and a few of the gallery attendents seemed to dislike the idea of noise and fun in the galleries and we were by no means unruly or running amok. We were clearly making use of the exhibits and engaging with displays so I smiled at the frowns and continued to squelch my way around the galleries.

Practicalities

• The galleries are mostly large and easy to move a pushchair or wheelchair through without feeling you are blocking access to exhibits.
• There is good visibility in most of the galleries to allow your toddler some freedom to explore themselves although some of the galleries have breakables on open display, as well as furniture with 'do not touch' signs and some of the gallery attendents visibally tensed when they saw a toddler enter a room so sometimes a closer eye was needed.
• In most of the galleries there are exhibits at toddler eye level or the exhibits are large enough to catch a toddlers eye so it is an excellent museum for self guided exploration.
• The museum has excellent story book trails for toddlers as well as trails for older children and adults. They also provide crayons and paper if you have forgotton to take your own.
• The toilets are clean and there are baby changing facilities and disabled toilets, although they are all located on the Lower Ground floor near the entrances so make sure you plan to visit them during the day if you have a newly toilet trained toddler as you might not make it from the farthest corners of the museum otherwise.
• There is a lift to access all the floors of the museum and almost all the museum is therefore accessible with a pushchair or to wheelchair users.
• If you have left your pushchair in the car, which I often do for museum visits now both our Little Museum Visitos can walk there is a place to securely leave your coats and bags so you don;t have to trundle lots of baggage around the museum with you. These are located near the toilets so is convenient to leave a changing bag and grab it when needed.
• The cafe serves food all day, closing 30 minutes before the museum and is a pleasant if slightly expensive place to eat. Children's menus are offered.
• There is no car park at the museum so if you are driving it is recommended that you use the park and ride. Details can be found on the museum website. Otherwise the museum is walkable from the city centre or buses run from the railway station. We did manage to 'pay and display' on a nearby road although this could be hit and miss and parking is not guaranteed as there are restrictions on many of the roads around the museum. 
• The museum is big so don't expect to see it all in one day. The museum also has a programme of special events and exhibitions so it is worth looking to see what is on before your visit.
• Photography is not allowed in the museum.
  

Admission Prices

• Entry to the museum is free
• Entry to many of the special events and exhibitions is also free although for some there is a charge and for most it is advisable to pre-book so give the museum a ring beforehand to find out more.

Opening Times

• Tuesdays - Saturdays 10am till 5pm
• Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays 12noon till 5pm
• Unless it is a Bank Holiday the museum is closed every Monday
• The museum is also closed on Good Friday and 24th-26th December and 31st December - 1st January

Learn More

To find out more or to check for updated information prior to your visit, have a look at the The Fitzwilliam Museum website.

Little Museum Visitor Rating
*****