The best free cultural outings for kids during the summer holidays
Now that the school holidays are well underway, you may be looking for inventive (and affordable) ways to entertain your children this summer.
Luckily, there are plenty of free cultural events and outings for kids taking place across the UK over the coming weeks.
Best free cultural outings for kids
From educational exhibitions to outdoor theatre productions and sports events, we've handpicked the best free and affordable cultural outings to enjoy with your kids during the summer holidays...
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
A mile north of the city centre, this world-class botanic garden spanning 70 acres is a gorgeous place to escape the summer crowds, offering panoramic views of the city’s skyline and Edinburgh Castle. Admission and activities including this summer’s Fungi Forms exhibition, opening 2 August, are free.
Big Pit, Monmouthshire
Marking 40 years since the miners’ strike, the National Coal Museum, located on a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a new exhibition, Streic! 1984-1985 Strike!. There’s also the chance to journey 300ft underground into a real mine to get a glimpse of life at the coalface. Admission is free, with tickets for the underground tour priced at £5 in the summer holidays.
Greenwich & Docklands International Festival, London
Art installations, dance and circus collide in public spaces across southeast London in this free festival running from 23 August to 8 September (festival.org). Billings include THAW, an eight-hour aerial performance on a gigantic melting block of ice suspended over London by crane, plus dance from British-Caribbean choreographer Jeanefer Jean-Charles MBE. While in the area, it would be remiss not to visit the National Maritime Museum (free entry).
The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
The University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology is a brilliant place to dip into more than half a million years’ worth of history, from Egyptian mummies to Pre-Raphaelite paintings. There’s also plenty of modern art, including a brand new paid-for exhibition this summer, Money Talks, which features more than 100 works by artists from Banksy to Grayson Perry. General admission is free, as are workshops and family tours of the Ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece galleries.
The Royal Air Force Museum, London and Shropshire
On its sites in Colindale and Cosford, kids will be amazed at the aircraft exhibits and outdoor playgrounds (in London, under-11s can sit in the cockpit of a mini-Tornado or Spitfire, complete with slides). This summer, family shows by theatre company Highly Sprung, include Trailblazers, an aerial performance reimagining the stories of Bessie Coleman and Amelia Earhart (tickets from £10).
Battersea Power Station, London
The iconic power station’s free family event, The Battersea Games, is back for a second year, transforming Power Station Park into a sports venue with a running track, climbing wall, fitness classes and games, from basketball to padel. Although the Grade II-listed Art Deco building is a marvel in itself, kids will particularly love journeying up through its north-west chimney in Lift 109, a glass elevator with 360-degree views of London channelling Willy Wonka vibes (tickets from £12.60).
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RSC Open Stage, Stratford-upon-Avon
Head to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Holloway Garden Theatre on any weekend this summer holiday to soak up outdoor theatre by aspiring directors and performers. Tickets for Open Stage are free, with this year’s highlights including Star Crossed Fools, based on Romeo And Juliet, in which the audience seals the characters’ fate.
Taylor Swift Songbook Trail, London
The V&A’s free exhibition celebrating all things Taylor takes visitors on a winding journey through its permanent galleries. Award-winning designer Tom Piper theatrically brings to life different eras of Swift’s music career through set dressing, video and sound. Running from 27 July to 8 September.
Best affordable kids' cultural events
Tickets to these fun, kid-friendly events cost less than a tenner...
We The Curious, Bristol
This newly opened science venue on the city’s harbour side has the vibe of an indoor festival, where kids can get stuck into more than 300 exhibits and experiments, and visit the UK’s only 3D planetarium. Day tickets from £7, plus free outdoor activities.
Barbie: The Exhibition, London
Step into Barbie’s universe at this brand new exhibition at Kensington’s Design Museum. Highlights include six decades of Ken dolls on show, plus the first-ever Barbie Dreamhouse, circa 1962. Tickets from £7.19, free for under-sixes.
National Football Museum, Manchester
The city’s striking Urbis building hosts an unrivalled collection of football heritage, plus an entire floor of interactive football challenges and a new summer exhibition, Markers. Season tickets from £8, free for Manchester residents.
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