Being the mom of two young boys, there tends to be a predictable theme as far as our activities: planes, trains and automobiles. If it moves, chances are my kids will love it. So last month, we ventured off to admire all the airplanes at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford near Cambridge. This month, we were off to the Tramway Village in Crich in the Midlands.
The Tramway Village is a great spot to take young children and grandparents alike because it’s an open-air history museum. They’ve recreated a historic village (many of which are original building facades collected from around the UK), with the focus being on the trams that run up and down the main street.
You can grab tea in the tea room, or pop in to the pub for a pint or two. There are two play areas for children, including an indoor soft play facility perfect for younger kids. But the highlight, naturally, is a ride on the tram itself. Different trams run on different days (but you can admire those not running by wandering the Workshop Viewing Gallery, where you’ll see them being cared for by the staff). Our tram took us a bit into the countryside, and we could imagine the workers taking the trams to the mines back in the day. Our ride lasted about 20 minutes, and you can ride all day as you wish.
If your ride leaves you wondering more about this mode of transportation, then the George Stephenson Discovery and Learning Centre will help you better understand its history. Horses being replaced by trams made a huge difference in the advancement of the Industrial Revolution. There were plenty of hands-on activities for kids in this building, also.
Admission is £13 for adults and £8 for kids (or 35 pounds for a family of four). Kids 3 and under are free. Hours vary seasonally.
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Two of my favourite open air museums and worthy of mention are –
Beamish Museum in County Durham with its town, pit village, colliery, railway station & farm. Used for many period dramas including Granada’s Catherine Cookson stories.
http://www.beamish.org.uk/
http://www.beamish.org.uk/areas-of-beamish/
Black Country Museum in Dudley, West Midlands with its town, bandstand, canal & trolleybus. Again used for period dramas including BBC’s Land Girls
http://www.bclm.co.uk/
http://www.bclm.co.uk/collections.htm#.UlgLfBDhF8E
Both museums have interactive staff in authentic period clothing and really make you feel you are going back in time.
Michael, thanks for those recommendations! I think my family would love those spots. We’ll have to check them out!
Just to say Nicole that both are worthy of seeing as each one is unique and I cannot favour one over the other. I find open air museums are so much more interesting for both children and adults alike.
Here are a few more that I have visited and worthy of consideration –
The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex, Traditional buildings including many rescued Medieval ones, rural life collections, animals and all in the beautiful newly created South Downs National Park.
http://www.wealddown.co.uk/
Chiltern Open Air Museum, Newland Park, Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire – Traditional buildings including a reconstructed Iron Age house, a Prefab house and even a public convenience.
http://www.coam.org.uk/
Museum Of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, Suffolk. Set in 75 acres of Suffolk countryside and includes a tradional Gypsy caravan and a Maypole
http://www.eastanglianlife.org.uk/home.html
Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk – A 500 year old moated house, gardens and rare breed farm. Best day to go is on one of their Tudor days held several times a year where you get to meets actors dressed up as peasants, domestic staff, farm labourers, soldiers, tradesman of 500 years ago and they speak the language and dialect of the tudor era – a most memorable day.
http://www.kentwell.co.uk/