This weekend we went to visit Eureka. It’s the National Children’s Museum in Halifax, West Yorkshire. We were given the tickets by Money Supermarket Vouchers in conjunction with the Tots100 before Christmas and had intended to visit over the festive period, but flu and colds put paid to that and then the snow cam and today was the first day we could venture further than our village school!
Firstly you have to pay to park your car, there is a pay and display car park just outside and it is £3 for 4 hours, £6 for 12 hours or £10 for 24 hours. I would much prefer that the cost of parking be including in the ticket price.
The cost to enter is £9.95 entrance price for adults and children over three and £3.45 price for under threes, however, this is an annual pass cost. So once you have paid you can return as often as you wish for the next year.
The museum is split in to the following galleries (or spaces) Living and working together, Me and My Body (currently closed for a £2.9 million refurbishment and opening Sprig this year), SoundSpace, Sound Garden, Desert Discovery, Our Global Garden, Wonder Walk and Outside at Eureka!
The Museum is pitched at children aged to 11 and has some superb spaces specifically designed for under fives. It is an idea place to take younger children to explore, play and basically have a ball. It was opened in 1982 and is starting to show it’s age, but my boys who are six and seven had a blast.
Mini adored Sound Space and Sound Garden, whilst Maxi really loved the Living and Working Together gallery.
We had lunch in the cafe and were really impressed with the quality of the food, which went a long way to explain why it was a busy as it was. The food is locally sourced and the vegetation option I had of butternut and haloumi pie was delicious and not your standard vegetarian fare. Prices were pretty standard for a cafe at a children’s meal costs £5.50 for three courses.
We all really enjoyed Eureka for very different reasons. Firstly I have boys who love to run, be loud and have fun. Eureka prides itself on being accessible for all, running is not frowned upon, noise is not frowned upon. It is not a silent and whispery type of place. Secondly, it is all about play. I love play and think that it is often not encouraged enough in children. Eureka always them to play, it gives them the freedom to pretend, to explore and to play. Thirdly, it is a museum for children, so any adults that are there know this and understand this. We are all in the same boat. Finally, we all had so much fun that the boys didn’t want to leave and want to go back again next week.
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