The National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port is preparing for a week-long Viking invasion from Monday 4 August – Friday 8 August as part of its packed school summer holiday programme.

Vikings from Wirhalh Skip-Felag living history will be taking over the Boat Hall area at the museum. A Viking tent complete with floor lined with animal floors will be recreated to show how life looked on the Wirral peninsula some 1000 years ago. 

Wood carving and cookery demonstrations and children’s craft activities take place throughout the day. Children can try their hand at coin-making Viking style and take away their booty at the end of the day.

Children’s workshops, hat-making and colouring competitions will all be Viking themed. A prize draw for a free family season ticket to the National Waterways Museum will also take place every week during the school summer holidays.

All activities are free to museum visitors.  Normal admissions apply. The National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port is open daily from 10am – 5pm and is easy to find just off Junction 9 of the M53. Follow the brown tourist signs to the Boat Museum.

The seven acre historic dock complex tells the story of the people who lived and worked on the waterways through interactive exhibits, film and audio recordings. Visitors can climb aboard the historic canal boats or step back in time at the dock workers’ cottages to see how people lived and worked from the 1840s to the 1950s.

There is a soft play area to keep younger children entertained and boat trips along the Shropshire Union Canal or a bite to eat in the waterfront café to complete the visitor experience. For more information visit http://www.nwm.org.uk/