Sparkling Christmas comes to Northwich’s Lion Salt Work Museum and Chester’s Grosvenor Museum starting on 3 December

Christmas cheer and lots of fun activities for children will be taking place at West Cheshire Museums’ Lion Salt Works Museum and Grosvenor Museum this festive season, starting on 3 December. Northwich’s Lion Salt Works Museum will be holding a day of festive fun on 3 December, including the chance to see Father Christmas, listen to a choir and watch Morris dancers. Meanwhile, over the three weeks leading up to Christmas, Chester’s Grosvenor Museum will feature drop-in Christmas crafts for children as well as a special ‘Christmas Through the Ages’ dementia-inclusive event. For further information go to www.westcheshiremuseums or Eventbrite. 

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Christmas at the Lion Salt Works Museum, 3 December (11am – 5pm) 

On 3 December from 11am – 5pm, the Lion Salt Works Museum, one of the country’s foremost industrial heritage museums will be staging a magical day of Christmas activities at its atmospheric site near Northwich. The day will be full of exciting events aimed to appeal to the whole family, including meeting the most important visitor of them all – Father Christmas in his Winter Wonderland Grottos in the Museum’s Butterfly Garden. Booking to see Father Christmas is on a ‘first come’ basis on the day and donations to support the event are encouraged and most welcome. 

Everyone can soak up the festive spirit by listening to the local Rivendale Choir as well as a chance to enjoy the drama and excitement of seeing Morris dancers in action. Festive craft activities for children will include making Christmas cards and decorations. These drop-in activities are free and donations to support the event are encouraged and gratefully received. The Museum’s youngest visitors are also encouraged to bring any letters they want to share with Father Christmas.  

There is no charge to take part in this action-packed Christmas, except if visitors want to visit the museum (open from 10am to 5.00pm). Hot drinks will be available for purchase over the Christmas period. The Museum’s shop will also be selling a variety of gifts, suitable for those hard-to-buy-for relatives. Parking is free. For more information call the Museum on 01606 275066 

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Grosvenor Museum Craft activities, 3-21 December (times vary) 

Keeping children busy over the festive period can be a challenge, but help is at hand. Staff at Chester’s Grosvenor Museum have put together an imaginative series of craft activities each Saturday between 10.30am -12.30pm on 3, 10, 17 December. Young visitors can use their imagination to create personalised sparkling Christmas decorations using recycled and sustainable materials. 

In addition, on Saturday 21 December, 2-4pm, there will be a fun ‘Christmas through the Ages’ dementia-inclusive event. Visitors can join the Learning Officer and enjoy exploring Christmas objects from the Museum’s Handling Collection. 

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Donations are gratefully received to cover the cost of materials and for refreshments, also included. For advanced booking contact Grosvenor Museum on 01244 972197. At the Museum, all its exhibitions are free of charge and all visitors can also visit the café and gift shop. 

Maria Bryne, West Cheshire and Chester Council’s Director of Environment and Communities, said: “Everyone is warmly welcomed to these fun, festive activities. These activities are always a delightful way to way to get into the festive spirit and the historic and evocative settings of the Lion Salt Works and the Grosvenor Museum enhance this experience.”