Ever wanted to try your hand at surgery? Our popular series of hands-on experiences for families is back.
Did you know that the eye has approximately 2 million working parts? Learn to identify just a few and get up close to the inner workings of this fascinating body part, as you dissect a real eye* with the help of our team.
Takes place at 11.30am on select Fridays and Saturdays during the Summer Holidays.
What if we could 3D print our own medicines? How could AI help us spot disease earlier? What if you had a digital twin who could test treatments for you?
If we could control our own medical tests and design our own prescriptions, would we be healthier and happier? From bionic eyes to artificial tongues, we’ve worked with leading experts to try out eye-catching tech that can unleash your imagination. Explore these mind-boggling innovations and inventions from the past, present and future that empower the way we take care of ourselves.
Memorabilia on display from the “Woodside Wesleyan” later the “Woodside Methodist Church”, opened in 1839, built on land donated by the Whitaker family and closed in 2023.
Its Congregations’ meeting places were many, starting in 1822 from humble beginnings in a cottage on Tan House Hill.
Bring the whole family to explore our exhibition, enjoy a cuppa and try a hands-on activity.
You can also browse our dressing-up rails, try the Percy Trail and go shopping in the Penny Bazaar!
Free light refreshments included, or bring a packed lunch and use our indoor picnic space.
Have a look at our Family Visits page to find out more about getting here and what to expect.
Booking details: No need to book, just drop in – it’s all free!
Sparky Saturdays are open to everyone, our high-quality activities are designed to be fun and accessible to all ages, and the programme covers a wide variety of subjects, styles and experiences!
As well as the Sparky Saturday activities, you can try the Percy Pig trail around our family-friendly, interactive exhibition which tells the M&S story, spanning over 140 years on the high street.
Strike a pose in our dressing-up collection, go shopping in the Penny Bazaar and get creative in the Design Studio.
Free event. No booking required, just drop in.
Ever wondered how we care for the collection? Or where we keep it?
Join us for a behind the scenes tour and find out!
Tours will take place every half hour from 10.30am to 3pm, and will last approximately 20 minutes.
No need to book, just drop in. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
There’ll be free refreshments to enjoy and our exhibition to explore too!
From tinned sardines in the 1930s to today’s responsibly sourced salmon, we think fish are fantastic!
Celebrate our fishy friends with some deep-sea design and join our expert printer to create your own fish-inspired relief print to take home.
Bring the whole family to explore our exhibition, enjoy a cuppa and have a go at printing.
You can also browse our dressing-up rails, try the Percy Trail and go shopping in the Penny Bazaar!
Free light refreshments included, or bring a packed lunch and use our indoor picnic space.
Come and explore the exhibition and try our trail to claim your pack of Percy Pigs!
There’ll be free squash, biscuits and hot drinks for the grown-ups and a picnic room – so why not bring your lunch with you?
Our family-friendly exhibition tells the story of over 140 years of history on the high street.
Strike a pose in our dressing-up collection, go shopping in the Penny Bazaar and get creative in the Design Studio.
No need to book, just drop in – it’s all free!
‘Don’t ask the price – it’s a penny!’ was our very first slogan, created by Michael Marks for his Penny Bazaar market stalls.
Have you ever looked closely at a penny coin? Join us at the Sparky Saturday unofficial penny mint to design and create your own limited edition currency! We’ll make custom stamps that feature your most regal face (and perhaps even a certain Percy Pig) and then use them to fill your coffers with coins.
Bring the whole family to explore our exhibition, enjoy a cuppa and try our activity.
"Things that Go" is the theme of this years festival, so we have dusted off our old wheely toys for little folk to enjoy.
Come along and see a great range of military models you can make yourself.