Visit Victorian times for half-term (From The Oxford Times)

Visit Victorian times for half-term

10:20am Sunday 3rd June 2012 in Oxford By Andrew Ffrench, covering Didcot and Wallingford. Call me on 01865 425425

YOUNGSTERS enjoying the half-term break in Oxford are being invited to think about what life was like in Victorian times.

As the Museum of Oxford prepares to open new galleries at the Town Hall in St Aldate’s later this month, staff are organising a Victorian family fun day.

On Thursday, from 10.30am to 3.30pm, visitors will be welcomed by museum assistant Antonia Harland-Lang, who will be dressed as a Victorian washer-woman.

Ms Harland-Lang, heritage learning assistant at the museum, said: “We are really excited about our Victorian half-term activities.

“There will be something for all the family, whether you enjoy arts and crafts or to find out about the town hall’s history with our Jubilee family trail.”

Children can try on costumes, find out what life was like in the city in Victorian times, play with Victorian toys and make crafts including a sports-themed globe.

On Wednesday, Thursday and next Saturday children will also be able to make antique-style boxes and peg dolls. Craft activities cost £1.50 a pack and all children must be accompanied by an adult.

The Diamond Jubilee family trail will allow visitors to explore the Town Hall’s history and win a souvenir prize.

It costs £1 per person and runs until next Saturday.

Children of all ages are welcome to all the sessions.

About £200,000 has been spent to create two galleries that can be reached from the main entrance of the Town Hall, replacing the previous entrance on the Blue Boar Street corner. The new galleries will officially open on Saturday, June 23.

In March, visitors were asked to decide which two recent icons should be selected for a timeline of 14 well-known figures, from the days of the Romans until the 21st century.

Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter and former Lord Mayor Olive Gibbs were chosen. The city council is putting in £100,000 and the Heritage Lottery Fund and Waste Recycling Environmental (Wren) are giving grants totalling £93,000.

The museum faced closure in 2009 to save £200,000 a year, but was saved by a rescue plan involving 10 staff losing their jobs to volunteers.

• For further information about city council-run activities during the half-term break, click on the link.