York’s National Railway Museum has just announced the perfect solution for keeping the kids entertained during the school holidays without breaking the bank.
This summer, the world-renowned museum is inviting families to collect a special museum passport and embark on a “summer holiday in a day.” Running from 20th July to 6th September 2026, the completely free programme of hands-on activities will take visitors on an imaginative journey to explore the British countryside, have fun at the seaside, and even head abroad – all without ever leaving the museum.
Upon arrival, young adventurers can grab their Summer Holiday Passport to collect stamps as they explore the vast halls and participate in various interactive experiences.
The journey begins at the station, where a miniature interactive ticket office lets children dress up, sell tickets, sort out lost luggage, and even make their own station announcements over a Tannoy® system. From there, families can journey to the “countryside” zone to try their hand at birdwatching and sketch the scenery, before heading to the “seaside” to design their own classic Punch and Judy puppet shows or traditional carousels to take home. For those looking for an international adventure, a bespoke card game will challenge kids to match iconic trains from around the globe with their respective countries.
Sarah Price, Head of Public Programming at the National Railway Museum, said: “Summer holidays are all about adventure, discovery and making memories together, and this year we’re bringing all of that to the National Railway Museum.
“With more families choosing to holiday in the UK this summer, we’re excited to offer something unique with our summer experience where visitors can grab their passport and explore the countryside, enjoy the seaside or even travel the world by rail, all in one place. Best of all, the activities are included with free museum admission, making it a fantastic, great value family day out during the summer holidays.”
Alongside the daily passport trail, the museum has lined up a blockbuster schedule of special, time-limited events running throughout August:
- Giant Track Layout (3rd–5th August): The Great Hall will be taken over by a massive track-building zone where mini-engineers can use challenge cards or pre-built sections to create epic layouts for motorised trains.
- Immersive Storytelling in the Shinkansen (11th–13th August): A rare chance to step aboard the legendary Japanese bullet train – the only preserved Shinkansen outside of Japan – for a bespoke, immersive storytelling adventure.
- Classic Punch and Judy Shows (18th, 21st, and 25th August): Bringing traditional British seaside magic directly into the South Yard and Station Hall.
- York Railway Institute Band Performance (29th August): A spectacular, hour-long live brass band performance at 2pm, playing holiday and train-inspired music in the Great Hall.
While admission to the National Railway Museum and all of its Summer Holiday activities is completely free, spaces fill up incredibly fast during the school holidays, so booking your free timed entry tickets in advance is highly recommended.
To secure your tickets and view the full schedule, head to railwaymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/summer-holiday-fun.
