National Coal Mining Museum releases additional tickets for popular Santa Underground.

Children will get the unique experience of meeting Santa 140m underground, while he takes a brief break from collecting coal for the stockings of naughty children, every Saturday and Sunday through December and then the 22, 23 and, finally, Christmas Eve.

While visiting the museum visitors are invited to delve into the festive traditions of the mining community with Christmas at Caphouse every Saturday and Sunday in December then 22, 23 and Christmas Eve, 11am to 5.30pm then 29 to New Year’s Eve 11am to 4pm.

In the old stables children can hear how the team at the National Coal Mining Museum once saved Christmas in the captivating A Very Special Caphouse Christmas storytelling session then join in with songs to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

The whole family will love our Christmas Maker’s Shed where families get to experience the mining tradition of First Footing, when the first person to cross a home’s threshold in the New Year carries a piece of coal to represent good fortune. Using traditional sack cloth visitors can create their own bag, to carry the coal for First Footing, or alternatively a stocking for Santa.

Using a phone torch or a torch brought from home, visitors can join Sparky the canary as he explores the museum in our wintry self-guided story trail. In the galleries visitors will come across Volunteer Pop-ups where they will get to guess what our toy like object used to do in its working life.

Dress up the wooden pit people in their uniforms and choose a special Christmas accessory. Learn how pensioners supported miners during the strike and decide how your family would spend £10 for someone less fortunate.

Design a festive poster to remind miners to keep safe based on historic posters from the collection. Then think about miners coming home at Christmas to a brand-new hearth rug and have a go at making one.

After Christmas visitors can walk off their excesses in our Heritage Walk on Thursday January 30 from 10am to 12pm where walkers can enjoy the sights and sounds of the winter countryside around the Museum with a two-hour stroll through the mining history of Caphouse Colliery.