Families are being invited to enjoy a week of Halloween activities, creative workshops and outdoor adventures at the National Coal Mining Museum this October half-term.

The museum, at Caphouse Colliery in Overton, near Wakefield, will host a programme of activities from Saturday, October 24, to Sunday, November 1, with a mixture of free drop-in sessions and bookable experiences.

Young visitors can get creative at the Makers’ Shed, where activities inspired by the Villagers – Sculpting the Community exhibition by Betty Miller will give them the chance to make their own character to take home.

Families can also book a lantern-making workshop from Wednesday, October 28, to Friday, October 30. Tickets cost £10 per family, for up to four people, and participants can take their creations to the museum’s Light Up festival and lantern parade in November.

placeholder image — The Time Tunnel experience at the NCM

At the Pony Discovery Centre, visitors can meet the museum’s resident horses and enjoy free sensory storytelling inspired by Yorkshire’s mining communities.

The Time Tunnel offers another way to explore the past, taking visitors on a journey through almost 200 years of mining history.

Tickets are £5.50 for children aged up to 16 and £6.50 for adults, while under-threes go free. Pre-booking is recommended.

There will also be opportunities to explore the outdoors.

An autumn scavenger hunt will run from Wednesday, October 28, to Friday, October 30, giving children the chance to search for seasonal treasures and make a miniature tree using clay and natural materials.

It costs £2.50 per child and must be booked in advance.

A free Meet the Trees Walk will take place on Wednesday, October 28, from noon to 1pm.

Suitable for children aged eight and over, the guided walk will explore the museum’s Nature Trail.

There will be more Halloween fun on Saturday, October 31, when families can follow a trail around the museum, solving clues to earn a sweet treat.

Visitors can also watch Disney Pixar’s Coco at a special screening at 11am, complete with cinema snacks and a best-dressed competition.

Tickets cost £2.50 per person and must be booked in advance.

A Halloween-themed bath bomb-making workshop on Thursday, October 29, will give children the chance to create colourful, fizzy toiletries to take home. The sessions cost £10 per child and must be booked.

Gaming fans can head to the museum on Wednesday, October 28, for a free Pokémon trail, crafts and Pokémon GO activities. A bookable Pokémon Party will also run, costing £5 per child.

A Minecraft-themed escape room on Sunday, November 1, will challenge families to solve riddles, crack codes and work together. Tickets cost £15 for up to two adults and one child, with an additional £5 for each extra child.

The programme also celebrates the communities and stories at the heart of Yorkshire’s mining heritage. On Friday, October 30, Yew Tree Youth Theatre will perform a piece inspired by Betty Miller’s exhibition, exploring life in a Yorkshire mining village in the 1940s.

Visitors can also discover why the water at the museum is pumpkin orange during a free family walk on Saturday, October 31.

Museum admission is free, although some activities have additional charges and require advance booking.

The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.