Eureka! The National Children's Museum

“visited Eureka! in Halifax as a family of two adults and a two-year-old, and this was our first visit. We paid £60 in total for annual passes, which cover both Eureka! Halifax and Eureka! and Discover in the Wirral. As all the centres charge a similar price for a single visit, the annual pass is a great bonus — it means you could literally visit every day if you wanted, making it excellent value for money. Parking costs £4 for three hours, which is the shortest parking option available. Even with an annual pass, you do need to pay the £4 parking fee each time you visit. That said, there is a very large car park with plenty of spaces, which made arrival easy. We visited on a weekend public holiday, and it was extremely busy, even though the weather wasn’t great. There was only a one to two minute wait at reception before we were allowed in. The receptionist was very friendly and accommodating, and as it was our first visit, they took the time to explain everything properly rather than rushing us through, which we really appreciated. Compared to the Wirral site, there is much more to do at the Halifax Eureka. Because it was so busy, I can imagine that children with additional needs might find it overwhelming; however, this was expected given that it was a public holiday weekend. There is a huge range of interactive activities suitable for a wide span of ages, from infants right through to early teenagers. There really is something for everyone. Food and drink options include a café serving hot drinks, ice creams, and small snacks, as well as a larger café/restaurant area that also functions as a gift shop selling toys and souvenirs. One thing I found interesting was the contrast between the museum’s strong focus on sustainability and science, and the gift shop at the end selling cheaply manufactured plastic toys. Overall, it’s an engaging, educational, and well-run attraction with plenty to keep children entertained, particularly if you’re making good use of the annual pass.”

“Our two boys (4 and 10) had a wonderful time exploring the exhibits in relaxed, freeform manner. Truly catering to its audience, the museum never felt stuffy or overbearing, with information in bite-sized chunks and high levels of interactivity and space to roam around. Plenty of paid parking on site with wide and well-kept external spaces for safe outside play. If you're lucky with the weather there is an outside kiosk to grab an ice-cream (fancy tasty regional stuff) or pizza. Well maintained inside picnic area and loos. The ubiquitous 'exit through the gift shop' is thankfully subtle and not too dangerous for parents to escape from. Well worth a visit!”

“A really great day out for the kids. We visited on New Year’s Eve and it wasn’t too busy. I’d recommend allowing at least four hours for a first visit - with two children, we weren’t able to cover all the areas in three hours. The good thing is the ticket includes an Annual Pass, so we can go back and complete what we missed. Parking isn’t free (£4 for three hours), but card payments are accepted. There isn’t a dedicated prayer room; however, there is a quiet room which staff are happy to open for you on request. Well worth a visit!”

“This is the best kids museum outside London. Your child will grop with the different displays. I would say from the moment tour child can walk to 10 years, its an ideal place to visit. Its also close to The Piece Hall, Shibden Park and Hall. I do recommend taking a picnic as the cafe is always packed and the food is not the best (McDonald's is better...if that's your thing). So take a sandwich etc. Perfect place ti visit throughout the year.”