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Wakefield Museums and Castles
February half term guide 2026
Tuesday, January 13, 2026The kids might have only just gone back to school... but February half term is fast approaching! There’s so much to do at our sites this February.
Entry to our sites is free all year round. Most of the activities we offer during the school holidays are no-cost or low-cost too!
From tots to teenagers, we’ve got something for all the family this February half term in Castleford, Pontefract and Wakefield.
Picturing Pontefract
Exhibition opens Monday 2 February until Saturday 3 October 2026
All ages
Free - no booking required
Our new exhibition at Pontefract Museum will be open in time for February half term! It's packed full of incredible artworks and models inspired by our town.
There's lots to do for little hands. Build your own brilliant buildings with the blocks in the gallery. Get crafty with sketchbooks and colouring in. Follow our family trail around the gallery.
Solar system site trail
Saturday 14 February to Sunday 22 February, 10am to 3pm
Families
Free - no booking required
Go on an intergalactic trail around Pontefract Castle this February half term!
Discover more about our super solar system. Find out what medieval people knew about the stars and planets.
Will you be a star and solve all the clues?
Codebreakers
Monday 16, Tuesday 17, Thursday 19 and Friday 20* February - 10am to 3pm
Ages 3+
Free - no booking required
Learn about codes and ciphers at Castleford Museum. Solve puzzles hidden in the museum.
Create your own codemakers and send secret messages.
*Friday 20 February is a SEND session. These have more open-ended activities and a relaxed atmosphere.
Amazing Space
Wednesday 18 February, 11am to 3pm
Bookable SEND session 10am to 11am
Ages 5+
Free (booking required for SEND session only)
Space is amazing! Get to grips with our solar system at Pontefract Castle this February half term.
Go on an intergalactic trail to discover more about our solar system. Discover what medieval people knew about the stars and planets. Get cosmically crafty in our Activity Zone.
There is a bookable SEND version of this event on Wednesday 18 February, 10am to 11am.
Scratch that: Video game design
Wednesday 18 February - 10:30 am and 1 pm
Wakefield Museum Learning Zone
Ages 9 to 12
£2.50 per child - booking required.
Want to try your hand at being a computer game designer? Come to this fun and inclusive session in partnership with Wakefield Library’s Code Club!
Explore video game dynamics and world building. Create your own snazzy visuals.
Make your game on Scratch so you can keep playing it at home.
Wakey worms
Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 February - 11am to 3pm
Ages 3+
Free - no booking required
Did you know Wakefield led the way in video games? Wakefield-based company Team17 first launched the iconic Worms game 30 years ago!
Wakefield Museum has a new display to celebrate. You can also play the latest Worms game here in the museum!
Visit us this half term and take part in two days of wormy fun for Worm Half Term! Enjoy crafts and activities exploring both video games and, well, worms.
Map makers
Wednesday 18 February - 10:30am to 3pm
Ages 3+
Free – no booking required
Discover how Pontefract has changed with magnificent maps. Travel through time from the 1600s onwards.
Bring the maps to life with mini robots. Chart a course for them through history.
Join in making a shared map of the town with the places that are important to you.
Make a Wormery
Thursday 19 February, 11am to 2pm
Bookable SEND session 2pm to 3pm
Wakefield Museum Learning Zone
Ages 3+
Free (booking required only for SEND session)
Get your hands dirty and dig into some fantastic facts about worms! Find out how they are garden heroes, making compost by turning scraps into soil.
Meet some wiggly worms and make your own mini wormery experiment to take home!
We have a bookable SEND session of this event on the same day, 2pm to 3pm.
Heritage for Youth: Lotions and potions
Thursday 19 February, 10:30am and 1:30pm
Teenagers aged 12 to 16
£2.50 per teenager, accompanying adults free. Booking required.
Skincare has been around for centuries!
Learn what people in the past did to stand out from the crowd.
We'll be exploring the benefits of natural ingredients. Make your own naturally nourishing hand cream and lip balms.
Wiggly worm storytelling
Thursday 19 February, 10:30am to 11am
Ages 2 to 5
Free - no booking required
Join our storyteller for a wholesome story all about a wiggly worm.
Sing along to rhymes together. Get a wiggle on trying out wormy half term activities.
Let’s sow rhubarb seeds!
Friday 20 February - 10am and 1pm
Wakefield Museum Learning Zone
Ages 5+
£2.50 per child, accompanying adults free – booking required.
Why is Wakefield always rooting for rhubarb? Join us at this fun hands-on workshop to find out why rhubarb is so important to our local history!
Get crafty painting your own plant pots. You’ll also get some rhubarb seeds to sow and grow at home!
Stargazing at the Castle
Saturday 21 February, 6:30pm to 8pm
Families
Free - booking required.
Join West Yorkshire Astronomical Society for a magical evening of stargazing at Pontefract Castle.
Learn how to look through telescopes. Discover new ways to understand the night sky.
This event is currently fully booked. You can sign up to the waiting list in case spaces become available.
Dungeon Tours and Pontefract Castle Explorer Tours
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Dungeon Tours 10:45 am to 11:30 pm
Explorer Tours 1 pm to 1:45 pm
Learn about history where it happened on a tour at Pontefract Castle.
Book advance tickets online for all dates, or buy your tickets from the Gift Shop on the day.
Explore all upcoming events
Browse all of our upcoming events on our What's On page. There's something for everyone! Where will your next adventure take you?