Family Day

A packed day of free, family-friendly events comprising:

Backstage Tours (from 10:30am-12pm)
Take a peek behind the scenes at the New Vic. A special guided tour round the backstage areas; discover some secrets of the Hoard Festival shows.

Museum In A Box (10am–1pm)
Find out about the Staffordshire Hoard with experts from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Join them for a mini archaeological dig, dress up as an Anglo-Saxon and see replicas of the Hoard treasures.

Storytime - The Bone Mystery (12:15pm–12:45pm)
A special storytelling event for young children and their families. What would you do if you found a bone at the bottom of your garden? How would you find out where it came from? What story would the bone have?

Table Plays In The Bar (1:15pm–2pm)
Five-minute plays performed at your table by actors from our Hoard Festival company.

Indoor Archaeological Dig (sessions at 1pm, 2:30pm and 3:45pm)
The Staffordshire University Centre of Archaeology is calling on budding archaeologists aged six and upwards. Come and discover the treasures hidden in our specially designed, indoor sand-pits! Learn how to excavate and analyse. And hear from real archaeologists about the treasures they have found! Sign up for a session when you arrive. Please note that there are limited places.

Battle Wounds Workshop (2pm-3pm)
Make your own fake blood, give yourself bruises and cuts (without actually hurting yourself), and get made-up. You’ll give everyone a proper scare – just promise to let them know it's just pretend!