Half-term at Wales's national museums: the free days out, the £5 shows and what's already sold out
Half-term week is here, and Amgueddfa Cymru, which runs Wales's national museums, has events at seven of its sites. Much of the daytime programme is free, a run of science shows in Swansea costs £5 a person, and the two big Halloween evenings at St Fagans were already fully booked on Monday morning. Entry to the museums is free. Parking is not always: St Fagans charges £7 a day. Times and booking status below are from the museum's own listings, which change, so check the event page before you set off.
Free: Llanberis, Big Pit and the Wool Museum
At the National Slate Museum in Llanberis, a nature trail runs around the Quarry Hospital every day until Sunday 1 November, 10.30am to 4pm, and is free. On Tuesday 27 October there are free hard hat tours at 12.30pm, 1.45pm and 3pm, and on Wednesday 28 October free slate carrying incline demonstrations at 12.30pm and 3pm. At Big Pit in Blaenavon, The Coblynnau of Big Pit is a free drop-in trail on Tuesday 27 October, 11am to 3pm. The ticketed Mine Monsters session the same morning has been cancelled. The National Wool Museum at Dre-fach Felindre has a free Halloween drop-in with Jig-So for pre-school and primary children on Tuesday 27 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm, and free Halloween pom pom making on Thursday 29 October, 10am to 1pm. Its family wet felting workshop on Wednesday 28 October costs £20 for an adult and child and must be booked.
St Fagans: fairground, market and two sold-out nights
The traditional fairground is running at St Fagans, with rides from £1 for children aged 2 to 11, and the South Wales Makers Market is on every day until 1 November, 10am to 5pm, free to browse. Two free exhibitions are open: Women and Sport: Wales, until 27 November, and Wales: Told by Us, which opened on 23 October. Halloween Nights, 29 to 31 October from 5.30pm at £16 a ticket, and the 11pm ghost tours of St Fagans Castle for over-12s at £20, were both listed as fully booked.
Swansea: a science weekend at the Waterfront
The National Waterfront Museum has a packed Friday and Saturday. On Friday 30 October, How Does It Work? with Maddie Moate is at 12pm, with BSL, and 2.30pm, at £7.50 a person; the Wonderstruck Halloween Show is at 2pm and 4pm for £5; and Dragons of the Deep is at 4pm on a pay-what-you-can basis from £1. On Saturday 31 October, Bubbles and Balloons is at 11am and Exploding Water at 1pm, both £5. Several of the free Swansea sessions, including the Science of Harry Potter show, were already fully booked.
Caerleon and Cardiff
At the National Roman Legion Museum in Caerleon, Gods, Heroes and Monsters: Become a Hero! runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October at 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 2.30pm, at £5 a child. For adults, National Museum Cardiff is showing The Birds at 2pm and Psycho at 7pm on Halloween, Saturday 31 October, at £12, or £10 for concessions.