Photo: a procession of Christmas Crib builders in Krakow Grand Square, Poland. Photo courtesy of Krakow Historical Museum.
The North
The Lowry in Manchester has a more original take on Christmas this year with a display of Poland’s famous Szopki, the portable theatres used for traditional puppet Nativity plays, running until February 29.
Inspired by the Gothic spires of Krakow, they combine colourful fairytale castles with scenes from traditional folk stories. This is their first showing in Britain and makes a refreshing change from Santa’s grotto and carol singing.
Photo: Szopka by Andrzej Moranski, 1992. Photo courtesy of Krakow Historical Museum.
At the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery you can design masks and cards and make stained glass in the run up to Christmas.
Also in Durham, the Bowes Museum is hosting its annual craft fair on December 13. Stalls will sell gifts like artwork, jewellery, games and food.
For those interested in the history of Christmas, the Red House Museum near Cleckheaton, reveals that many Christmas traditions like Santa, crackers and Christmas trees only date back to the 1840s.
It also looks at how our modern celebrations are a mixture of pagan and Christian customs and features rare cards and decorations from the Victorian era.
Photo: don't worry carol fans, ther are plenty of opportunities to have a traditional sing song this Christmas.
The National Railway Museum in York is holding an Edwardian Christmas Festival, and Santa will be handing out gifts in his grotto from December 13-23. An exhibition looks at how rail travel inspired various leisure activities.
A pantomime production of Interstellar Cinderella, the sequel to Cinderella, is on at Eureka! The Museum for Children in Halifax. It charts the adventures of Cinderella in space after she marries Prince Charming and is suitable for children aged 3-12. Performances will take place on December 13, 20-23 and 27-January 4.
Scotland
For any aspiring DJs or die-hard fans of Christmas music, Glasgow’s Centre for Contemporary Arts audio-visual display, running until December 21, is unmissable.
It consists of 1,200 LPs ranging from Bing Crosby to Abbott and Costello alongside live sets by DJs Mingo-Go and Guy Veal.
Also in Glasgow, and as part of the Burrell Collection’s Whistler in Venice Exhibition, there is an arts workshop where you can make Christmas gifts.
Whistler signed his paintings with a butterfly and not his own name, so visitors can make their own butterfly masks and 3-D cards.
Northern Ireland
On December 14 Ulster Folk and Transport Museum looks at how the festive season developed into today’s Christmas experience. You can take part in craft activities, sample traditional Yuletide food and drink and listen to carols.
Photo: fill in a Christmas quiz as you wander through the various galleries of the Ulster Museum.
Ulster Museum is running Santa’s Sack, a special Christmas quiz for all the family, every Sunday until January 4.
Visitors can follow a trail around the many different galleries and answer questions. The first three correct entries drawn from Santa’s sack win gift vouchers.
Of course, this is just a quick look at a few of the great Christmas events happening in museums and galleries all over the country. So get in touch with your local museum to find out what's going on in your area.
To find out about what's on in Wales & Central & Southern England England click here
