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May half term guide 2026 - Wakefield Museums and Castles
May half term guide 2026
Friday, April 17, 2026May half term is on the horizon! There's so much to do across our sites from Saturday 23 May to Sunday 31 May.
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 May half term in Castleford, Pontefract and Wakefield.
Pontefract pollinators trail
Trail available Saturday 23 May to Sunday 31 May
Families aged 3+
Free - no booking required
Beetles, bats, birds, butterflies and bees - can you find all the pollinators hidden around Pontefract Castle?
Answer the questions to complete our tremendous trail!
Collect your free trail sheet from the Visitor Centre, 10am – 3pm each day.
And yes, Pontefract Castle is open on the Bank Holiday Monday 25 May!
Roman games and pastimes
Tuesday 26 May, Thursday 28 May to Saturday 30 May - 10am to 3pm
Ages 3+
Free - no booking required
Relax like a Roman with some brilliant board games! Make your own boards and counters.
Discover how people in Roman Castleford had fun.
Hidden nature worlds
Tuesday 26 May - 10am to 3pm
Ages 3+
Free - no booking required
Discover the story of Waterton's Wall. It marked out the first nature reserve in the world, here in Wakefield!
Get crafty and make a pop-up nature reserve from paper and card. Choose and make animals and plants to live in your hidden nature world. Use different pop up techniques to help it come to life!
Plants for pollinators
Wednesday 27 May - 11am to 2pm
Bookable SEND session 10am to 11am
Ages 3+
Free (booking required for SEND session only)
Learn about the marvellous medieval herb garden at Pontefract Castle! Discover the many different plants and flowers that grow here.
Make a paper plant pot. Plant some bee-friendly flowers in it to grow through the summer.
There is a bookable SEND version of this event on Wednesday 27 May, 10am to 11am.
Puzzling Pontefract
Wednesday 27 May - 10:30am to 3pm
Ages 3+
Free - no booking required.
Solve riddles and puzzles to learn about Pontefract. Make your own jazzy jigsaw puzzle!
Be inspired by the paintings in the Picturing Pontefract exhibition.
Kokedama moss kingdoms
Thursday 28 May - 11am and 1:30pm
Ages 12 to 16
£3 per teenager, accompanying adults free. Booking required.
Discover how aging stones can host hidden nature kingdoms. Find out how moss can support ecosystems.
Make your own kokedama moss ball to take home.
This workshop is designed for teenagers aged 12 to 16. Accompanying adults are welcome, but not essential.
Discovery day: powerful pollinators
Thursday 28 May - 11am to 3pm
Bookable SEND session 10am to 11am
Ages 3+
Free (booking required for SEND session only)
Test your bug spotting skills at Pontefract Castle. Learn how to survey nature. Join in a mini bioblitz.
Discover what local organisations are doing to help nature thrive.
Beekeeping has existed for thousands of years. Find out more about beekeeping from Wakefield and Pontefract Beekeepers Association. Learn how people look after bees, and meet the bees!
It'll be the bee's knees.
There is a bookable SEND version of this event on Thursday 28 May, 10am to 11am.
Eco arts
Friday 29 May - 10:30am and 1pm
Wakefield Museum Learning Zone
Ages 6 to 11
£3 per child, accompanying adults free - booking required
Get creative with nature! Try out different ways to use plants and flowers to make useful decorative art.
Experiment using flowers and leaves to print, sketch and paint. Turn your designs into a gift card or stationery set.
Meet the Romans
Saturday 30 May - 10am to 3pm
Ages 3+
Free - no booking required
Meet some time-travelling ancient Romans!
See metal-working and book-binding demonstrations. Make your own jewellery or mini book to take home.
Part of Castleford Roman Festival.
Dungeon Tours and Pontefract Castle Explorer Tours
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Dungeon Tours 10:45 am to 11:30 pm
Explorer Tours 2 pm to 2:45 pm (from April)
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?