IWM North unveils a captivating programme of family activities for the summer holidays

For families in search of something different to enjoy while school’s out, IWM North has announced a fascinatingly eclectic programme of free family activities for the summer holidays, inviting budding historians to explore stories of conflict, courage and resilience through interactive experiences, live performances and hands-on challenges.

Running daily throughout the school break, the absorbing ongoing exhibition Spies, Lies and Deception examines the role of espionage and misinformation from the First World War to the present day. Young recruits can take on a top-secret exhibition trail, piecing together clues in the Mission Room to discover whether they have the instincts required for a life of cloak-and-dagger intrigue.

Elsewhere, Spy School transforms the museum’s family hub into a training ground for aspiring agents, with a series of interactive challenges inspired by real-life intelligence work. Those who complete their assignments can graduate with their credentials intact and their cover stories firmly established before exploring the rest of the museum.

The programme also features Story Seekers, which traces the experiences of John Cancellor, a wireless operator who served with the Special Operations Executive’s Force 136 during the Second World War. Through letters, objects and personal accounts, curious cadets can uncover the realities of communicating behind enemy lines and the extraordinary demands placed upon covert operatives.

Meanwhile, television presenter and comedian Ben Shires brings a dose of infectious energy and mischievous humour with a pair of interactive 20-minute family shows in August, introducing younger audiences to the remarkable true stories behind some of the spies featured in the exhibition.

Those keen to hear history first-hand can also attend the museum’s We Were There family days, which return every Wednesday throughout August. Veterans and eyewitnesses will share their experiences of conflict, offering a powerful connection between contemporary audiences and the people who lived through world-changing events.

Alongside the seasonal fare, the museum’s award-winning Big Picture Show continues to immerse guests in a rotating series of large-scale cinematic experiences projected in 360 degrees onto the 27-foot walls of the main exhibition space, from the heroic exploits of wartime animals and the poetry of Tony Walsh to productions exploring Manchester’s radical legacy and the everyday realities faced by young Ukrainians since 2022.

The Main Exhibition Space itself remains one of the museum’s defining attractions, taking explorers on a journey through the major conflicts of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries along a sweeping timeline featuring a vast array of mesmerising objects and accounts. Combining authentic artefacts, themed silos, personal stories and global events, the area offers a staggeringly insightful chronicle of combat with iconic exhibits including a suspended Harrier jet, a First World War field gun and steel recovered from the World Trade Center.

The museum also remains home to the iconic Poppies installation, the permanent installation by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper, which cascades through the building’s striking Air Shard. Formed from thousands of handcrafted ceramic poppies, the work offers a poignant space for reflection on remembrance and the lasting impact of conflict across generations.

All family activities are free to attend and suitable for children aged five and above, with events and drop-in sessions running throughout the summer holidays.

Find out more and plan your visit to IWM North HERE.