[New] JANUARY

Daily Family Art Cart

City Art Centre, 2 Market Street 10am - 5pm

Drop in Daily from 10am – 5pm to explore art as a family and explore our self-led worksheets and activities. Our ArtSpace area is crammed full of art activities and materials relating to our current exhibitions.

Daily Family Learning Space Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate 7 January Anansi and the pot of wisdom Drop-in family sessions at 10am, 11.30am and 2pm Museum of Edinburgh

Drop in Daily from 10am – 5pm to explore art as a family and explore our self-led worksheets and activities. Be a detective and find objects in the gallery.

Family event in association with the exhibition ‘Respect! Caribbean Life in Edinburgh’ Join Sharon Croome as we travel into the Caribbean and West African folktale world of Anansi- The trickster and God of Stories. This family session will be a storytelling, drama and craft adventure. Suitable for families and children ages 5-11yrs. Sharon was born in Barbados and works as a teacher. She is kept busy with her four lively children, all of whom try to outsmart her-just like Anansi! Sharon is inspired by Anansi's resilience, curiosity, creativity and playful nature, all of which are essential qualities for life.

From 11 January Magic Carpet Minis

Various times and dates £15 per child for block of 3 Magic Carpet Minis introduces you and your little one to some of the wonderful galleries, objects and themes in the museum in a fun and gentle way. Taking place in different spaces around the museum, you will explore subjects such as the Natural World, Space, World Cultures and Scottish History through songs, stories, rhymes, actions, objects and sensory play. Book now nms.ac.uk/magic-carpet-minis 21 January Nature Art 1pm - 3pm

In our New Acquisitions exhibition there is a beautiful artwork by Nicola Murray called a cyanotype. Come along and work with Katelyn to make some artwork using a technique where you can magically print on paper using light to define your shapes. Work this up into a bigger nature inspired artwork.

Free and drop-in, no need to book - just come into City Art Centre. Open to the whole family to work together 8 January Relaxed Morning 10:00 – 12:00 (quiet space open until 12:30)

National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street

Join us for our monthly Relaxed Morning for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum. This session is primarily for, but not limited to, families with autistic children; autistic young people and adults; adults living with dementia; adults and children with mental health problems; and any other visitors with sensory needs or who may prefer a more relaxed experience, plus their families, friends and carers.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/relaxed-morning 9 January BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby/Bump) 10.15am, 11am and 11.30am

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Babes in arms gallery tours for new, and expectant, parents/carers are back! Join us for informal art chats in the gallery - exploring a different exhibition each month - and stay for a free coffee in our Learning Space.

13th January – 24th March Seedlings Baby Group and Sprouts Todder Group

Here at RBGE we love to encourage children to grow in the most natural way possible, just like our plants and in January will run our second Seedlings parent and baby group, suitable for babied between 5 and 10 months, who are able to sit but are not yet very mobile.

If you are looking for something to do with a toddler why not join our first toddler group Sprouts. This group is suitable for toddlers between 11 and 24 months, who are more mobile and walking around. This is a 10 week block - book at www.rbge.org.uk

14 January

Family Freestyling Folklores Writing Workshop 11am – 1pm City Arts Centre, 2 Market Street Family event in association with the exhibition ‘Respect! Caribbean Life in Edinburgh’ Scottish Jamaican poet and writer Jeda Pearl will guide participants to create a short story or poem inspired by Caribbean folklore. Suitable for adults and children aged 8yrs+. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 18 January Art at the Start in the Museum 14:00-16:00. Imagine Gallery. Free, drop-in National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street The Art at the Start team, based at the University of Dundee, will be running drop-in creative and sensory play activities within the Imagine Gallery, all aimed at babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers and their grownups. You can join us at any time throughout the session for baby-safe activities using light boxes, collage, and colourful and tactile materials. Read more nms.ac.uk/Art-at-the-Start

Free but booking is essential via the booking link on edinburghmuseums.org.uk.

27 - 29 January

28 January Dino’s Club

Dino’s Club is Dynamic Earth’s very own children’s club for young people under 14. Offering a unique combination of science and craft, digital tinkering, storytelling and outdoor adventures, the club is perfect for everyone! Book at dynamic earth.co.uk Indoor workshops are on Saturdays during term time. There are three sessions each day at 10am, 1pm and 3pm. They last an hour and a half and cost £1.50.

6 February BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby/Bump)

10.15am, 11am and 11.30am

Scottish National Portrait Gallery 11 February Space Art 1pm - 3pm

Babes in arms gallery tours for new, and expectant, parents/carers are back! Join us for informal art chats in the gallery - exploring a different exhibition each month - and stay for a free coffee in our Learning Space.

Free Family art activity inspired by the exhibition 13 & 14 February Madlab Electronic Workshops

'Incoming: New Acquisitions at the City Art Centre' Artist Ade Adesina is a printmaker who creates imaginative scenes, and the 3 prints in our New Acquisitions exhibition have a distinctly sci-fi feel. Come along and work with Katelyn our Learning Assistant to use printmaking and collage as a technique to make vibrant imaginative artworks with a space feel! Free and drop-in, no need to book - just come into City Art Centre. Open to the whole family to work together.

Various times. Studio 1 £15, Child 7 - 14 £13.50, Members & Concessions

National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street Solder your own flashing alien or Space Screwdriver with Madlab. Learn the secrets of soldering, find out how electrical circuits work and make your own electronic gizmo to keep. Part of our Half-term activities. Book now nms.ac.uk/madlab 13 -18 February Half Term: Galleries and Galaxies

Grand Gallery, Level 1 Free, drop in National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street Orbit around our out-of-this-world Space themed activities. Make a space monster at our craft station and drop by our Spark Cart for some intergalactic demos and object handling. Read more nms.ac.uk/galleries-and-galaxies 19 February A Sense of Place 11am - 12.30pm and 1.30pm - 3.30pm

Family Art Sessions in association with the exhibition ‘Paul Duke: No Ruined Stone’ 11 - 19 February Anchors Away 10:00-16:00, 11- 19 February Pest Hunter Trail 10am - 4.30pm 17 February Family Pest Hunters Workshop Sessions at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm (sessions last 45 mins)

Join artist and film-maker Suzy Cavill in our family drop in session where we will explore with collage, creating a piece of artwork personal to us, describing us as individuals, our identity and a sense of place.

No need to book Just drop into the City Art Centre at advertised times. Feel free to bring some photos that are important to you to include in your collages.

Free family drop-in on ground floor of City Art Centre by reception.

Join us at Dynamic Earth as we plumb the depths of Scotland’s rich ocean heritage! Take a deep dive into coral reefs, take inspiration from HMS Challenger to build your own research vessel, pilot an ROV and even build mountains and trenches on an augmented reality seabed, plus lots more exciting activities for the whole family! Free with admission to Dynamic Earth.

Free Family activity trail inspired by the exhibition Auld Reekie Retold at the City Art Centre.

In our Auld Reekie Retold exhibition, we explore the work that happens behind the scenes to look after museum items. This includes keeping your eyes peeled for creepy crawlies that might be munching on our artefacts! Come and hunt for bugs yourself through the galleries at the Museum of Edinburgh with our free activity trail.

Free and drop-in, no need to book - just come to the Museum of Edinburgh. Open for the whole family to work together. Pick up your trail at the museum reception.

A free family workshop about creepy crawlies in museums and the trouble they cause.

Come and join us at the Museum of Edinburgh with Gwen, our Collections Care Officer, for an exciting workshop learning about the bugs and beasties that live in museums. We will be handling real life examples of insects and damaged museum items. This workshop is open to anyone who is looking to learn more about how we look after our museum collections. This event is designed for families working together to learn, explore and be brave when it comes to spiders!

Spaces for this event are limited so please book your free places in advance. Free but booking is essential via the booking link on edinburghmuseums.org.uk.

25 February Dino’s Club

Dino’s Club is Dynamic Earth’s very own children’s club for young people under 14. Offering a unique combination of science and craft, digital tinkering, storytelling and outdoor adventures, the club is perfect for everyone! Book at dynamic earth.co.uk 4 March Women in Your Life 1pm - 3pm

Free Family art activity inspired by the exhibition

'Glean: Early 20th century women filmmakers and photographers in Scotland'

'Glean' is an exhibition that explores the work of extraordinary female artists. Come along to the City Art Centre for our family drop-in art activity with our Learning Assistant Katelyn to make some artwork inspired by notable women in your life. Bring along some photos to incorporate into your artwork.

Free and drop-in, no need to book - just come into City Art Centre. Open to the whole family to work together.