If you’re wondering how to keep the children occupied over Easter, Swindon’s council-run venues have made a decent case for staying local.
From films and fossils to Lego and lakeside trails, there’s a steady run of events planned across Museum & Art Swindon, STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway and Lydiard Park — enough, at least, to fill a few days without resorting to screens at home.
Things start indoors at Museum & Art Swindon, where a screening of Ice Age will be shown at the Civic Offices on 2 April. It’s part of the Cinema @ Civic series, a collaboration with Create Studios, and offers a slightly nostalgic trip back to the early 2000s.
Those wanting something a bit more hands-on can stick around for the Fossil Hunters exhibition — though not for long, as it closes on 11 April — or drop into one of several creative sessions running throughout the break.
There’s a practical bent to some of it. Lego workshops, run by Abe’s Brick Corner, promise organised chaos in the form of thousands of bricks, while illustrator Alex Crump will be on hand to guide budding artists through comic creation.
Over at STEAM, the focus shifts to something more historical. A Spring Cleaning event on 8 April looks at how Victorian railway workers kept their homes in order — a reminder that domestic life once involved a fair bit more elbow grease than pressing a button. Visitors can try their hand at traditional cleaning methods, handle period objects and even attempt rag-rugging.
Outdoors, Lydiard Park will once again host its Easter Trail on 5 April, inviting families to follow clues around the lake in search of a prize. It’s the sort of activity that feels reassuringly familiar — a walk, a puzzle, and something small at the end of it.
There’s also the Easter Bonnet Parade for those willing to get creative at home beforehand, with children invited to show off their handiwork in the Walled Garden.
And for anyone less interested in chocolate eggs, Lydiard Park Hotel is offering a more traditional Easter Sunday lunch — booking advised.
Frances Yeo, Swindon Museums Manager, said the aim was simple: to give families options close to home.
“There’s plenty to enjoy for everyone,” she said, pointing to everything from Swindon’s railway history to prehistoric displays.
Ian Surtees, Business Development Manager at Lydiard, echoed that view, describing a programme designed to keep things varied — whether that’s an outdoor trail or a sit-down meal.
Taken together, it’s a line-up that doesn’t try to do anything too clever — just a mix of activities, spread across a few well-known venues, offering families a way to pass the time without venturing too far.
Sometimes, that’s exactly what’s needed.
