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Community Whitehaven · West Cumbria

Santa, gold leaf and pets: what's on at the Beacon in Whitehaven this Christmas Santa's North Pole Adventure and a gilding workshop lead the Beacon Museum's Christmas programme

By Kris WM, editor 3 min read From Cumberland Council
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Santa's North Pole Adventure and a gilding workshop lead the Beacon Museum's Christmas programme
Photo: JThomas via Geograph / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Beacon's sorted its Christmas line-up: Santa in December, a gold leaf workshop, pet encounters, and Wildlife Photographer of the Year still on. Some sessions have already sold out.

Looking for something Christmassy to do with the kids in Whitehaven? The Beacon's got you covered.

The Beacon Museum has put out its festive programme for November and December, and the council says a few sessions have already sold out, so don't hang about.

The big one for families is Santa's North Pole Adventure on 5, 6, 19 and 20 December. The kids go into the elves' workshop, do some festive bits, then get taken to Santa's private office to meet the man himself and find out if they've made the Nice List. If those dates don't work, Santa's also in on 12 and 13 December for photos, and the Pet Encounters are back on those days as well.

For the grown-ups, there's a Festive Gold Leaf Gilding Workshop on Sunday 22 November, which still had places when it was announced. You learn a bit about gilding and then have a go on a tealight, a Victorian walnut and a Christmas decoration. The Beacon Book Club's on 26 November, with mountain books to go with the climbing exhibition.

And the two big exhibitions are still on. Wildlife Photographer of the Year, from the Natural History Museum, runs till 31 January 2027, with 100 photos picked from over 65,000 entries from 121 countries and territories. Pillar 200, all about 200 years of rock climbing in England and Wales, is on till February 2027.

Councillor Anne Quilter from the council said: "We hope the programme gives families another reason to visit Whitehaven and make some special memories together this festive season."

What can you do? Have a look at the What's On page on the Beacon Museum website for prices and booking, and get the Santa dates booked early. We covered both exhibitions opening back in October.

The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven has announced its festive programme, with Santa visits in December, a gold leaf workshop on 22 November and two big exhibitions running into 2027.

This is for families and anyone looking for something festive to do in Whitehaven over the next few weeks.

The Beacon Museum has set out its Christmas programme for November and December, and Cumberland Council says some sessions have already sold out.

The main family event is Santa's North Pole Adventure on 5, 6, 19 and 20 December. Children go into the elves' workshop, take part in festive activities and then visit Santa's private office to meet him and find out whether they are on the Nice List. There is another chance to meet Santa on 12 and 13 December, with a festive photograph, and the museum's Pet Encounters return on the same two days.

For adults, the Festive Gold Leaf Gilding Workshop on Sunday 22 November still had places when the programme was announced. People will learn how gilding has developed and try it on a tealight, a Victorian walnut and a Christmas decoration. The Beacon Book Club meets on 26 November with mountain-themed books chosen to go with the Pillar 200 exhibition.

Both big exhibitions continue. Wildlife Photographer of the Year, on loan from the Natural History Museum, runs until 31 January 2027 and shows 100 photographs picked from more than 65,000 entries from 121 countries and territories. Pillar 200, about 200 years of rock climbing in England and Wales, runs until February 2027.

Councillor Anne Quilter, the council's Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said: "We hope the programme gives families another reason to visit Whitehaven and make some special memories together this festive season."

What you can do: the full programme, with prices and booking, is on the What's On page of the Beacon Museum website. Book early for the Santa dates, as some workshops have already gone. Marra News covered the opening of both exhibitions in October.