We expect the site to be very busy on the days we have events on. For a stress free visit, please plan to park elsewhere. We have limited disabled parking on site. Nearby parking can be found at the Time Capsule (ML5 1DL). Public transport can be found at Traveline Scotland.
No dogs (except registered assistance dogs) are permitted on site.
Entry is free, with small charges for some activities.
Bookbug
Every Friday, 10.30am
Discover the benefits of sharing stories, songs and rhymes with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers to give them the best start in life.
Join us for weekly Bookbug sessions at 10.30am every Friday.
These are drop-in sessions so there’s no need to book in advance. However, capacity is limited and to ensure Bookbug is a fun and safe experience for everyone who comes along, we will need to shut the door once the room reaches its maximum capacity.
September Weekend Family Activities
Friday 26 – Monday 29 September
Sunday 28 and Monday 29 September
Come and see the 1940s house and garden with our brilliant re-enactors. Learn about life during WWII at home.
LEGO Challenge
Friday 26 and Monday 29 September
11am – 4pm | Sessions throughout the day
Suitable for adults and children age 5+
£1 – pay on the door
Build a continuous staircase as high as possible against the clock. The current impressive record stands at 1.20m high. Can you beat it?
Immersive Space
Friday 26, Sunday 28 and Monday 29 September
10.30am – 12.30pm, 1pm – 3pm
FREE
All ages
Drop in sessions in our immersive experience. Cast spells, blast aliens or travel to ancient Egypt. Twenty minute sessions throughout the day.
Retro Music STEM Challenge (Everything Flows)
Friday 26 September
10.30am
Suitable for ages 7+ (adult help needed)
£6
Build your own speaker—and learn the science behind the sound!
In this fun family session, you’ll:
Explore how headphones and speakers work
Build your own speaker from a paper cup and simple electrical parts
Test it using retro audio gear & classic tunes from our “Everything Flows” exhibition!
Zine Workshop (Everything Flows)
Friday 26 and Monday 29 September
1.30pm
Suitable for ages 7+ (adult help needed)
Drop in, no need to book
FREE
In the days before social media music fans would make their own media. Fanzines would be cut’n’pasted from other magazine, newspapers or anything which came to hand. Fans wrote their own articles, took their own photos and used their own artworks to create little magazines all about their own passions. Whatever you’re a fan of, a musician, a team, an author or a favourite show, come along to our drop-in workshop and get inspiration for your own Zines. Bring along your own material to cut up and paste, or use materials provided. We’ll have all the equipment you’ll need to launch your own fanzine.
Magic Den (Children’s Magician)
Monday 29 September
11.30am, 1pm and 2pm | Free, 30 min show
Brick M8
Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October
Join us as LEGO® builders from across Scotland display their latest LEGO® creations and displays. If you have a LEGO® question these are the people to ask! Once you have been inspired then head to the build tables where there are thousands of bricks to play with. There are stalls selling Lego and a Lego trail. All in aid of Fairy Bricks.
October Week Activities
Saturday 11 – Sunday 19 October
Brick M8 Lego Show
Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October
Join us as LEGO® builders from across Scotland display their latest LEGO® creations and displays. If you have a LEGO® question these are the people to ask! Once you have been inspired then head to the build tables where there are thousands of bricks to play with. There are stalls selling Lego and a Lego trail. All in aid of Fairy Bricks.
Photo Faces ID
Saturday 11, Sunday 12, Monday 13, Thursday 16 and Sunday 19 October
11am – 4pm
Create an amazing artists impression of a face using a computer programme!
Suitable for age 5+
Den Building
Monday 13 October
10.30am – 12.30pm
£12 per group
Build your own den in the Summerlee Woods. Summerlee Museum staff will be on hand with tips and tricks for building the best den. All equipment is supplied.
Once your den is built there will be games and a chance to relax in your den. Why not bring a picnic or a book to read?
One ticket provides one den building kit for your group to use. This activity is best for children aged 5 and above, but children of any age can participate. Groups must have at least one adult present at all times.
Wear clothing suitable for outdoor activity and uneven ground. Be prepared for wet weather – only high winds will prevent this activity from taking place.
Immersive Space
Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 October
1pm – 3pm
FREE
All ages
Drop in sessions in our immersive experience. Cast spells, blast aliens or travel to ancient Egypt. Twenty minute sessions throughout the day.
STEM Challenge: Meccano Crane
Tuesday 14 October
10.30am
Suitable for ages 8+ with adult helper
£10
Calling all budding engineers, try our new Meccano challenge. Build a crane from a set of vintage Meccano and use it to complete our STEM challenges.
Ticket provides use of a vintage Meccano set with all the parts needed to build a crane. This is an activity aimed at families or other groups with an adult joining in. Meccano is fiddly, so this is better for older children, teens and adults. All are welcome along, but be aware that younger children may not enjoy this quite so much. All groups should have at least one adult and up to three others – the more engineers you have the quicker your crane will be built and the more fun you will have with it.
LEGO Challenge
Wednesday 15 and Friday 17 October
11am – 4pm | Sessions throughout the day
Suitable for adults and children age 5+
£1 – pay on the door
Build a continuous staircase as high as possible against the clock. The current impressive record stands at 1.20m high. Can you beat it?
Everyday
Spooky Spider Hallowe’en trail £2
Hallowe’en themed Arts & Crafts 12-4pm
Mine tours 10-4pm weekdays and 12-4pm weekends
Hallowe’en Fun Day
Sunday 26 October
Spooky stories, Frightful Scary Silent Disco, Fancy dress prizes and more!
Meet Father Christmas
Saturdays and Sunday through December plus 23 and 24 December
Meet Santa in his grotto and visit our winter wonderland activity area.
Book your tickets: Meet Father Christmas
Music in the Museum 2025
Scotland’s noisiest museum continues it’s programme of events, Music in the Museum, produced by North Lanarkshire Council’s arts development team. From thunderous Compton Pipe Organ performances to world-class “pop-up” opera, there’s a different musical event to experience each month in the unique surroundings of an industrial museum!
Summerlee Photomedia Studio
North Lanarkshire’s Arts & You team offer weekly classes for adults and children of all abilities in photography, film-making, animation and more at Summerlee Photomedia Studio.
Applebox Film Club, Saturdays, 11am – 1pm, suitable for 8 – 13 years
LEGO Animation Club, Mondays, 4pm – 5pm, suitable for 8 – 12 years
Adult All Ability Photography, Wednesdays, 12.30pm – 2pm & Thursdays, 10.30am – 12pm, suitable for 16 years+
TWENTY20 Pictures Project, Fridays, 1pm – 3pm & Saturdays, 1.15pm – 3.15pm, suitable for 14 – 18 years
Tom Gates Mega Museum Challenge
Tom Gates Mega Museum ChallengeBring your family museum trip to life for free with the Tom Gates Mega Museum Challenge activity pack from Scholastic and Kids in Museums. Kids can go on their very own adventure by seeing if they can ‘Spot Ten Random Things’ from the activity sheet at the museum – from the biggest thing to the grossest! Try out some top drawing tips and tricks then take part in a Doodle Challenge.
Visit the Kids In Museums website to download now.
Hear the Mighty Compton Cinema Organ
Hear the Mighty Compton Cinema Organ Live music on the Compton Cinema Organ
FREE
Hear the mighty Compton Cinema Organ played by multi-award winning musician Aaron Hawthorn. The power of the organ means you can listen while enjoying lunch in the café.
Please note, these are promenade performances, not seated.