Discover Ironbridge Gorge this half-term

During half-term week (14 - 21 February 2009) the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, near Telford, Shropshire will be running a number of drop-in activities and workshops for all ages including painting on ceramics, pottery, tile decorating and flying model aircraft. In addition, visitors will have the chance to take part in activities celebrating the start of the Chinese New Year when they visit the Coalport China Museum.

COALPORT CHINA MUSEUM: CHINESE NEW YEAR SPRING FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS: (16 - 20 February) Coalport China Museum will be laying on a range of drop-in workshops and activities during the half-term week from 16 – 20 February to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the start of spring. Families joining a ceramic workshop could make a unique object inspired by China or their own imagination, while at other sessions they might create their own ‘blue and white’ design on a piece of china, paint a tea bowl, try modelling a lucky dragon or carve a clay coaster using the ancient Sgrafitto method. There will also be a children’s Chinese Zodiac Animals Trail to follow through the museum and a special playroom featuring Chinese games and puzzles. The ceramic drop-in workshops will take place from 11am - 1pm and 2pm - 4pm; activities will vary each day and additional charges may apply.

BLISTS HILL VICTORIAN TOWN: Watch the Pancake Races (21 - 24 February)
There’s always plenty to see and do at Blists Hill, the outdoor museum that replicates a typical Victorian town, and the last weekend of the February half-term holiday is no exception. The ladies of Blists Hill Victorian Town will be entertaining visitors with daily pancake races at 12 noon from Saturday 21st February until Shrove Tuesday on the 24th. Everyone is encouraged to cheer on the participants who must all wear an apron and toss their pancake three times over the course, which starts at the New Inn public house and finishes at the Candle Factory. Visitors are welcome to try their hand at pancake tossing at the end of the race, but sadly cannot enter the races.

ENGINUITY: MODEL FLIGHT WORKSHOPS (14 - 21 February)
From February 14 - 21, Enginuity, the interactive design and technology centre, will host a model aircraft workshop in conjunction with Telford Model Aero Club. Visitors will be able to find out more about making and flying model aircraft; try their hand at flying a virtual plane on a large screen flight simulator or build and launch a pneumatic rocket. Alternatively, they can simply watch and enjoy the daily indoor flying displays, which will include electric helicopters. Activities will vary from day-to-day and some additional costs will apply.

JACKFIELD TILE MUSEUM: TILE DECORATING WORKSHOPS (16 - 20 February)
2009 is a milestone year for the West Midlands with significant anniversaries for many prominent local innovators and entrepreneurs, which will be marked at Jackfield Tile Museum. The 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin will be commemorated during the February half-term when visitors joining the tile decorating workshops can create bird, animal and fossil designs using the ‘tube lining’ or ‘slip-trailing’ technique. By the end of the experience they will have produced a 6 x 6 inch tile featuring their own motif and choice of fantastic colour glazes, as used by the professionals. The price is £7 per tile plus admission; activities vary on a daily basis and additional charges may apply.

Among the other anniversaries being celebrated throughout the year will be Dr William Penny Brookes, also born in 1809 he was the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games, and Abraham Darby who first smelted iron with coke instead of charcoal 300 years ago, changing the lives of millions of people worldwide. Details about these anniversaries can be found at Acelebrationofimagination.com.

A Passport to all ten Ironbridge Gorge Museums valid for twelve months and multiple return visits costs £14.95 per adult, £12.95 for the 60 plus, £9.95 for students and children and £48 for a family of two adults and three children aged up to 18 years in full time education; under 5s free. Individual museum entry tickets are also available and activities and workshops vary day-to-day with some carrying an extra charge in addition to the museum admission fee.

For further information, log on to Ironbridge.org.uk. The Gorge is easily reached via the M6 and M54 motorways exiting at Telford (M54 junction 4 or 6).