One of the quiet joys of home educating is that the whole country becomes your classroom. And across the UK, a growing number of museums and attractions now run dedicated Home Educators’ Days – days designed entirely around families like yours, rather than squeezing you into a school programme that was never built with home ed in mind.
If you’ve ever searched for home education days out or home education activities near me and ended up scrolling through a dozen Facebook groups, this guide is for you. We’ve gathered the UK venues that welcome home educators – what each one offers, roughly what it costs, and how to book – organised by region so you can find one within reach.
What is a Home Educators’ Day – and why are they so good?
A Home Educators’ Day is a date (or sometimes a regular slot) when a museum opens up its school-style sessions specifically to home educating families. They’ve quietly become one of the best-value, lowest-stress days out in the home ed calendar, and here’s why:
- Relaxed age groups. Unlike a school visit pitched at a single year group, most home ed days let older and younger siblings take part together – so the whole family learns side by side.
- Free or heavily discounted entry. Many venues offer free general admission, with optional workshops at a small per-child charge (often around £2.50). A few charge a modest day rate that includes shows and sessions.
- Hands-on workshops. You get access to the kind of expert-led, curriculum-linked sessions schools book – planetarium shows, science demonstrations, costumed history, STEM challenges – but tailored for home ed groups.
- Smaller crowds. On dedicated days the venue often doesn’t take school bookings, so there are no large groups thundering through the galleries.
- A chance to connect. They’re a lovely, low-pressure way to meet other local home educating families.
- SEND-friendly options. Many venues now offer quieter spaces, breakout rooms or dedicated SEND sessions.
Dates change throughout the year and the popular workshops fill quickly, so we’ve linked each venue’s own booking page for current dates – and our golden rule is always to book early.
London & the South East
Science Museum, London
The Science Museum runs regular Home Educators’ Days with shows, hands-on workshops, interactive galleries and IMAX films. General admission is free, and on these days the age groups are relaxed so siblings of different ages can attend sessions together. There are also free, downloadable gallery trails to give your visit some structure.
We’ve written a full guide to making the most of it: read our Science Museum Home Educators’ Day guide, or check dates and book directly with the museum.
Natural History Museum, London
The NHM hosts dedicated Home Education Days where you can build your own itinerary of workshops, shows and talks – from meeting a real museum scientist to ocean conservation shows. There’s a relaxed breakout space for home ed families who need a calmer environment, and group tickets start from around £4 per student. Tickets are typically released two months ahead, and you book by phoning the bookings team.
See the Natural History Museum home educator visits page.
British Museum, London
The British Museum welcomes home educators to its Key Stage presentations and gallery talks spanning ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Britain and beyond. Sessions carry a small charge per child (around £2.50–£3.00), with accompanying adults free, and bookings are made through the box office at least 48 hours ahead. Worth noting: the museum is carrying out major building works, so programming can vary – check before you travel.
View the British Museum home educators page.
The Midlands
National Space Centre, Leicester
A favourite for budding astronauts. The National Space Centre runs Home Education Days several times a year, each built around a different theme, combining a planetarium show, a themed talk and a hands-on workshop, plus free time to explore the galleries and the 42-metre Rocket Tower. Sessions suit roughly ages 6–14, with SEND-specific options available. Outside of the dedicated days, home educators can also get discounted term-time entry (Monday–Friday) by emailing the bookings team in advance.
Find National Space Centre Home Education Days.
Coventry Transport Museum
Coventry Transport Museum runs Home Educators’ Days focused on science, engineering and local history, with workshops led by STEM experts (including the University of Warwick’s WMG team), plus a ride on the Thrust SSC land-speed simulator and child-led play sessions for younger visitors. A great mix of STEM and hands-on history.
Check the Coventry Transport Museum What’s On for upcoming dates.
The North West
Science and Industry Museum, Manchester
The Science and Industry Museum offers Home Educators’ Days where you can explore the exhibitions, take part in a school session and visit the interactive gallery – building your own itinerary and booking online. A brilliant stop for engineering, transport and the story of Manchester’s industrial past.
See the Science and Industry Museum home educators day.
Yorkshire & the Humber
Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham
Set in a former steelworks, Magna runs Home Educators’ Days with hands-on STEM workshops and shows (think energy, forces and materials), the dramatic Big Melt show, and the outdoor Sci-Tek play area. Bookable activities are generally aimed at primary-aged children, though there’s plenty for siblings of all ages across the four interactive pavilions. Note that annual passes can’t be used for the home educator days – these are booked separately.
Find Magna Home Educators’ Days.
The North East
Beamish Museum, County Durham
Beamish, the living museum of the North, runs immersive Home Educators’ Days where children step back in time through the 1900s Town, Pit Village, 1940s Farm and Georgian landscape. There are free drop-in activities plus bookable learning workshops (from around £2.50 per child) — baking with the bakers, social-history sessions and more. Under-5s go free, you can use a Beamish Unlimited Pass or buy a special day ticket, and the learning team is genuinely welcoming about SEND needs if you let them know in advance.
We’ve covered Beamish in more detail too: read our Beamish home ed guide, or see Beamish’s own home educators page.
Scotland
National Museums Scotland
National Museums Scotland supports home educators across its four sites — the National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh), the National War Museum (Edinburgh), the National Museum of Flight (East Lothian) and the National Museum of Rural Life (East Kilbride). Entry to the National Museum of Scotland is free, and you’ll find self-led visit support, handling boxes, museum trails and a generous online learning hub of films, games and resources to use at home or on the day.
See National Museums Scotland’s support for home educators.
Can’t find one near you?
This is far from the full list – many regional museums, galleries, heritage railways and science centres run their own home educator days, and new ones appear all the time. It’s always worth ringing your nearest museum to ask: plenty offer discounted term-time entry or quiet sessions even if they don’t advertise a formal “home ed day.”
To keep on top of what’s happening near you, browse the events and days out in our Home Education Circle directory, where home educating families across the UK share local classes, meetups and trips.
Frequently asked questions
Are home educator days free?
It varies. Several venues (like the Science Museum and the National Museum of Scotland) offer free general admission, with optional workshops at a small per-child charge. Others charge a modest day rate that includes shows and sessions. Always check the individual venue’s booking page for current prices.
Do I need to be registered as a home educator to attend?
In most cases, no formal paperwork is required – you simply book as a home educating family. Some venues may ask you to confirm that you home educate when booking. If you’re newer to home ed, this is one of the easiest, most welcoming ways to dip into organised activities.
Can my children of different ages come together?
Yes – and it’s one of the best things about these days. Most venues deliberately relax the age groups so that older and younger siblings can take part in the same sessions, rather than being split by year group as they would be on a school trip.
How far in advance should I book?
As early as you can. Free general admission is usually flexible, but the pre-bookable workshops have limited places and fill quickly. Some venues, such as the Natural History Museum, release tickets around two months ahead, so it’s worth joining mailing lists and booking the moment dates open.
Are home educator days suitable for SEND children?
Increasingly, yes. Many venues offer quieter spaces, breakout rooms or dedicated SEND sessions, and most learning teams are happy to make accommodations if you contact them in advance to talk through your child’s needs.
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