Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum welcomed 150 visitors to their ‘Meet the Victorians’ family event in half term.

The event was part of Museums’ Week, with sponsorship from B&NES Council. Families were able to see real vintage toys, play with reproduction toys, play marbles and hopscotch, and hoopla.

The children also made lots of Victorian-themed crafts, learning some fun facts along the way. For example, wealthier families in Victorian times would have a wooden Noah’s Ark toy, which was the only toy that children were allowed to play with on Sundays due to it relating to the Bible.

The art of marbling was popular, whereby oil would be poured into a container of water, the oil would float on the top of the water and then coloured inks would be dropped onto the oil and swirled around to make a pattern. Paper would then be placed on top of the water and the ink pattern would form on the paper. The paper would then be used to line the inside of hard-back, often leather-bound, books for decoration. The children at the museum were able to have a go at a modern day version of marbling using food colouring.

There were many more crafts and activities on offer, including peg and paper doll making, whizzers and stained glass windows. The next family event will be ‘A Victorian Christmas’, with festive Victorian crafts and activities and the museum decorated Victorian style on Saturday, 9th December, from 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Entry is free. For more information, visit: www.radstockmuseum.co.uk