Christmas Past at the Geffrye Museum

Take a journey through England’s Christmas past at the Geffrye Museum, where the rooms have been decorated in a variety of authentic festive decorations from the past 400 years. Not only can you get a sense of what Christmas would have been like for families at key points in history, but you’ll also learn about the origins of holiday traditions such as kissing under the mistletoe and sending cards. The exhibition is accompanied by special talks and activities – see the website for full details. Until 6 Jan

Experience Cinema at The Round Chapel 

Head to the gorgeous Round Chapel in Hackney for a day of festive films courtesy of Experience Cinema. On Saturday, visitors can choose between an early screening of family favourite Elf, or a later showing of Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life. All screenings in the atmospheric building are accompanied by a fully licensed bar, and tickets start from £10 for adults or £8.50 for children. 15 Dec

The Christmas Bootlegger’s Ball by the Candlelight Club

Channel your inner flapper at this decadent club night, held in a secret location. The Christmas edition of these popular 1920s and 30s-themed events features a Charleston floor show, irresistable music from the Boomtown Swingalings and a tantalising menu of Prohibition-themed cocktails. Guests are normally immaculately attired, so it’s worth making an effort! Tickets are £25. 15 Dec

Designers Christmas Market at the Southbank Centre

Wrap up your Christmas shopping at this delightful market, which features 50 stalls selling unique items from UK craftspeople. Not only can you find interesting gifts, but there’s a range of fun activities for both adults and children. Design Christmas decorations, make your own Christmas cards or have a go on the unique lucky dip. 14-16 Dec

War of the Worlds – The New Generation

The O2 plays host to the spectacular update of H.G. Wells’ classic tale, which charts the terrifying Martian invasion of Earth. Using the large arena to full effect, the show combines innovative 3D technology, live theatre, orchestral music and mesmerising special effects to bring the story’s Victorian setting to life like never before. The star-studded production features Liam Neeson as the journalist George Herbert, and tickets start from £42.50.  15 Dec

Valentino: Master of Couture, Somerset House

Fans of Valentino’s exquisite dresses will be in seventh heaven, as this new exhibition displays more than 130 of his stunning pieces. Not only will visitors walk along a specially designed catwalk to view gowns worn by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Sophia Loren and Grace Kelly, but they will also learn more about the Italian designer and the painstaking process involved in creating one of his masterpieces. Tickets are £12. 29 Nov-3 Mar

Roman Festival of Light Celebrations, Guildhall Art Gallery and London’s Roman Amphitheatre

Head to the Guildhall Art Gallery and London’s Roman Amphitheatre for a free family fun day in celebration of Saturnalia, the ancient Roman festival which honoured the god Saturn. Visitors will make their own Roman-style hats, lanterns and mosaics before handling a selection of real artefacts which evoke the carnival spirit of this ancient winter festival. 12pm-4pm, 2 Dec

Great Christmas Pudding Race, Covent Garden

For the 32nd year teams will compete in this frenetic charity race around Covent Garden, in which participants must safely carry Christmas Puddings over a tricky but entertaining obstacle course. As well as enjoying the spectacle, onlookers can watch live entertainment and special guest appearances, or browse the area’s unique shops. 11am, 1 Dec

Jason Mraz at The O2

American pop/folk singer Jason Mraz brings his world tour to London for just one night, treating audiences to renditions of hits such as “I’m Yours” as well as tracks from his new album “Love is a Four Letter Word”. Mraz will be supported by the multi-talented English musician Gregory Page. Tickets are £37.25. 1 Dec

The Courtaulds at Christmas, Eltham Palace

Inject a bit of 1930s glamour into your Christmas at Eltham Palace, where you can experience the thrill of setting up a grand house for the festive season. Costumed characters will be roaming the building, and you can also get involved by singing carols and learning about period Christmas decorations. Tickets are £9.60, which includes entry to the house and grounds. 11am-4pm, 2 Dec

In the run-up to Half Term, Dea Birkett, writer and founder of the Family Friendly Museum Award, reveals her family’s favourite London museums

What’s the most family friendly museum in Britain? The 2012 Telegraph Family Friendly Museum Award has been launched – the biggest museum award in Britain and the only one judged by families. Whether you have toddlers or teenagers, museums are great places for families. They might still have a few stuffed animals, but they’re far from stuffy.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is free – and the biggest museum ever to be shortlisted for the Family Friendly Award. It’s a treasure trove of 3000 years of beautiful artefacts, with backpacks for kids full of quizzes and jigsaws.

My 10-year-old twins love Tipu’s Tiger – an automaton showing the ferocious beast killing a man. My teenager prefers Kylie’s dressing room, transplanted with her stage costumes and even half-used lip gloss to the Theatre and Performance gallery.

The Horniman Museum in South London has been shortlisted for the Award twice. Set in wonderful gardens to play and picnic in, this museum is quite literally alive and buzzing.

In the Nature Base gallery for under eights, you can watch bees make honey in a glass-sided hive, spot beetles and harvest mice, listen to bats and learn about fox droppings. There’s a world-renowned music collection and a room where you can bang, strum and pluck unusual instruments. There’s even an aquarium in the basement.

The Geffrye Museum in East London is an 18th-century almshouse. You take a 400-year walk through a series of middle class living rooms, each decorated and furnished in a different era from 17th-century oak panelling to a late 20th-century converted warehouse living space. We always argue about which one we’d prefer to live in.

These are some of my family’s favourites. But what’s yours?

How to make a nomination for the Family Friendly Award:

Just say why your favourite museum should win.

Email: award@kidsinmuseums.org.uk
Post: Family Friendly Museum Award, Kids in Museums, 49-51 East Road, London N1 6AH
Deadline for nominations: 2 December 2011

Find out more about Kids in Museums at www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk

How will you entertain your kids in London over the school summer holidays? Luckily, London’s attractions are on hand to help with a host of fun activities…

The Science Museum is inviting families to spend their summer in space. Pick up a passport and make your way through the Solar System. Gaze at satellites, explore the Apollo 10 Command Module and see a telescope made from baked bean cans. There are lots of out-of-this world activities too.

Madame Tussauds is declaring a Marvel-ous summer in celebration of new film Captain America: The First Avenger. You can have your photo taken with the “star” of the movie, check out some authentic props, and step behind the superhero’s indestructible shield. Plus, the first 20 kids dressed as a superhero get in free on Mondays between 25 July and 22 August!

Ahoy there! The National Maritime Museum has a seaside theme this summer, with loads of events exploring what the sea means to young visitors. You can find out how people have interacted with the sea through the ages, have a go in a specially designed play area, and take part in hands-on nautical workshops.

Crafty kids can make everything from Japanese slippers to butterfly mobiles, koi-shaped biscuits and garden gnomes at the Geffrye Museum this summer. The brilliant creative workshops are themed around English and Japanese homes and gardens, to coincide with the current At Home in Japan exhibition.

When the sun comes out, head to the beach! There’s a 70m urban beach outside London’s Southbank Centre over the summer as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations. You’ll also find a row of colourful beach huts containing art exhibitions and installations, a pop-up Indian eatery, Dishoom Chowpatty Beach, and some great free events.

Have you spotted any other fun summer holiday events in London? Let us know in the comments below.

Congratulations to the Horniman Museum and Geffrye Museum, both of which made the long list for the national award. (The same two museums were up for the prize in 2009.)

A shortlist will be announced next month, and a panel of families will then road test each museum anonymously and decide on a winner.

If you fancy taking part as a judging family, get in touch with the organisers at award@kidsinmuseums.org.uk.

This week’s photo features the Geffrye Museum‘s gardens on a lovely summer day. The museum has five attractive walled gardens, including a traditional herb garden with plants for medicine, cosmetic use and cooking.

If you’re out and about enjoying London this week, don’t forget to take some photos and add them to the Visit London Flickr pool.

The Geffrye Museum in East London and the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill are the two lucky venues to get a place on the long list.

Visit www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk to see if your favourite regional museum has made it too.

The Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award is driving change in Britain’s museums. Hundreds of museums took up the challenge to make a nomination. The museums went to their visitors to ask them what they enjoyed most in a visit, using the Kids in Museums Manifesto as a guide.

The Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award is now firmly established as one of the most popular museum awards in Britain, attracting more nominations that any other. And it’s still the only award to be judged by families.

Fancy taking part as a judging family? Just email award@kidsinmuseums.org.uk and let them know!

The 20-strong long list will now be presented to a panel of judges, chaired by Jenny Abramsky, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Once this panel has drawn up a short list, those top museums will be road-tested, anonymously, by families. And it’s these families pick the winner of the 2009 Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.

We want to wish both the Geffrye and the Horniman the best of luck!