Activities to keep the kids amused this half-term holiday (From York Press)

Activities to keep the kids amused this half-term holiday

8:34am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News By Nadia Jefferson-Brown, nadia.jeffersonbrown@thepress.co.uk

ONE of York’s most historic legends is being brought to life as the city gears up for a busy half-term holiday week.

With families searching for ideas about what to do over the coming days, attractions in and around the area have stepped up a gear with their offerings, while The Press has teamed up with a number of popular destinations to share half-term offers with readers.

York Dungeon has launched its all-new mirror maze, where visitors will embark on a quest to find the city’s lost Ninth Roman Legion.

Helen Douglas, Dungeon manager, said: “The ‘lost legion’ remains one of York’s most haunting tales. We’re excited to bring this historic legend to life for our visitors during February half-term, hurling them head first into the turbulence of Roman times.”

The maze sports 87 nine-foot high mirrors along with ghostly apparitions and special effects within the maze’s twisting corridors.

The challenge for visitors is to explore the maze, hear gory stories about the doomed battalion and investigate why the soldiers spookily vanished without a trace in 65AD.

The National Railway Museum will also join in the half term fun by hosting a special exhibition for history and railway enthusiasts alike.

Marking the 60th anniversary of King George VI’s funeral train, the museum has put the locomotive used to transport the King’s body from Sandringham to London on display.

The specially-chartered train, named Britannia, marked the start of several days of mourning for the late King concluding in a royal procession on February 15 1952.

The museum is also running Wizard Week where children can enter a best dressed wizard competition and ride the steam star from the Harry Potter films.

Elsewhere York’s Castle Museum is offering hands-on sessions this school holiday as part of the York 800 celebrations where visitors can discover some of the stories that have affected people through the ages.

As part of this they can handle the most famous weapon of the First World War, The Lee Enfield rifle, or find out about bread making in the past and try some of the freshly-baked bread from the museum’s studio kitchen.

• See today’s Press newspaper for a half-term offer on admission to York Minster.

Spaces are a source of inspiration

Coun Sonja Crisp at the Mansion House promoting the Inspire event

An inspirational programme of activities is giving York people exclusive access to some of the city’s most famous spaces.

A new programme of unique workshops, lectures and events will be led by expert artists, photographers, bakers and historians in venues including the Mansion House and the Quilt Museum.

Coun Sonja Crisp, cabinet member for leisure, culture and social inclusion said: “Inspire really does offer people a chance to do something a bit different in their free time – whether it’s learning more about our wonderful city or discovering new passions in an incredible setting.”

New events will be added to the Inspire website each month. To find out more about the Inspire programme, visit "feelinginspired.co.uk