Interactive Family Tour of Avalon Archaeology

Join an interactive family tour and discover ancient history together with hands-on activities and dressing up. A fun, hands-on adventure! Travel through Somerset's past with hands-on activities at every stop. Make a clay pot in an Iron Age roundhouse, join a Roman shield wall and defend against incoming attacks, gather around the fire in the Mead Hall to hear the epic tale of Beowulf and Grendel, strike your own coin to take home, and carve a Viking rune aboard our Viking boat. Packed with stories, activities and opportunities to get involved, this interactive tour brings history to life for the whole family. This tour is specially designed for children aged 7-11 and their grown-ups. The tour will last for approximately 1 hour, after which you can enjoy the site at your own pace. You can use this time to visit the world’s oldest excavation hut and watch short films on local archaeology in the Bulleid and Gray Cinema or see the current progress of the construction of our Iron Age roundhouse. The tour price includes free re-entry to the site during normal opening hours for the remainder of the year. Each child (over 5) in your party will need their own ticket for entry. To join the tour, bring your ticket on paper or on your mobile to the Welcome Hut at Avalon Archaeology. Part of the tour will take place outside, so dress appropriately for the weather. After your visit, you can make use of the Avalon Marshes Centre and visit the Somerset Crafts gallery. You can also journey onto Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve and see replica wooden prehistoric trackways. Unfortunately, we do not allow dogs into the site except for assistance dogs. Dogs are welcome in the wider Avalon Marshes Centre and must be kept on a short lead at all times. Please note that dogs are not allowed on the main area of Shapwick Heath, which is the closest nature reserve to the site. Accessibility The reconstructed buildings are accessible but feature some uneven gravel surfaces and narrow spaces that may make turning in larger electric wheelchairs difficult. A manual wheelchair is available on site for visitors to loan if there are issues. Generally, light levels may be lower than you may be used to in modern buildings, and visitors are welcome to use a torch. Please contact us at [email protected] if you want to discuss special requirements. Go to www.avalonarchaeology.org.uk for more details, or visit our blog the see the latest work of our dedicated volunteers at https://avalon-archaeology.com/. Sign up to our newsletter to be kept up to date.