Halloween Sleepover in Newcastle: a night in the museum

Families can spend Halloween night among the galleries at Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle upon Tyne this autumn. Its first-ever Halloween Sleepover at the Great North Museum: Hancock runs from 5pm on Friday 30 October to 10am on Saturday 31 October 2026.

Tickets cost £85 per person, plus a booking fee, and include dinner, breakfast and the activities. The overnight event is for adults and children aged six to 12; booking is essential and places are limited.

An after-hours Halloween programme among the exhibits

The evening begins after the museum closes to daytime visitors, with a programme built around Halloween activities for children and their grown-ups. Guests can take part in creepy crafts and games, follow a terrifying trail, hear spooky stories and join phantom forest school.

Fancy dress is part of the plan too, with a disco before the overnight stay. A hot buffet feast is included at teatime, giving families time to settle in before bedtime stories among the exhibits.

The setting is central to the event rather than simply a backdrop: visitors will sleep in the museum’s galleries, surrounded by displays that include ancient worlds, deep-sea creatures and natural history collections. The sleepover is therefore aimed at families looking for an organised overnight experience, rather than a standard daytime Halloween activity.

A planetarium show and breakfast before departure

The programme continues into Saturday morning with a planetarium show and a hot breakfast buffet. Guests must leave the museum by 10am on 31 October, marking the end of the overnight stay.

Alex Boyd, Public Programmes Manager at Great North Museum: Hancock, said the museum wanted to create a Halloween experience for families “packed with adventure”, offering visitors a chance to see how the venue feels once its doors close and the lights go down.

Practical details for families planning to attend

Dinner, breakfast and all activities are included in the ticket price. North East Museums says places are limited and tickets are available through its website. The supplied event information does not give further transport, venue-address or accessibility details, so families who need those details should check the booking information before reserving a place.

Source: North East Museums News