What to do in Norwich (by all of us!)

Jess, aged 14, writes: During half term, our family visited Norwich and the Norfolk Broads. Over the course of our two days in Norwich, we visited fascinating museums, ate delicious food, and saw gorgeous sights, such as the castle and cathedral. We were very lucky to have a fair bit of sun, and loved walking around the city. Here are our favourite bits (don't miss the video which Robert made too - just click on the link!)

[kad_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JVJqGPn57g" width=200 height=100 ]

 

We stayed in the Norwich City Holiday Inn, which was very convenient and great for families. We always find inter-connecting rooms useful, and the fact that Robert and I had separate beds was a bonus. The food was good, and everything was clean and tidy. It wasn't luxurious, but it is a great budget choice for families, and it's right next to Norwich City's football stadium!

Sarah says: We decided to start at our trip at the Museum of Norwich at Bridewell and were really impressed by this lovely, informative gem of a museum. The museum gives the story of this city (once England's second in terms of importance), and taught us a lot, impressing all of us. It is bright and easy to navigate (it's set out logically) and also very interactive, which appealed to the children.

[caption id="attachment_2303" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We loved looking around the Norwich Museum.[/caption]

Norwich's story includes that of the "strangers" - Huguenots who were invited to come from the Netherlands in the 16th century in order to help the textile industry. Thirty families of master weavers came initially (soon followed by more) and made a huge contribution to the city's fortunes.

Norwich's story is not only one of textiles and weaving, but also of mustard (Colman's of course), plus football (we found out why Norwich City are called the Canaries), chocolate (Caleys and Rowntrees) and shoes (Norwich used to provide eight million pairs of shoes a year!).

[caption id="attachment_2305" align="alignnone" width="900"] We loved looking at the old fashioned objects from Norwich[/caption]

We were surprised by how much there was to see in this small museum and I was especially fascinated by its darker side, as it used to be a prison. The stories of some of those who spent time here were really sobering.
The Museum is in Bridewell Alley, off Bedford Street and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 to 4.30am. It costs £5.20 for adults and £3.90 for children. You can also pop in for an hour for just £1 which seems a great idea to us.

[caption id="attachment_2307" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We loved visiting Norwich Castle![/caption]

Robert, aged 10, writes: I really enjoyed exploring the medieval castle. We studied an array of interesting displays on the top floor and had fun taking part in some interactive activities on British History on the first floor. My favourite was an activity where you catapulted a rock and had to try and knock over a wall. The castle used to be a prison and there was a very interesting display about this, including stories of criminals and even a prison cell.

The second floor was my favourite though. When we went there was an exhibition on dragons and the How To Train Your Dragon books so there were loads of things to do on that topic. They included listening to books being read out and arts and crafts. I created my own mini dragon.

[caption id="attachment_2309" align="alignnone" width="851"] There was so much to do, see, and make in Norwich Castle[/caption]

Jess says: Norwich Cathedral is one of the most complete major Romanesque buildings in Europe, and has the second tallest spire and largest monastic cloisters in England. It was absolutely beautiful, and we walked around for about half an hour. There are guided tours around the 900 year -old Cathedral but we did not take one, preferring to walk around at a leisurely pace.

[caption id="attachment_2301" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Cathedral was absolutely beautiful.[/caption]

We really enjoyed reading the inscriptions on the walls and tombstones, and reading the memorials. We also thought the staff were extremely friendly.The Cathedral is free to enter, although they do ask for donations.

[caption id="attachment_2310" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert loved looking at the art and making his own versions of it at the Sainsbury's Centre for Art[/caption]

Robert says: I loved going to the Sainsbury's Centre for Art as it displayed a large assortment of intricate sculptures and detailed painting that had been made over the years. I was stunned by the art and felt so relaxed when I drew some of my favourites on a piece of paper I was given, as it was so quiet and calm. The building itself was enormous; you could go outside and walk around the giant plot of land surrounding the gallery which had a starring role in the second Avengers movie. I really enjoyed going there and it was the highlight of my trip.

Sarah writes: Norwich was a lovely city to walk around and we really enjoyed the combination of the old and new side. There are lovely cobbled streets to walk along and small, independent shops and galleries in the Lanes and the medieval quarter, but there are also all the high street favourites, and it's so convenient to walk everywhere! Don't miss the huge market, which is right in the centre, and which is full of all sorts of different stalls (from food to clothes).

[caption id="attachment_2312" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Norwich was full of lovely shops.[/caption]

We especially enjoyed the fantastic food at the Macarons and More shop in the Royal Arcade (look at their website for some amazing pictures!) and had a terrific lunch at the Britons Arms, which is set in a 15th century building - and which featured in the film Stardust.

[caption id="attachment_2313" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had a delicious lunch at the Britons Arms[/caption]

We had hoped to visit the Strangers' Hall, which has been a home to merchants and mayors in Norwich since 1320, but unfortunately it was closed, so definitely check up on its opening times if you're interested in a visit.

Jess writes: We had a lovely time in Norwich - the castle was beautiful, the museum was fascinating, and I loved my cinnamon pretzel, massive pistachio macaroon, and my raspberry meringue pavlova. Norwich is full of scrumptious food, which was one of the reasons that it is perfect for families. Norwich is full of so many things to see and do, and we would love to go back and see them all.

Disclosure: Our visit to Norwich was organised with help from Visit Norwich. We stayed in the Holiday Inn on a complimentary basis, although neither Visit Norwich not the hotel had any input into this piece. Our rooms at the Holiday Inn would have cost £95 per night including breakfast. Kids eat free at the hotel (we took advantage of this!)

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Our Top Tips for Getting Around in London

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A Day Out at Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire

Jess, aged 13, writes: Yesterday, our family had a great time visiting Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Waddesdon is only about an hour and a half drive away from London, and we drove through picturesque countryside on the way. The Manor is a French Renaissance-style chateau built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874, and is utterly magnificent. It really is unlike any house you would generally find in England, and the inside looks just as good (if not even better) as the outside. Normally, the entire house is open to visitors, but it has been specially done up for the holiday season.

[caption id="attachment_2097" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Waddesdon Manor looks amazing from the outside[/caption]

Robert, who is 10, says: As it is December (the month of many festivals), all the rooms and exhibitions in the parts of the Manor open to the public were on the topic of light and legends. We learnt about the Greek and Roman gods of the sun and moon, about all the celebrations going on around that time like Diwali or Chanukah and beautiful things like the Northern Lights. All the rooms were beautifully decorated. They connected to the topic of the room and contained amazing artefacts such as detailed crockery, jewels and swords. There were also some amazing paintings.

[caption id="attachment_2098" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We loved exploring the Manor: seeing the brilliant artwork, learning about different religions and seeing important rooms in the house[/caption]

I especially loved the section on Peter Pan as it had a model of London in a bathtub with the children and Peter flying above. I also really liked the exit staircase which showed how light was important to Buddhism. The whole thing was really well made; there wasn’t too much writing about each room so everyone could understand everything, and there was a perfect contrast between the objects on light and things from the actual house. I loved it.

Jess: Although mum and I would have liked more information about the actual house (we may have to go back another time), there were lots of volunteers available to answer any of our questions. Everyone was kind and friendly, which made our experience really pleasant and interesting. 

[caption id="attachment_2099" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Scrumptious apple and parsnip soup - lunch was amazing![/caption]

After looking around the house, it was time for another highly anticipated part of the day - lunch! There are a few places to eat in Waddesdon Manor, and we went to the restaurant. It was very posh food, so I was really excited to try it. I ordered a fizzy rose drink, apple and parsnip soup, salmon with potatoes, sauce, and vegetables, Christmas pudding, and sorbet. It was a very indulgent lunch, and it was absolutely delicious! There was a lot of choice, and the chefs were able to change their recipes to ensure that Robert (who has lots of allergies) could still eat them. This was lovely. There are also other places to eat, where you can buy burgers or sandwiches.

[caption id="attachment_2100" align="alignnone" width="1200"] In front of the Manor's stables[/caption]

Next, we took a walk around the site, which is over 2,000 acres, and went down a lovely path to the Stables, where there were lots of Christmas activities (such as bauble decorating) taking place. We took time to admire the Manor and the countryside, and I know it must have looked magnificent in sunnier weather. If we had stayed longer, we could have seen winter lights illuminating the Manor, which would have been really nice, as there is a light show, Transformation, projected on the front of the House.

[caption id="attachment_2103" align="alignnone" width="778"] The wonderful Peter Pan scene in a bathtub! (©National Trust Waddesdon Manor, Mike Fear)[/caption]

Robert: The two shops in Waddesdon Manor, one in the house the other in the stables, were both packed with brilliant souvenirs. As well as postcards and notepads were Christmas decorations, books, toys and sweets. At the end I came away with a squishy dog toy while Jess brought some pear drops. On top of that there was an adventure playground (for years nine and under) plus a power house. This was where all the electricity used to be generated and now shows videos of different art and light experiments at Waddesdon Manor over the years.

Jess: In conclusion, we had a fantastic day visiting Waddesdon Manor. It was great to get away from the city and into the countryside, and I loved looking around the house and seeing the brilliant pieces of art inside. The food was delicious, the house was really well done, everyone was friendly, and there was a lot to see and do. What a brilliant way to round off 2015!

An adult ticket to Waddesdon Manor is £16.20, and a child ticket is £8.10. A family ticket is £40.50, and for full details on prices, please click here. We were given free tickets and a complimentary lunch to write about the Manor, but all views and opinions are our own. A two course Christmas lunch costs £21.50.

Sarah says: If you're looking for someone lovely to go over the Christmas holidays, or the next few weeks, Waddesdon is open every Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 20th November to 3rd January (not Christmas Day and Boxing day), with the decorated rooms in the House and the Gardens, shops and wine cellars open later until 7pm. Waddesdon is therefore open on Sunday 27th, Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th December and we'd definitely recommend a trip!

Looking slightly further ahead, the gardens, woodland playground, shop and Stables Café are open at weekends only from 9 January – 20 March inclusive and throughout half term 13-21 February. Both House and gardens reopen for the new season from Wed 23 March 2016.

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Science and Baseball Bats in Louisville, Kentucky (By Jess)

Last week, I spent a week in Louisville, Kentucky as part of the VEX IQ International Robotics Finals, which was a very exciting seven days indeed! We had a spare day in the city before the competition, so we decided to visit the Kentucky Science Center and the Louisville Slugger Museum, where the famous baseball bats are manufactured.

The Kentucky Science Center

[caption id="attachment_1226" align="aligncenter" width="940"] I visited the Louisville Science Museum in the morning[/caption]

We rushed into the Science Center first to escape the pouring rain, and quickly saw something which shocked us:

[caption id="attachment_1227" align="aligncenter" width="768"] We spotted a very unusual (and worrying) sign outside the museum[/caption]

There was lots to see and do inside the museum, and we starting by walking upstairs into an exhibition on the human body. This was a large room, full with information about the different functions of organs and organ systems. There were displays about the digestive, respiratory and circulation systems, and we enjoyed finding out our heart rate by holding on to a bar. There were lots of interactive exhibits, such as one where we had to team up with each other and press buttons to destroy viruses, and another where we had to mimic the human heartbeat. I knew most of the facts in the room but I am sure that my brother Robert wouldn't, and would have learnt a lot. Sadly, many of the exhibits were out of order and some were quite old.

[caption id="attachment_1231" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Standing inside a bubble, building a bridge and finding out about muscles![/caption]

There were lots of other exhibits taking place in the museum, which we all liked. One of my favourites was pulling a rope which created a bubble - this was extremely exciting, especially as I managed to get it up to my shoulders before my backpack popped it! We also created a bridge out of blocks, which took countless tries to finish. We were surprisingly proud to finally manage it...

Before we left, we decided to watch the 3D Film "Journey To Space" in the museum's cinema. The film was around 45 minutes long and was fascinating, talking about life in space and the challenges of reaching Mars. Although I am not a major fan of space exploration, the film was certainly interesting, and allowed me to think about the engineering challenges that a trip to space presents. The rest of the museum was aimed at younger children, so it was nice to have something aimed at the older members of the family.

The Louisville Slugger Museum

[caption id="attachment_1236" align="aligncenter" width="940"] The tallest baseball bat in the world outside the Louisville Slugger Museum[/caption]

After a pizza lunch just opposite the Science Center, it was a short two minute walk to the Louisville Slugger Museum, where the famous Louisville Baseball Bats are made. It was dangerously close to closing time so we had no chance to walk around the museum, but we had a walking tour around the factory instead.

None of us knew anything about baseball, but our tour guide was wonderfully useful at answering any questions we had. We walked through the factory, stopped at certain machines and watched videos. We were told that the factory produces 1.8 million baseball bats a year, and that they first arrive at the factory as billets (cylinders) of wood. When the factory was started, every bat was hand carved - taking up to half an hour to shape each one! Nowadays, there are machines which have countless of bat models saved, and each one can be made in 30 seconds. It only takes a click of a button to switch designs!

We got to see bats being dipped to get distinctive colours, and were shown how each bat gets the Louisville Slugger logo pressed onto it. My highlight of the tour was being given full-sized bats to hold, which was enthralling. At the end of the tour, we were given an opportunity to ask questions, and were all given a free mini bat to take home with us. The tour was quite short at only 30 minutes long, but our guide was really friendly and knowledgeable so we learnt a lot and had a great time.

Overall, we had a really exciting day visiting the Kentucky Science Center and the Louisville Slugger Museum. Our highlight of the day was definitely going on the walking tour of the Slugger Museum factory, and we wish that we had more time to visit the rest of the museum and go to the batting cages. I thought that the Science Center was quite old and not advanced enough, but I'm sure that younger children would really enjoy playing with the exhibits.

Despite the fab museums we visited in Louisville, my favourite part of the trip was eating at all the American chains, such as Applebee's; the portion sizes were gigantic!

To see the exhibits and the movie at the Science Center, adults are $20.00 and children (aged 2-12) are $15.00. Full pricing information can be found here.

To visit the Louisville Slugger Museum, adults are $12.00, seniors (aged 60+) are $11, kids (aged 6-12) are $7.00 and kids five and under are free.

 

More by us about science:

Churchill’s Scientists: An Exhibition at The Science Museum (By Jess)

Enjoying an educational day out in Winchester

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