Lots of spooky fun for Halloween at the National Museum in Mayo

The National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park, Castlebar, is encouraging people to pencil in a visit this Halloween and learn all about customs, traditions and spooky superstitions. 

The Museum has unveiled a programme of frightfully fun events and activities, from Spooky Origami and Creepy Critter crafts to blasting off energy on a scarecrow trail through the woods.

The National Museum at Turlough Park has become a popular family destination over the October Midterm and the Halloween celebrations this year run from 12 noon on Saturday October 25 to 4pm on Sunday November 2. 

One of the highlight events is the Halloween inspired craft sessions, available from 2.30pm to 4.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 29, 30 and 31 October. 

Visitors can join Lindsay McConnell to make some Spooky Origami; craft a Creepy Critter with Isolde Dingerkus; or make a Halloween puppet with Carmel Balfe. All crafting sessions are free admission. No booking is required but places may be limited during busier times and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Storytelling tours and scarecrow trail

There are also some short pop-up storytelling tours at 1pm, 1.45pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 29, 30 and 31 October. Curator and storyteller Hannah Gallagher will deliver the tours looking at some of the spookiest objects in the Museum galleries.

For an outdoor activity, young visitors can blast off plenty of energy searching for 'Scarecrow Jack' in the gardens and woodland of Turlough Park. This fun trail is inspired by the Irish folk legend - Jack of the Lantern - a character so mean and stingy that he was turned away from heaven and then shut out of hell as well! He now wanders the night for all time with only a turnip lantern to light his way. 

This is a free, self-guided activity - meaning visitors can pick up an activity sheet from Museum reception and do the activity in their own time. The trail sheets are available from 12 noon on Saturday, October 25, to 4pm on Sunday, November 2.

'Scary Objects'

Back in the Museum galleries, there is an indoor trail available throughout the Midterm break for children to find some scary Halloween masks hiding in the exhibitions. 'Scary Objects' is a free, self-guided activity, suitable for families.  

Visitors can learn all about the customs and traditions associated with Halloween in the Samhain display on Level C of the exhibition galleries and there will also be a special selection of homemade masks dating to the 1940s and '50s taken out of storage for the Halloween period and put on temporary display in this area.

Admission to the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park House & Gardens is free. The exhibition galleries are open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday to Monday from 1pm to 5pm.  

READ MORE: New Mayo hotel in popular estate is now open for bookings