May Half-Term at York Art Gallery

Saturday 23 May – Sunday 31 May 2026 | Book tickets.

Immerse yourself in Japanese-themed activities, workshops and performances this May Half-Term, inspired by our exhibition, Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print.

All activities, workshops and exhibitions are included in general admission, except Gallery Tales and Mokuhanga Printmaking, which incur an extra charge. Family tickets are now available, offering a great value day out.

During your visit, discover interactives including our new Draw and Discover activity, Not a Pot dressing up area, sensory toolkit and handling collection, and don’t miss the daily Art Shot Talks. 

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What’s On

Make and Play
Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May 2026
Drop in between 10am – 4.30pm
Included in general admission
Suitable for all ages
Experiment with inks and stamps whilst listening to Japanese inspired music and add your design to a large-scale collaborative, colourful stamped wall art piece in this self-led activity in the Studio.

Gallery Tales
Wednesday 27 May 2026
Session 1: 10.15am – 11am | Session 2: 11.30am – 12.15pm
£7 per child* | Book Now
Suitable for ages 2-8
Join the award-winning Story Craft Theatre for an interactive storytelling adventure. This May Half-Term, there’ll be a tale and craft activity inspired by the iconic The Great Wave artwork that features in our Making Waves exhibition. 

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Due to space restrictions, a max of 1 adult per booking. *Admission to York Art Gallery is included. 

Creative Families 
Thursday 28 May 2026
Drop in between 10.30am – 3.30pm
Included in general admission
Suitable for all ages
Get hands-on and creative with inks and wood block stamps in a guided session led by artist Beatrice, exploring Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print.

Making Music to Making Waves
Friday 29 May 2026
12 noon – 1.30pm
Included in general admission
Suitable for all ages
Enjoy live music by University of York music students who will be performing their musical responses to the Making Waves exhibition.

Paddle in the Surf: Mokuhanga Printmaking
Sunday 31 May 2026
10am – 4.30pm (Sessions run every 25-minutes)
£15 per person, tickets available to purchase on the day
Suitable for all ages and abilities
Join printmakers, Andy and Naomi to watch a live demonstration of Mokuhanga printmaking, and create 4 beautiful, printed designs inspired by ‘The Great Wave’ using rich Prussian blue ink and authentic materials to take home with you. 

Please note, workshop tickets do not include general admission to York Art Gallery.

Make a Splash
Saturday 30 May 2026
Drop in between 10.30am – 3.30pm
Free, admission to York Art Gallery is not required to participate
Suitable for all ages
Head outside to our Japanese Dry Garden, located just behind York Art Gallery and get involved in a large-scale water painting activity with artist Lendita. Experiment with mark making techniques, play, and create.

Please note, this activity is weather dependent.  

Daily activities:

Draw and Discover
Daily
10am – 4.30pm
Included in general admission
Suitable for all ages
Discover our brand-new Draw and Discover station, where budding artists can collect materials to draw and sketch with during their visit, using the artwork on display as inspiration for their own masterpieces. 

Art Shot Talks
Daily
11am and 2pm
Included in general admission
Join a member of our Visitor Experience team for a short, insightful talk on their favourite artwork from the collection. 

Please note, the York Art Gallery is open Wednesday – Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday as usual. Pre-booking online is encouraged due to the popularity of the Making Waves exhibition, however, admission tickets are available to purchase at the admissions desk on the day.

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Looking for more ways to entertain the family throughout the holidays? Find out more about our May Half-Term programme at our other sites.

What’s on this May Half-Term at York Castle Museum

What’s on this Easter at the Yorkshire Museum