A self-guided trail, The Ghost Train makes the most of the spine-tingling atmosphere of the 18th century oak-beamed herb garret and pre-anaesthetic operating theatre by placing intriguing, scary – and sometimes just plain gruesome! – activities on a circuit through the museum.
On entering the museum, you will be given a map showing the route of The Ghost Train around the space, and the location of the “stations” where spooky activities take place. Uncover a skeleton curled up under a case, touch the “hand of the hanged man”, and dare to squeeze maggots from a wound! You can even see a ghostly photograph taken in the same place in the Herb Garret as you are standing to look at it. Could the ghost be behind you...? Surrounded by brutal displays of scarily sharp knives and saws, and an operating theatre used before anaesthetics or antiseptics, The Ghost Train guarantees that every member of the family will find something of interest in the museum.
Events led by a member of museum curatorial staff complement these self-guided tours. Learn about the frightening facts of amputations without anaesthetic, using a real Victorian amputation set! Hands on family activities, “Pills, Potions, Poisons” and “The Power Of Blood”, are based around old medical remedies and great for younger children. For a full listing of events and dates, see the Events Page.
