MUSEUMS throughout Worcestershire have a diverse range of activities for youngsters to enjoy during half-term from learning about villainous Victorians to creative pursuits with a paintbrush.

Tudor House Museum in Friar Street, Worcester, is taking part in the city-wide Love Worcester Heritage Festival and visitors can learn more about the wicked ways of Victorians.

The award-wining living history group called the Ragged Victorians will be at the museum on February 17 and 18 featuring swindlers and crooks, bare-knuckle fighters, hawkers, mudlarks and pickpockets.

Visitors can learn to rag-rug using traditional methods in the workshops on February 24 with artist Sarah Wilks and people can take their creations home with them.

The George Marshall Mediacal Museum at Charles Hastings Way, Worcester, has an exhibition of items belonging to Alan Oliver Mann, the former chief pharmacist at Worcester Royal Infirmary, to celebrate his medical work and artistic talents.

One of the items is his remedy kit containing the raw ingredients he used to make up various medicines. Mann played an important role during the Second World War when he was exempt from military duty due to the important of his medical role.

He was required to have a full set of surgical tools in case he was needed to perform emergency operations.

The Commandery on Sidbury will be staging living history encampments, military displays and vintage vehicles during half-term week. Worcester Re-enactors will be taking centre stage and there will be demonstrations of pike drill, Punch and Judy and Victorian Magic Lantern shows, a Worcester Militia Parade, an Avoncroft Georgian Dance Display and various other attractions.

Visitors can also become indoor archaeologists discovering clues to the Commandery’s thousand-year history and make their own medieval floor tile.

The Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle is offering four days of springtime crafts from Tuesday February 20 to Friday February 23. Youngsters will be able to enjoy decorating and planting a spring pot to take home and make their own sled kite to fly.

Children will also be able to follow the 'I Spy' Spring Explorer Trail around the museum and discover over 1,000 years of history including toys from the past, historic room sets and beautiful gypsy caravans.

Museum events officer Pippa Ashmore said: "This is one of our most popular times of year at the museum. We are offering four fun-filled days with lovely things to do, make and take, while celebrating the beauty of springtime.”

Avoncroft Museum near Bromsgrove is running an engineering-themed half-term week where youngsters can join one of its engineering science workshops and they can invent, build and experiment with the science and engineering activities on offer.

Visitors can also explore the historic houses, ride on a miniature train and talk part in the free science discovery trail around the museum grounds.

Booking is essential and the workshops take place in the new Guesten Hall. Engineering science activities are aimed at families with children aged 5 and above with parents welcome to get involved.

For details of times and prices please visit the museum websites.