Spot Santa at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Spot Santa is running at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery throughout December, as part of the museum's Christmas programme. The idea is simple: Father Christmas takes a break from his workshop to wander the galleries, making surprise appearances throughout the building. If you're there when he pops up, you can say hello and snap a festive photo.

It's a family event, so it works best if you've got the kids in tow. Each walkabout lasts around half an hour, and since he's moving through the galleries rather than staying in one spot, the whole thing feels more like a chance encounter than a scheduled performance. It's one of those low-pressure outings where you can just drift in and out of the museum and hope to cross paths with him while you're exploring.

There are plenty of dates to choose from, so you don't have to rush in during the first week. He'll be out on the 5th and 6th, the 12th and 13th, and then again from the 19th to the 23rd of December. On each of those days, there are two walkabouts: one at 11:30am and another at 2:00pm. If you miss the morning one, you've still got the afternoon to work with, and if you can't make it that day, there's another weekend coming up shortly after.

Entry is free, and there's no need to book ahead, so you can just turn up when it suits you. The museum is at Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH, right in the city centre. With the walkabouts starting at 11:30am and 2:00pm, you can easily build it around a morning or afternoon out with the family.