Dr Matt's Cabinet of Curiosities

Dr Matthew McFall is bringing his Cabinet of Curiosities to Waterstones in Nottingham on Monday 26 October, starting at 11:00. It's billed as a limited lock-in, so it's a one-off morning session rather than something that'll be running all week. The whole thing is an interactive exploration of the weird and wonderful, with magic, puzzles, games and wonders of the natural world, and it's aimed at all the family, so it's as much for the kids as it is for the adults.

McFall is an educationalist and the author of The Little Book of Awe and Wonder, and that's the spirit that runs through this. It's not a sit-back-and-watch kind of thing; the interactive side is a big part of it, so you'll be getting stuck into the puzzles and games yourself rather than just watching them from a chair. The mix of magic and natural history gives it a bit of a Victorian parlour feel, and the 'lock-in' framing adds to that sense of being in on something a bit separate from the usual high street morning.

It's a family session, so it works if you've got the little ones with you, but it's just as easy to go on your own if you're into the odd and the curious. Tickets are £5 per adult and £4 per child, and both adults and children need their own ticket to get in. It's at Waterstones on Bridlesmith Gate, NG1 2GR, on Monday 26 October at 11:00.