Spooky Fun at Fort Nelson

Royal Armouries Fort Nelson is running Spooky Fun from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, with the fort open 10am to 4pm every day. It's a half-term special, so it's built for families with kids in tow, and the activities are drop-in, meaning you can wander in and out when it suits you rather than sticking to a strict timetable.

There's a new Creepy Codebreaker museum trail for children aged six to ten, which takes them through the galleries to crack codes. For the younger ones, aged three to eight, there are free daily activities: the Ghoulish Game Zone, The Boo-tique, The Haunted Hideout, the Witch's Workshop, and a Pumpkin Patch Party. The Creepy Creation Station for arts and crafts runs Monday to Friday, so that's one to plan for a weekday morning if you're out of school.

It's worth remembering where you're spending the day. Fort Nelson sits on Portsdown Hill above Portsmouth and houses the Royal Armouries' national collection of artillery and historic cannon. Built in the 1860s to guard against a potential French invasion, it never actually served that purpose, but it played a part in both World Wars: as barracks for troops in the First and an anti-aircraft ammunition supply depot in the Second. The restored Victorian fort still has its high ramparts, original fortifications, a massive parade ground, and underground tunnels. Inside, the museum holds more than 700 pieces of artillery spanning 600 years, including a 15th-century Turkish bombard, a 200-tonne railway howitzer, and the infamous Iraqi supergun. The Royal Armouries runs three museums: Fort Nelson, the White Tower in the Tower of London, and the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.

Entry is free, though car parking is £3, payable on arrival. Pre-booking is essential because the site has capacity limits, so get your slot sorted before you head up the hill. It's open 10am to 4pm daily from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November.