Interactive storytelling adventure by Story Craft Theatre inspired by the artwork at York Art Gallery, with craft activities for children aged 2-8.
Gallery Tales is running at York Art Gallery every Wednesday from 22 July to 26 August 2026, with two sessions each morning: the first from 10.15am to 11am and the second from 11.30am to 12.15pm. It's an interactive storytelling adventure for children aged 2 to 8, put on by the award-winning Story Craft Theatre.
The whole thing is built around the gallery's collection. Story Craft Theatre takes the paintings, sculptures and hidden details on the walls and turns them into tales of wonder, with a brand-new story each week inspired by the artwork. It's designed to spark curiosity, creativity and joy in young visitors, and because the story changes every Wednesday, you can come back more than once without hearing the same thing twice.
Throughout the run, the sessions sit alongside the gallery's exhibition Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print. The stories follow a tale of magical sea monsters, and once the storytelling is done, the children get to take part in a related craft activity. It's a good way to get little ones looking closely at the art rather than just walking past it.
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Each session is £7 per child, and you'll need to book in advance. That price includes general admission to York Art Gallery, so you can stick around and see the rest of the exhibition after the session. Children must be accompanied by an adult, with a maximum of one adult per booking. The gallery is at Exhibition Square, York, North Yorkshire YO1 7EW.
