THE ORIGINAL FATHER CHRISTMAS

- DICKENSIAN GROTTO AT THE GROSVENOR MUSEUM

Remember what Christmas used to be like? We do!

Experience the sights and smells of a Victorian Christmas, set within Chester's Grosvenor Museum.

Join us at Grosvenor Museum, Grosvenor Street over the festive period, where we’ll be hosting the original Father Christmas and Mother Christmas. Come and meet them in their enchanted Dickensian grotto, complete with traditional toys and festive cheer.

Location:

Grosvenor Museum

27 Grosvenor St,

Cheshire,

Chester

CH1 2DD

Sunday 29th November 1pm - 3.30pm

Entry fee - £10 for each child receiving a traditional Christmas gift*

*Presents will be given out on a strictly one per ticket basis.

Each ticket entitles one child to a present. Additional children will be allowed entry to the grotto at no extra cost and adults are also free.

Your visit

Father Christmas and Mother Christmas appear in traditional nineteenth century clothing as they would have done in the time of Charles Dickens.

Each ticket includes a traditional gift.

Please note that if meeting Father Christmas himself seems a bit daunting, there is an option for shy or nervous children to meet Mother Christmas instead.

For those wishing to visit Mother Christmas instead, please contact us to let us know, when making your ticket purchase.

Booking

Regular time slots are 5 minutes. We also offer 10 minute time slots for visitors with disabilities and those seeking a quieter experience - please notify us in advance of any special needs requirements.

Pre-booking is essential to guarantee a time slot and if we are fully booked walk-ups will be refused entry. If there is space available you will be able to book on the day, however there may be queues, especially at busy times, so we strongly advise pre-booking to avoid disappointment.

Proof of ticket purchase will be required before entry to the grotto. You’ll be asked to arrive at least ten minutes before your allocated time slot, with accompanying adult.

If you miss your allocated time slot, we’ll do our best to fit you in, however this will only be possible if there is space and you’ll need to wait until a time slot becomes available.

Tickets are non-refundable.

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Mother Christmas and Father Christmas Dickensian Grotto

Quiet hour/Disability sessions

We offer more relaxed,10 minute sessions, to accomodate children with disabilities or special needs, who require a quieter or more supportive environment. These are available for the first hour only, so we advise booking early to secure your time slots.

If you wish to book one of these sessions please contact us, confirming the time of your booking, along with any details about your specific requirements.

Arriving early?

Why not venture into the Grosvenor Museum cafe for warming refreshments that can be purchased from site staff?

Did you know?

Father Christmas' fashions were known to change throughout the centuries? Although now he’s almost always seen in red, it only really became his go-to colour in 1931. This was due to a marketing campaign, in which Santa was depicted by American Illustrator, Haddon Sundblom, drinking cola. He was obviously taken with this new look! Beforehand, his wardrobe was much more colourful.

To compliment our Dickensian theme, Father Christmas has decided to dust off his old green kit, which has been hanging at the back of his wardrobe for centuries?

Why Dickensian?

Charles Dickens first visited Chester on 13th August 1858, where he gave a reading from his festive book 'A Christmas Carol' at the music hall (formerly St Nicholas' Chapel) on St Werburgh Street. It is for this reason that Stanley Palace has created a Dickensian grotto in memory of this, featuring the man who inspired Dicken's 'Ghost of Christmas Present'...Father Christmas!