Celebrate the magic of animation this half-term at the National Media Museum. Explore a world-class animation collection and get involved in free family events every day. For one week only, the much-loved Magic Carpet returns, when using the magic of green screen technology you can take a ride through starry night skies.

York Museum has a brand new gallery celebrating the diversity of the people who lived in the city during the reign of Emperor Severus. Activities include painting workshops, drawing, crafting mini-head pots, mask making, poetry, performance by the York Theatre Royal Young Actors Company and a fashion exhibit from that time period.

Learn how to help out the birds, bugs and animals in your garden at home at the Go Wild – Fly into Spring event at RHS Gardens, Harlow Carr, Harrogate. This weekend and next you can also watch falconry displays or make a birdfeeder with the RSPB. Why not try your hand at ornithology and help record the number and species of birds in the garden.

From today until February 27, visit The Deep, in Hull, to see the Amazon Flooded Forest tank, featuring redtail catfish and pacu. Youngsters will enjoy the new Explorers’ Den, where they can find out about the creatures of the Amazon and watch a live Amazon webcam.

Not for the faint-hearted, you can have a go at being a surgeon at the Thackray Museum in Leeds and dissect a real heart. Caution advised, so call for further details. There will be some heart-themed colouring and crafts for those who don’t fancy carrying out a dissection.

Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham is always worth a visit, and on Wednesday you can join the nanotechnology family at Magna to imagine a world where you are 1,500 million times smaller, where all the atoms and particles that make up your chair can be seen.

During this half-term there are lots of free events and activities at the National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield. Including the ever-popular underground tours, fascinating galleries to explore and a free indoor play area for under-fives.