Shipyard Superwomen

Did you know? During the First World War, women helped build, repair, and maintain ships that kept Britain moving?

Celebrate the remarkable women of North-East shipyards this March through hands-on family fun. Explore real stories and images and get hands on with a variety of activities. Engineer your own mini ship hull to test its strength, try riveting boards inspired by wartime yards as you discover the skills, teamwork and curiosity that helped women build ships that kept Britain moving forward.

Our amazing activities which are sponsored by APCL Group include:

Build Your Own Mini Hull - (Engineering Challenge)
Inspired by women’s hands-on engineering roles in shipyards from riveting to assembling ship frames during the First World War. Families can join the team from Amazelab to design a small “ship hull” that can hold weight before sinking. Test the hull in water with penny weights - “How many can your ship hold?”

Suitable Ages - 4-12 years of age plus their adults. This event takes place in the William Gray Suite from 11am to 3pm Saturday 7 March & Sunday 8 March 2026

Riveting Boards: Build Like the Women of the Shipyards!
A hands‑on, high‑impact workshop that brings history to life. Join Theatre Space North East as you step into the shoes of the incredible women who kept Britain’s shipyards running during wartime. In this lively, tactile craft session, participants become real riveters—just like the women who joined steel plates together to build the massive ships that powered the war effort. Create and design a striking piece of “ship plate” artwork—complete with their own rivet patterns.

These events are included within your museum ticket.

Dates: Saturday 7 March & Sunday 8 March 2026 11am- 3pm

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