Taking kids to the heart of Haddo House

Families can enjoy problem solving, finding clues and creative activities at Haddo House. (Pic: Michal Wachucik)

Scotland’s largest conservation charity, which cares for and shares Haddo House now and for future generations to enjoy, has launched the new experiences following a year of research, workshops and pilots of the new activities as part of the Heart of Haddo project.

The project aimed to find new ways to excite young visitors and their families about the rich history of the property and life in a Victorian mansion house by engaging their imagination through fun, problem-solving adventures around the property.

A recent pilot of the two new children’s experiences at Haddo House in Ellon, invited families to come and trial them, with one of the children who tried out the new activities declaring: “The big old house looks a bit scary outside but it’s brilliant getting to go on a treasure hunt – I got good at tiptoeing up to the puppets!”

National Trust for Scotland has launched two new children’s experiences at Haddo House (Pic:Michal Wachucik)

Tickets for the new children’s experiences are available to book through the property’s Eventbrite page, and include:

Haddo Playhouse: a lively hunt through the mansion house for children aged 3-9 years old, where they must search for missing characters from the Playhouse, Haddo’s beautiful replica Victorian toy theatre, and once found, the children then have the opportunity to create their own performances.

Haddo Undercover: involves older children exploring the house, finding and solving clues hidden in some very odd places, giving them the opportunity to explore rarely seen spaces within the mansion.

The Heart of Haddo project has been conceived thanks to Edoardo Bedin, a former National Trust for Scotland team member whose fundraising efforts supported the development and trialling of the new experiences with experts and families over the last year.

The new activities take children into hidden areas of the mansion. (Pic: Michal Wachucik)

Sandra Morrison, National Trust for Scotland Visitor Services Manager at Haddo House, said: “Finding new ways to share Haddo House’s heritage and get people of all ages excited about stories from its past were some of the main aims of The Heart of Haddo project.

"After conducting research over the last year, we’re delighted to launch the new experiences for children to get them excited about Haddo’s history, which supports our vision to provide inspiring heritage visitor experiences, as outlined in our strategy, Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone, launched in 2022.

“We are extremely grateful for Edoardo’s hard work in fundraising for the new experiences and we’re pleased with the response so far. Haddo House has always been about warm hospitality and the arts, it’s so good to hear the laughter and excitement of families filling the rooms again.

"It’s thanks to the continued, generous support of our members and supporters that we’re able to develop new experiences like these and continue to care for, share and protect Haddo House now and for future generations to enjoy.”

Tickets can be purchased at www.nts.org.uk/