places to go

You can find story activities all across the country. Museums sometimes host storytelling events or temporary exhibitions celebrating children's authors. Many theatres and theatre companies stage adaptations of much-loved books and stories. Festivals provide opportunities to hear and meet inspirational authors, illustrators and storytellers. As well as lending books and DVDs, most libraries also provide internet access, information on what's on, and host small events. Just scroll down for ideas, or use these quick links: story trails, story centres, story attractions and galleries, children's theatre, festivals, further afield.

story trails

1. London: Visit Get London Reading to plan a trip across the capital exploring books written in and inspired by the city.
2. Edinburgh:  Reading round Edinburgh is a guide to the children’s books of the city. Visit the Scottish Storytelling Centre and Museum of Childhood.
3. Oxford: home to Lewis Carroll, J R R Tolkien, CS Lewis, Philip Pullman and many more (see city of stories). Visit www.visitoxford.org for details of tours, attractions and events. Or join the fun on Alice's Day.
4. Dublin: famous for its (adult) authors, poets and playwrights www.dublintourist.com/literary_dublin/ will help you plan your visit to this literary city. Bloomsday takes place on 16th June each year.
5. England: search www.storybookengland.com for places associated with favourite children's books and authors.

story centres

1. Seven Stories Newcastle-upon-Tyne
2. Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre
3. Discover East London
4. MythStories Wem, Shropshire
5. Scottish Storytelling Centre Edinburgh

story attractions and galleries

1. World of Beatrix Potter Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria
2. Wind in the Willows Exhibition River and Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames
3. The Stories and Imagination Gallery Museum of Childhood, Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire
4. Roald Dahl Children's Gallery Buckinghamshire County Museum, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
5. Temporary exhibitions, V&A Museum of Childhood London

children's theatre

1. Unicorn Theatre London
2. Polka Theatre London
3. Little Angel Theatre London
4. the egg Bath
5. And watch out for touring children's theatre companies visiting a theatre near you

festivals

1. Bath Festival of Children's Literature Avon, September
2. Imagine children's festival, London, February
3. The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival Gloucestershire, October
4. Latitude Festival Southwold, Suffolk, July
5. Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival Oxfordshire, March

further afield

1. Junibacken Stockholm
2. Ghibli Museu Mitaka, Japan
3. Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Amherst, MA, USA
4. Dromkeen Museum Riddell Creek, Victoria, Australia
5. Opening 2010: Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, Universal, Orlando, FLA, USA