Family fun for whenever
Looking at lights
• Drive around and check out the holiday lights in the Southern New Hampshire Tour of Lights, which features participating houses in Amherst, Atkinson, Auburn, Bedford, Danville, Derry, Goffstown, Hampstead, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Londonderry, Merrimack, Nashua, Pelham and Salem, according to merrimackparksandrec.org/nh-tour-of-lights, one of the participating parks and rec departments where you can find the list of addresses.
• LaBelle Lights at LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111, Derry) is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. until Sunday, Jan. 19. See the story on page 32.
• Gift of Lights at NH Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) consists of more than 250 light displays spanning 2½ miles through a 150-foot tunnel through Sunday, Jan. 5. This year the drive-thru light show will feature a 150-foot RGB Tunnel of Lights, arches, toys, and numerous scenes including the popular 12 Days of Christmas. Tickets are $35 per car load, $60 per bus, limousine or RV, and $2 in addition per person when there are more than 15 guests. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the New Hampshire chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities. Gift of Lights will open at 4:30 p.m. nightly, depending on weather conditions. Visit nhms.com.
Day at the museum
Looking to get some kids out of your house during the holiday week-and-half? Here are some area museums that will be closed for Dec. 25 but offer hours on other days to accommodate families looking for something to do.
• Regular hours at the SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester, see-sciencecenter. org, 669-0400) are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with last admission 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m with last admission at 4 p.m. SEE will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Wednesday, Dec. 25, but will be open on Mondays, Dec. 23 and Dec. 30. Admission is $14 per person ages 3 and up.
• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) is normally open Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. For the break it will also be open Thursday, Dec. 26, and Monday, Dec. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and open early, at 10 a.m., on Sunday, Dec. 29. Admission costs $10 for adults, $5 for seniors age 65 and over, veterans, active duty and kids ages 6 through 12,and is free for kids age 5 and under, with a $30 maximum for families.
• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, starhop.com, 271-7827) will have special shopping hours through Friday, Dec. 20, and the Science Store gift shop will be open from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day (the exhibits and planetarium will be closed on those days). They will also be open to the public daily Saturday, Dec. 21, to Monday, Dec. 23, as well as Thursday, Dec. 26, to Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10 for children ages 3 to 12, $12 for students, and free for members and children under age 2.
• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, 742- 2002, childrens-museum.org) is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon, with an additional session from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. They will be closed Monday, Dec. 23, through Wednesday, Dec. 25.
• Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) is open Wednesday (closed Dec. 25) through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children 12 and under always have free gallery admission. The Currier will be hosting a Creative Studio: Special Edition! where children and adults can drop in to participate in a free art activity that complements the Looking Together Tour’s celebrated exhibition of the day on Friday, Dec. 27, with paper lanterns inspired by Dan Dailey and on Saturday, Dec. 28, with collage inspired by Basquiat from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Green Studio, on the lower level of the museum, according to their website.
• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester, manchesterhistoric.org, 622-7531) is generally open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 24; Wednesday, Dec. 25, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for children ages 12 to 18, and free for children under 12.