Seven Stories facts for kids
The exterior of Seven Stories
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| Established | 2005 |
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| Location | Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Type | Children's literature and illustration from 1930s to the present day |
| Public transit access | Manors, Byker (Tyne and Wear Metro) |
Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books is a special museum and visitor center. It's all about children's literature! You can find it in the Ouseburn Valley in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
The museum is inside a beautifully renovated old building. This building used to be a granary, which is a place where grain was stored. It has seven levels, which is how the museum got its name! Seven Stories is the only museum in the UK completely dedicated to British children's books. They also have a huge collection of old books and drawings kept in a separate building nearby.
A Look Back: History of Seven Stories
Seven Stories first opened its doors in August 2005. It cost about £6.5 million to turn the old granary into this amazing center.
In March 2006, the center won a special award. It was called the Centre Vision Award. This award recognized how well the museum helped improve the area around it.
Seven Stories celebrated its fifth birthday in August 2010. A very popular children's author, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, joined the celebration.
In September 2010, Seven Stories bought some original writings by Enid Blyton. She wrote many famous children's books. This made Seven Stories the biggest public collector of her work.
In 2010, Seven Stories received another important award. It was the Eleanor Farjeon Award. This award is given to people or places that do great things for British children's books.
By 2012, Seven Stories became The National Centre for Children's Books. It also became a registered charity. This means it's a non-profit organization that helps the public.
The center closed for a short time in April 2015. It was being updated to make it even better for visitors. They wanted to improve how school groups could use the space. The museum reopened on Sunday, July 19, 2015.
In October 2015, the famous author Michael Morpurgo gave a collection of his writings to the museum. This included his original stories, notebooks, and letters.
What You Can See: Exhibits and Activities
Seven Stories always has new and exciting exhibitions. These shows are fun for both kids and adults. They bring together original writings and drawings from many popular UK children's books. This helps visitors explore creativity, reading, and art.
Some very famous people support Seven Stories. These include authors like Jacqueline Wilson and Philip Pullman. The well-known illustrator Quentin Blake also supports the center.
Seven Stories creates its own exhibitions. Many of these shows then travel to other places around the country. They have featured works by artists like Judith Kerr and Anthony Browne.
The center also offers many workshops and activities for schools. They work with students from pre-school all the way to university. They even help university students study children's books.
Many children's authors and illustrators visit Seven Stories. They lead workshops and give talks. Some of these visitors have included David Almond, Julia Donaldson, and Oliver Jeffers.
When you visit, you can enjoy lots of fun activities. These include dressing up and acting out stories. You can also try creative writing and word games. There are also art and craft activities.
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