100 acres of time travel trouble at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens
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When
27 June - 31 August 2026
In line with gardens opening hoursTicketing information
Kids go free to the gardens. 27 June - 31 August.
Special offer:
Child Castle tickets just £5.50 (normal price £11).
Additional ticket required for kitemaking
Included in all admission tickets (Members go free, no pre-booking required)
Buy Hillsborough Castle and Gardens tickets Buy Gardens-only ticketsThis summer holiday, Dennis, Minnie, Harsha, Rubi and Gnasher are in trouble... again! Their bonkers go-kart time machine has gone haywire and scattered its pieces over Hillsborough Castle's 100-acre gardens. Unless they find them, the Beano crew could be stuck in history forever! Gulp!
This summer, it's up to YOU to help. Armed with a special Hillsborough Castle Beano comic strip story, you'll track down six missing parts of the time machine and stumble across larger-than-life characters from Hillsborough's history – from daring pranksters to music makers and world-famous inventors. Solve the clues and find the time machine in time for a blamtastic photo finish!
With kids going free this summer and discounted entry to Hillsborough Castle, there's never been a better time to enjoy this Beano-inspired family adventure.
Get ready for jokes, japes and joyful chaos in Northern Ireland's famous gardens.
What kind of tree smells bad? Yew do!
Beano Colouring Sheet
Mischief, mayhem... and a mega day out
And that's not all - the fun keeps rolling! After you've helped Dennis and pals, why stop there? Upgrade your ticket and sneak (ok, not really sneak...) inside Hillsborough Castle. Explore the fancy rooms where kings, queens and VIPs once hung out.
Then dash back outside to tackle the Imaginary Menagerie play trail. Climb, scramble and run wild to burn off all that energy... and the delicious Beano-inspired treats and tasty lunches from the café. Don't miss visiting the shop to bring some Beano fun home.
Make a blamtastic kite
Take part in a soaring summer adventure and join us every weekend in August (including the Monday Bank Holiday) for our popular kitemaking workshop. Choose a traditional pre-made kite and decorate it with your own colourful design. Then head to the West Lawn to watch it fly before taking it home for more fun.
Drop in to the Stretch Tent on the West Lawn between 12:00 and 16:00 and show your kitemaking ticket to take part.
Suitable for children aged 3+ with parental supervision.
Dates: 01-02, 08-09, 15-16, 22-23 and 29-31 August.
Additional ticket required (£6.00)
Buy workshop ticketsBeano quiz
Step into more escapades with membership
Did you know that members get a whole year of adventures at Hillsborough Castle and other blamtastic palaces, with prices starting from just £60? London-bound Beano superfans can discover more mischief at the Tower of London this February half term (14-22 February), or at Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace this summer (25 July - Sunday 23 August).
Explore what's on
- Things to see
- Families
The Imaginary Menagerie
Enjoy a day out discovering our interactive play trail - the Imaginary Menagerie.
- Dates: In line with gardens opening hours
- Location: Hillsborough Castle
- Ticket type: Included in all admission tickets (Members go free)
- Things to see
The Benjamin Franklin Dining Room
Discover the State Dining room and a special display exploring Hillsborough's historic American connections.
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Dates:
Open
- Location: Hillsborough Castle
- Ticket type: Included in combined castle tour and gardens tickets (Members go free)
- Families
- Events
Kids Go Free
Treat the kids this summer holidays with a free visit to the 100 acre gardens.
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Dates:
27 June - 31 August 2026
- Times: In line with gardens opening hours
- Location: Hillsborough Castle
- Ticket type: Included in gardens admission (Members go free)
Browse more history and stories
The story of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens
‘The Grandest House in County Down’
Art at Hillsborough Castle
Hillsborough Castle has become a place in which to see amazing art
Historic hauntings at Hampton Court Palace
Centuries of ghosts and grim tales
Shop online
Official Hillsborough Castle & Gardens Guidebook
Descriptive, informative, authoritative - this superb guidebook is the best way to learn all there is about Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.
£4.99