Quick answer
On a wet day in Scarborough, the Rotunda Museum is free for under 18s, and SEA LIFE Scarborough is an aquarium. Whitby Museum in Whitby and the Splash Zone pool in Bridlington are indoor options within about 17 miles of Scarborough. Christmas shows run on selected dates: Puss in Boots in Scarborough from 5 December, and Cinderella at Bridlington Spa from 12 December. Check the day first: the Rotunda is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Whitby Museum is closed on Mondays and says it closes in December, on a date not yet published on 13 November 2026.
For more ideas, see every place on the map.
Before you set off: closed days and booking
- Rotunda Museum: closed on Sundays and Mondays. Over Christmas it is also closed on 21 December, 25 to 28 December, 31 December, 1 January and 3 to 8 January.
- Whitby Museum: closed on Mondays. The museum says it closes in December, but on 13 November 2026 it had not published the date. Its Costume Gallery was due to close on Friday 20 November 2026 for an event.
- SEA LIFE Scarborough: pre-booking is essential. On 13 November 2026 its calendar showed it open daily to 23 December, then closed from 24 to 31 December. The ticket shop still had 27 December to 3 January on sale, so check before you book.
- Splash Zone, Bridlington: closed on Mondays and Wednesdays in term time, and the timetable listed no sessions on those days we checked. On 13 November 2026 the centre’s records showed it closed on 25, 26 and 28 December and 1 January.
- Christmas shows: the Stephen Joseph Theatre building is usually closed on Sundays, and no Puss in Boots show is listed on 25 December. Bridlington Spa lists no Cinderella shows from 14 to 17 December, on Christmas Day or on 30 December.
Indoor days out in Scarborough
- Rotunda Museum, Vernon Road. An indoor museum of geology, full of fossils and ancient sea creatures. Under 18s and registered carers go free, and adults buy a £5 Annual Pass. It opens Tuesday and Wednesday 10am to 4.30pm, and Thursday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. A lift serves every floor, but there are no toilets upstairs. Reception can be busy and noisy, and the spiral stairs are a bit dark. On 13 November 2026 the museum’s page said the West Wing was closed because of water leaks, with no reopening date given.
- SEA LIFE Scarborough, Scalby Mills Road, on the North Bay. An aquarium with seals, otters, sharks and a rainforest zone. SEA LIFE calls it an indoor and outdoor attraction, and Penguin Island and Otter River are outside. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed 11am to 3pm, last entry 1.50pm, every day to 23 December. One ticket description gave later hours, so check your booking. Advance tickets started at £16 for adults and £14 for children aged 2 to 14. Under 2s go free but must be booked. Children aged 15 and under must be with an adult aged 18 or over. It is cashless. On 13 November 2026 the Penguin Island walk-through and viewing area were closed under avian influenza restrictions. The penguins could still be seen through the underwater viewing window.
- Stephen Joseph Theatre, Westborough, directly opposite the railway station. Its Christmas show, Puss in Boots, plays in The Round on selected dates from 5 to 31 December 2026. Prices start at £10, and it runs about 2 hours including the interval. Age guidance is 6+, and younger children are welcome. Kids under 18 months go free but still need a ticket. A relaxed performance is at 11am on Thursday 17 December, with one block of the auditorium open to public bookings. For under 6s, Hairy Bob’s Christmas Jumper runs from 16 to 23 December 2026. It lasts 50 minutes, costs £7, and every performance is a Chilled Performance. The theatre cannot store bags or luggage. A lift serves both auditoriums, but reaching many seats involves stairs. Mobile phones are not permitted during performances, and audience members may not go onto or cross the stage in The Round.
Whitby: Whitby Museum
Whitby Museum, Pannett Park, Whitby. An indoor museum of fossils, model ships, old toys and Whitby jet. Under 18s in full-time education go free, and adults pay £9 for a ticket valid for 12 months. It opens Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4.30pm, with last admission at 4pm. It is closed on Mondays. The museum says it closes in December, but on 13 November 2026 it had not published the closing date or a reopening date. One exhibition listing ends on 6 December, so check before you travel. Much of the museum is dimly lit. The collection includes the Hand of Glory, a mummified human hand, which may upset young children. The front entrance has 14 steps, so use the level rear entrance with a pushchair.
Bridlington: a pool and a pantomime
- Splash Zone at East Riding Leisure Bridlington, Promenade, Bridlington. Two water slides, a Supersplash bucket and a waterplay area. On 13 November 2026 online tickets cost £5.80 per adult and £3.90 per child aged 3 to 15. Non-members pay a booking fee. Under 3s swim free and need no ticket. Children under 8 must have an adult in the water, at most 2 under 8s per adult. An adult means a responsible person aged 16 or over. Under 3s and children not fully toilet trained need a purpose-designed swim nappy. We sampled the timetable on 13 November 2026. It showed Splash Zone sessions on Tuesdays from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and Thursdays and Fridays from 12.30pm to 6pm. Saturday sessions started from 12pm and Sunday sessions from 11am, with a last session from 4pm to 5pm. The booking system listed sessions up to Friday 18 December, and none later. The timetable often changes at short notice. Non-members are advised to book online at weekends and in school holidays, and online tickets cannot be refunded.
- Bridlington Spa, South Marine Drive, Bridlington. Its pantomime, Cinderella, plays on selected dates from Saturday 12 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. On 13 November the booking system showed child tickets from £19 to £28.50 and adult tickets from £25 to £31.50, by seat band. Some events carry booking fees. Every child needs a ticket with a seat, except children under 2. Children under 14 must be with a responsible adult aged 18 or over. The terms say some performances use strobe lighting, smoke effects and loud noises. There are no pass-outs or re-admissions. Tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded after purchase, unless the event is cancelled. The official pages give no age guidance or running time. A relaxed performance is at 5pm on Monday 28 December.
Frequently asked questions
What can kids do in Scarborough when it rains?
In town, try the Rotunda Museum or SEA LIFE Scarborough. Further along the coast, there is Whitby Museum and the Splash Zone in Bridlington.
Which rainy day places are free for children?
Under 18s go free at the Rotunda Museum, where adults buy a £5 Annual Pass. At Whitby Museum, under 18s in full-time education go free, and adults pay £9.
Do I need to book?
Pre-booking is essential at SEA LIFE Scarborough, including for under 2s. At the Splash Zone, non-members are advised to book online at weekends and in school holidays.
What is open on a rainy Monday?
The Rotunda and Whitby Museum are closed on Mondays. The Splash Zone is closed on Mondays in term time. On 13 November 2026, SEA LIFE’s calendar showed it open daily to 23 December.
Is there a Christmas show for under 6s?
Yes. Hairy Bob’s Christmas Jumper at the Stephen Joseph Theatre is for under 6s, from 16 to 23 December 2026. Puss in Boots has age guidance of 6+, with younger children welcome.
Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Scarborough venue pages, which were checked on 13 November 2026. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Photo: Bob Harvey, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).