As night falls the Natural History Museum gets darker and emptier, kids aged seven to 11 are invited to creep down echoing halls to discover what happens to the museum at night.

Forget Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum: those dodos, lions, and historic figures probably won't spring to life, but what's in store promises to be almost as exciting. Expect an action-packed evening that includes a torch-lit trail, a creative dinosaur T-shirt-making workshop, and a dig with an educational science show presented by a museum scientist.

At midnight, kids return to their camp set up in one of the spectacular galleries before awaking, refreshed and surrounded by dinosaurs, for a live animal show and a breakfast served bright and early. Those attending the Christmas sleepover on the 23 December will also be joined by a very special visitor (no prices for guessing who).

Envious adults don't despair: not only are you invited to join your kiddies for the night of fun, you can also return to the museum at a later date for one of the Dino Snores for Grown-ups events to relive the magic.

These sleepovers are so popular that many of the earlier dates (before Dippy's departure from the hall in the new year) have already booked out. So sign up quick.