Harewood House has shared fresh details of what to expect this Christmas, including an immersive walkthrough experience called Magic at the Mansion, plus a first-ever outdoor Elf Village set up on its North Lawn.
Designed exclusively for Harewood by Studio McGuire — the award-winning studio behind the venue’s 2020 Museums + Heritage Innovation of the Year win — Magic at the Mansion leads visitors room by room through the House, each one built around a different story or character drawn from Harewood’s own history.
Highlights include singing candles brought to life through projection in the Music Room, mythical figures transforming the State Dining Room, talking pillowcases in the State Bedroom referencing the House’s royal connections, an enchanted woodland filling the Library, and a festive gathering in the Servants’ Hall to close things out.
Yorkshire writer Christina Lewis wrote the script alongside Harewood’s Curator and Archivist Rebecca Burton, drawing on genuine items from the House’s own collections and archives.
A meeting with Father Christmas
Outdoors, Harewood has teamed up with Enchantica’s and YurtBar to turn the North Lawn into an Elf Village, taking families from the Elf Cocoa Café through stops including The Wishery, an Elf Village Post Office and the Tinker Tent, before a Santa School finale and a personal meeting with Father Christmas — every child with a ticket also gets a Christmas gift to take home.
The roughly two-hour Elf Village experience includes entry to the House, gardens and grounds, and on seven dates over the festive period, transforms after dark into an adults-only après-ski party marking YurtBar’s 10th anniversary, with dining and live entertainment.
Zoë Hughes, Head of Public Programme at Harewood, said: “This year we wanted to give visitors even more ways to discover the stories behind Harewood at Christmas. From the fascinating objects and archives in our collections, to the surprises waiting in each room of the House, there are so many details to uncover.
“Alongside Magic at the Mansion, our Elf Village brings a completely different kind of Christmas magic to Harewood, with families able to step into an immersive festive world and meet Father Christmas. Whether you’re coming for the history, the spectacle, the family experience or all three, there’s something new to discover around every corner.”
Magic at the Mansion runs from Friday 6 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Tickets start from £24.50 for adults and £10 for children, with free entry for Harewood members and under-4s.
