Children are given licence to touch, smell and climb inside the giant interactive sculptures in the Jan Niedojadlo exhibition at the Banbury Museum.

Assigned to the dustbin are the 'don't touch' and 'silence' which permeated museums when my sons were growing up. Lots of families have discovered the delights of Oxford's family-friendly museums.

A short trip up the A4260 or M40 to Banbury will lead to another one.

The temporary exhibitions officer, Dale Johnston, says Jan Niedojadlo has exhibited throughout Europe. One of the more unexpected venues was the 1998 Glastonbury Festival.

His sculptures are so large we can only house three but they are fun, multi-sensual exhibits for all ages, where textures and sounds combine with the exciting patterns and colours.

Niedojadlo describes his work as "art to be viewed on the back from the inside out and experienced with your whole body". The experience is free.

Throughout the summer, there are activities including an Art Alert Prize trail. Use it to explore the galleries, solve clues and win a lucky dip prize. Active Art backpacks are available for three- to five-year-olds at £1 per family.

Among other drop- in activities are Mad as a Hatter and Time Traveller's Code Breaker Trail. Every afternoon in the holidays, creative activities are available from the Art Cart.

For an extra challenge, the museum has teamed up with award-winning Animation Station to run two-day courses. Children can learn from the experts Wallace and Grommit-style stop-frame techniques. For information about all workshops for nine to 16-year-olds, visit the web site.

One access to the museum is through the Information Centre in Castle Quay shopping centre. There is plenty of easy parking. The museum and the pleasant cafe beneath have canalside views of Tooley's Boatyard.

There is a website at: s=7www.cherwell-dc.gov.uk/banburymuseumo to help plan your trip. The opening times are 9.30am-5pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10.30am-4.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Call 01295 259855 to book workshops.