Our learning programme emphasises art, heritage, and place, encouraging students across Key Stages 1-4 to engage in creative making and critical thinking.
We work collaboratively with educators, artists, facilitators and communities to build connections between our exhibitions, the world around us, and the curriculum.
We are always interested to hear about opportunities to collaborate on new work. If you would like to discuss trips, workshops or collaborations, please contact our Learning Officer.
School visits to the museum
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We offer guided tours of our Museum on Wednesdays during term-time. Visits can be booked either in the morning (10am-11.30am) mid-morning (11.30am-1pm) or afternoon (1pm – 2.30pm). During this visit, students will have the opportunity to explore the artwork, learn about the artists, and gain contextual knowledge about the show, its central themes, and how it has been curated.
Students will also work on fun, adaptable creative activities such as artists' responses, poetry, poster design, and more. They will also build on their critical and articulation skills through discussion prompts such as: What works well? What can we learn about society and history from these artworks? What would you change as a curator of this exhibition? What kinds of activities would you plan to engage visitors in the exhibition?
These activities have been designed to be adapted to any age group from KS1 – 5.
Book your guided tour by completing this form: Guided School Visit - Booking Form – Fill out form
Guided tours are £65 per hour, and an additional £20 for bespoke sessions.
Please note that your booking is not confirmed until you have received written confirmation from a member of the Museum team. Each visit is for a class of up to 30 students.
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Explore the Museum for free, during a self-guided visit on Thursdays and Fridays during term-time. This visit can be either in the morning (10am – 11.30am), mid-morning (11.30am-1pm) or afternoon (1pm – 2.30pm). During a self-guided visit, students can explore the museum, make work in their sketchbooks, and engage in class discussions led by teachers. There are always volunteers available to support enquiries.
Free resources for self-guided visits will be made available to download from our website in September 2026. This will include guidance, worksheets, prompts, and activities for teachers and students.
Book your free self-guided school visit by completing this form: Self-Guided School Visit - Booking Form – Fill out form
Please note that your booking is not confirmed until you have received written confirmation from a member of the Museum team. Each visit is for a class of up to 30 students.
School visits to the research room
We welcome school visits to our Research Room, where students and groups can view our local history and more. Visits take place on Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays at either 10-1pm, or 1.30pm - 4.30pm.
Sessions in our research room start at £65 per hour, and an additional £20 for bespoke sessions. Please allow for at least two weeks for booking confirmation.
To find out more about our Research Room, please follow this link.
