Bristol Museums Learning logo. Red background and images of artefacts: ammonite, greek pot, sea dragon skeleton, ration book

Museums Learning Newsletter: Autumn 2024   
Welcome to your latest edition of the Museums Learning newsletter.

We hope you all had a fabulous summer break. We have been busy getting our programme of workshops and loan boxes updated in time for the new term. Our summer involves thoroughly checking our materials and resources and rewrapping our artefacts ready for handling. The holiday period is also a chance for us to review all your feedback and comments over the year and make the necessary changes to our learning offer.

We look forward to welcoming you all back to our museums soon!

The Learning Team
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large model dinosaur model head beside small plastic ancient marine reptiles

Coming soon
Find out more
Dino Takeover Week
During our popular annual Dinosaur Takeover Week in November, children will be immersed in the world of dinosaurs as they investigate fantastic fossils, the work of a palaeontologist, dinosaur food chains and reptile remains. Run in partnership with the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol.

Black History Month
Look out for learning resources and webinars coming up to celebrate Bristol Black History during October. We also have half-term family activities including stories and craft based on African textiles (see more below in Exhibitions and Events). And don't forget we have a schools textbook for Year 8+ on Bristol & Transatlantic Slavery, that you can purchase for your school.

Home Educator workshops
We have the following additional workshops for Home Educating families coming up. 

Ancient Egypt 17 October 2.30 - 4.00pm
Rocks and Fossils 25 October 10.30 -11.45am
Keep an eye on our Home Educating Families webpage for booking links soon!
dark wooden bureau desk with papers and candles, inkwells and feather quill

Museums Learning - what social platform should we use?
We want to improve our social media presence for Bristol Museums Learning. We have a dedicated Bristol Learning X (formerly Twitter) account, and we also share news about events and workshops on the Bristol Museums & Art Gallery and M Shed social media platforms. We're interested in learning which social media platform you frequently use and would find most beneficial for updates on Bristol Museums Learning. 

Please take a moment to fill out this short (3 questions), anonymous survey so we can connect with you in the best way possible!
Social Media Quick Survey
Logo of Learning outside the Classroom: Quality Badge

Learning Outside the Classroom Award
We were thrilled to have been awarded a Quality Badge for 2024-26 from the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom. Receiving the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge is an important part of showing our commitment to creating safe, engaging, and enriching learning environments. We want our visiting teachers to be confident that museums are not just places of learning, but also of fun and discovery.
various handling objects laid out on desk, including a toy bus, a straw hat, a hat and plastic fossils

Sensory loan boxes for children with SEND

The opportunity to learn through real museum objects and uncover their stories should be accessible to all children. Although we have welcomed many children from the Bristol area in our museums, galleries, historic homes, and archives, we know that not all children can visit. 

We would like to offer children that cannot join us for a museum visit another way to learn using our museum collections.  

Developed with Claremont School and Venturers Academy, our Sensory Loan Boxes are now available to hire. Choose from:

  • Chocolate & Bristol
  • Romans & Bristol
  • Dinosaurs & fossils
  • Transport
  • At the Seaside
Find out more
interior of a colourful museum with plane and hot air balloon models hanging from ceiling

Planning your school or group visit to our museums
Before your school or independent visit, you can find useful information about each of our museum sites.  All groups of 10 or more need to book a visit to our museums in advance through the Learning team, so contact us for further information about making your booking. 

You will find information such as:
  • How to get here
  • Adult to children ratios
  • Where you can eat lunch
  • What to bring
  • Accessibility
  • Photography policy
  • Risk Assessments
Useful information to help plan your visit

Exhibitions and events



Docks Heritage Weekend at M Shed/Bristol Harbourside 28-29 September

Docks Heritage Weekend is a celebration of Bristol’s rich maritime past with activities for all ages at M Shed, Underfall Yard, the SS Great Britain, and Brunel’s Other Bridge.

Black History Month family events:
  • 29 October at M Shed.  Join our storyteller for traditional tales from Africa
  • 29 October at M Shed. Penny Marie's Freedom Soul dance workshop
  • 30 October at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. Investigate colourful African textiles and design your own patterns to print.

Visit: Bristol Museums 'What's On'
man lifting wooden boxes on a crane pallet on the harbourside.
orange, green and black geometric pattern
volcano with thick grey smoke plume

Spotlight on.........
Volcanic Hazards Lecture, Q&A and Meet the Experts- for KS3/4 students
Friday 27 September 16:00-17:30 at Bristol University Wills Memorial Building. 
Join us for an engaging lecture and interactive Q&A session with experts from the University of Bristol School of Earth Sciences. This event is a fantastic opportunity to find out more about volcanic hazards, and some of the activities going on in Bristol to help understand them. Book your vfree ticket here
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Contact the Bristol Museums Learning Team
With thanks to our Learning Sponsor 2024-26, Clifton College.
Bristol Museums
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Queens Road
Bristol
BS8 1RL
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