Museums Learning Newsletter
Autumn 2026

Welcome back! Get stuck in to the new term with a hands-on workshop, live online learning session or borrow a loan box to inspire your new class.

We've got a range of exciting activities to get involved with this term, including special workshops for home educators and a free online assembly for Black History month.

Read on to find out more.

The Learning Team

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Bristol Museum & Gallery recognised with the Sandford Award

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery has once again been awarded the Sandford Award for Heritage Education, the only industry-standard award for museum learning. The award assesses learning provision against criteria such as the quality and impact of learning programmes, their contribution to local and national heritage, the extent of consultation with schools and advisers, and the effectiveness of supporting resources.

We were particularly praised for our imaginative and highly engaging learning experiences, supported by a wide range of collections spanning history, art and nature. The award assessor, Christine Chadwick, said ‘Teachers can be assured of high-quality activities that are closely linked to the evolving curriculum, enriched by access to artefacts, and delivered by a team of skilled learning professionals’.

Learn more about the Sandford Award

A group of children look into a suitcase containing toys

Don't miss out! Book your loan box now for free delivery

Choose from over 20 different loan boxes to support your classroom teaching. Each box contains a variety of real and replica artefacts, an object guide and practical activity ideas to help you make the most of the resources.

Our collection includes boxes for EYFS right up to KS4, as well as boxes designed specifically for children with SEND. Some topics are also supported by accompanying webinars, such as our Tudor Bristol loan box.

Would you like your loan box delivered directly to your school? We’ll be delivering across Bristol in the week commencing 21 September 2026.

Book your loan box

A group of rocks and crystals in a museum display case

Workshops for Home Educators

Get hands-on with real or replica specimens and artefacts in these special workshops just for Home Educators. Group numbers are capped at 18 or below to ensure a relaxed and engaging learning environment.

Upcoming sessions:

17 September: Discover Arts Award – Poetry
📍Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, 10:15am - 2pm, £15
✅Suitable for ages 8-13

Explore Bristol Museum's art collection to get inspired, then experiment with words and sounds to create imaginative short poems. Share your work and complete your own record of the day to achieve a ‘Discover’ level Arts Award.

2 October: Geology Store Tours
📍Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, 12.30pm - 1.45pm and 2pm - 3.15pm, £10
✅Suitable for ages 12-17

Go behind the scenes to see real fossils, rocks and minerals kept in the museum's special geology stores. Learn about their links with local geology, ask our experts and have a go at sketching your favourites.

13 October: Drawing British Wildlife
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, 2pm - 3.30pm, £5
✅ Suitable for ages 8+

Using real taxidermy animals and birds for reference, have a go at observing and drawing a variety of British wildlife.

Discover Home Educator workshops

A mural painted on the side of a house of a black woman with flowers and birds

KS2 free online assembly: Brilliant Black Bristolians

How many Brilliant Black Bristolians do you know? Join our assembly and discover more about the amazing Carmen Beckford, Roy Hackett, Princess Campbell, Jimmy Peters, Hyacinth Hall and Alfred Fagon. Celebrate both their achievements and their legacies in the city and beyond.

Free online assembly for one school per session (30 minutes). We have four sessions available, please contact us to arrange a time in the morning or afternoon.

Learn more and book

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Calling all KS1 and KS2 teachers with a passion for art!

Join our latest online teachers' forum to help shape our Primary Art offer.

We're reviewing our Primary Art offer and we’d love to hear from teachers with an interest in art teaching. If you're keen to share your ideas, experience and expertise, we'd love to hear from you.

You’ll have the chance to find out more about the resources and learning opportunities we currently offer, and to help shape the direction of our future programme.

As a thank you for your time, the first ten teachers to sign up and take part will receive a pair of free tickets to one of our special temporary exhibitions.

The next forum is online on Wednesday 14 October, 4pm - 4.45pm

Book your slot on next Teacher Forum

An envelope placed on a map reads 'National Storytelling Week 2027 'every story has a place, and every place has a story!' (30 Jan - 7 Feb)

Free activities for National Storytelling Week

From 30 January - 13th February 2027, we'll be offering free activities for schools and families to celebrate National Storytelling Week. 2027's theme is Every Story Has a Place and Every Place Has a Story. In keeping with this, the stories and activities will celebrate the brilliant tales of Bristol.

If you are a teacher of Years 4 – 5 and interested in finding out more about these free activities, click the link below to email please email Learning Officer Lucy at lucy.fulton@bristol.gov.uk

Find out more

a childs hand touches ancient Greek artefacts

Join us!

Our Facebook page is for teachers, home educators and anyone interested in learning with museums.

We share news, events, workshops and useful resources, as well as opportunities from other organisations. If you visit us, tag us in your trips or share your learners’ work – we love seeing it and may reshare.

We’re growing our page and would love you to follow along!

Find Museums Learning on Facebook