Early Explorer Mornings for schools are back!

Our Early Explorer Mornings for schools have returned to the Museum this April 2022, and students got up close and hands-on with the Museum’s historical collection!

This incredible session allows for children with SEND to explore the Museum free from the general public, with quieter galleries and activities that are modified to suit individuals with specific sensory needs. With many different stations to choose from, students can roam the floors at their own pace and use the Museum as their own educational playground.

Children were able to meet and greet two costumed actors from Spectrum Drama, donning spectacular outfits from different periods. The groups loved this element of the day, being able to interact with the actors using speech and touch and learning all about the Museum’s objects in a more interactive and immersive way. Through this activity, the students learnt all about transport during the 1800s, seeing exhibits such as London’s first Omnibus, a horse-drawn carriage, and a sedan chair.

On the ground floor, there was an object handling station, with various historical artefacts such as a Gibson ticket machine, bell punch and a selection of old-fashioned tickets. Pupils were given the opportunity to use all the objects as if they were boarding an old bus and even got to keep their own tickets as a souvenir of the day. Giving children the chance to experience the Museum without a fixed schedule was a great way of promoting exploration and getting them even more inspired and engaged.

For the final activity of the day, students were invited to take part in an interactive session that uses the senses to explore the history of transport. With elements of sight, sound, touch and even smell, the activity simulated the process of riding a horse carriage from start to finish. A facilitator encouraged the class to mimic the feeling of riding along a bumpy road on a carriage and pupils even got to listen to the sound of a horse.

The class were also able to touch old coins and pay for their bus fare with them, with our facilitator mimicking the actions of a bus conductor. The session ended with a song that encompassed all the elements in one, where children could choose to sing or sign the words. The students loved the interactive elements of the activity and the sensory aspect of the exercise allowed it to be hands-on as well as educational.

You can find out about other SEND events for schools and families at the Museum on our website.