Artists and Makers Facilitated Visit, designed for children in Key Stage 2 groups.
Teachers are invited to book a special, free Facilitated Visit focusing on Artists and Makers at Museum in the Park.
This visit includes an exciting opportunity for children to meet local working blacksmith, Ben Prothero or local modern artist blacksmith Dane Stevens, to find out about how artists and craft makers work. Children will also visit the temporary exhibition Earth Fire Iron to see examples of artwork made by artist-blacksmiths and increase their awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
Children will also create a sketchbook whilst exploring the museum displays through some fun observational drawing games led by our staff. They will also think about the materials and processes used to create sculpture and try mark making with charcoal to further improve their sketching techniques using charcoal. Using our Art Discovery Trail, children will also be challenged to identify a selection of artwork within the museum displays.
Linked to the Earth Fire Iron - Alan Evans and the New Iron Age — Museum in the Park exhibition, these Facilitated Visits are available free of charge to schools as they have been funded by Arts Council England, Jinny Quinnell Memorial Trust, William A Cadbury Charitable Trust, Ann Albright, The Summerfield Trust and other private funders.
Available on the following dates only:
Wednesday 8th October 2025
Friday 10th October 2025
Wednesday 15th October 2025
Thursday 23rd October 2025
Important information:
Maximum group size of 30 per day.
Transport to and from the museum is the responsibility of visiting schools.
This free session is available for schools in Stroud District only. If you are enquiring about visiting with a school group from outside of the district, please check out our Exploring Artwork Facilitated Visit — Museum in the Park
Please pre-book using Contact our Learning Officer — Museum in the Park
Learning Objectives:
to develop visual literacy skills and discover what sculpture can tell us when we look closely
to learn about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers.
to respond creatively to a wide range of art on display
to use sketchbooks to record observations and to share their ideas, experiences and imagination.
to learn and use specialist art vocabulary
to ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
Activities during the day:
In the morning, groups will rotate around the following 3 activities, spending approximately 30 minutes on each.
Drawing from the collection. Children will use playful mark making, drawing challenges and observational drawing, inspired by the objects, stories and artworks in the museum collection to record their observations in a sketchbook. Led by our staff.
Sculpture in Focus. Using an example of sculpture in the museum collection, we’ll find out about the materials and processes used to create sculpture, discuss the form and design of different sculptures and encourage children to explore their own thoughts, ideas and responses to the artwork. Children will be also encouraged to use develop their sketching and mark making techniques using charcoal. Led by our staff.
Art Discovery Trail. Your staff and adult helpers lead children on a ‘looking’ exercise. We’ll provide a map of the museum to help children spot examples of different art, craft and design in the museum. This is an opportunity for children to explore the museum and to discuss the art made by different artists represented in the museum collection.
In the afternoon, groups will swap between these 2 activities, spending about half an hour on each.
Meet the artist An opportunity for children to meet local working blacksmith, Ben Prothero or local modern artist blacksmith Dane Stevens, to find out about how artists and craft makers work. Children will be able to ask questions and learn about how Ben or Dane make their work.
Visit the exhibition Earth Fire Iron - Alan Evans and the New Iron Age — Museum in the Park Children will have time to visit our temporary exhibition commemorating the career of Stroud artist-blacksmith Alan Evans to see a range of Alan’s work and some work by the young blacksmiths working today to increase their awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
At the end of the day, the whole group gathers, spending about 20 mins in total reviewing the day, what we have seen, done, talked about.
Curriculum links: History, Local History, Art and Design
To find out more, including about charges and how to enquire about booking, please read the further information about Facilitated Visits.
If a Facilitated Visit isn’t quite right for your group, please read the information about our Prehistory Remote Learning Package.
