Booking a Facilitated Visit:

To book a Facilitated Visit, please contact our Learning Officer. You will find information about our schools programme, visit options, charges and information to help you plan your visit below.

Our schools programme:

Our schools programme has been shaped by curriculum objectives and is designed to link directly to classroom teaching. With a dedicated space for booked activities and over 4,000 objects on display, our learning programme aims to spark curiosity and inspire active learning using the museum collections.

Facilitated Visits led by our skilled learning professionals encourage children with all learning abilities and styles to get hands on and engage with the local history of the Stroud District.

Many of the activities sessions during a Facilitated Visit are led by museum learning staff, including object handling and investigation sessions. Learners are encouraged to develop speaking and listening skills through question and answer, to explore a range of objects, artworks and evidence and to consolidate and develop valuable knowledge.

Classroom-based learning experiences are also available through our Remote Learning Package, and Digital Teacher Packs. Group Leaders/Teachers are also welcome to book a Teacher Led Visit.

FREE facilitated visits for Autumn Term 2025

Special, free Facilitated Visits to Museum in the Park linked to the Earth Fire Iron - Alan Evans and the New Iron Age — Museum in the Park exhibition are coming soon! These Facilitated Visits are offered to schools within the Stroud District free of charge and 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.

Teachers of Key Stage 2 groups will be invited to book either a Prehistoric Makers Facilitated Visit or an Artists and Makers Facilitated Visit. A limited number of sessions will be available on selected dates. Contact our Learning Officer — Museum in the Park to let us know that you are interested in booking. Click on the links in this section for more details.

What teachers say:

‘The variety of activities kept the children's interest. They particularly enjoyed the object handling session and the museum staff had a lovely, engaging manner with the children.’ KS1 Teacher, summer 2023

Facilitated Visit options:

We are able to welcome 1 class of about 30 children per day. Booked Facilitated Visits are available Tuesday - Friday.

Before your visit, our Learning Officer will work with your lead Teacher to create a plan of activity sessions to help your group get the most out of their visit.

Current Facilitated Visits include:

Themed Facilitated Visits for Key Stage 1 groups include: (please click on the topic names for more information)

Themed Facilitated Visits for Key Stage 2 groups include: (please click on the topic names for more information)

On the day:

Facilitated Visits for school groups are available between Tuesday and Friday during term time and many schools book a visit between 10am until around 2.30pm. Using the dedicated space for booked activities, the museum and walled garden, learners work in small, accompanied groups to take part in a selection of different activity sessions throughout the day. Each activity session with a Facilitated Visit typically 30 to 50 minutes long, depending on the activity and the age of the children in your group. A space is provided for groups to lunch in.

Charges:

The charge for a Facilitated Visit is usually £4.50 per learner. Additional charges may apply if external educators such as actors or specialist demonstrators are included in onsite sessions. Such additional charges will always be discussed in advance. 

A minimum charge of £50 applies instead of a per learner charge, if a group is significantly smaller than a standard class.

There is no charge for adults accompanying your group during the visit.

Booking a Facilitated Visit:

To book a Facilitated Visit, for more information or to discuss other topics or themes, enquiry question or curriculum needs, please contact our Learning Officer.

Planning your Facilitated Visit:

Once a date and theme is agreed, our Learning Officer will confirm your Facilitated Visit. Please read planning your visit for more information relevant to a Facilitated Visit.

If a Facilitated Visit to the museum isn’t quite right for your group:

You may like to book a Remote Learning Package to enhance classroom-based learning using resources provided by the museum, which can be used independently or in combination with a Facilitated Visit.

Group leaders are welcome to book a Teacher Led Visit where your staff accompany your learners and lead the visit.

You may like to book a Digital Teacher Pack to use in your setting.