Activity sessions last for approximately 45 minutes and can accommodate a maximum of 30 students per session. Prices are based on group sizes and are available by telephoning the Museum. Sessions are delivered within the historic buildings or around the Museum's open-air site and use historical replica objects and materials to recreate the past.

Wattle and Daub

KS 1 & 2 and above

Children investigate the techniques and materials used in making a wattle and daub walling used in timber-framed buildings by creating their own panel. They gain an understanding as to how and why this technique was used. This knowledge is related to the buildings on site at Avoncroft and helps them develop an enhanced understanding of the construction process.

Brick-making

KS 1 & 2 and above

Children produce their own brick by hand, using traditional techniques. Working with the raw materials they create the finished hand-made product. This helps them gain an understanding of how the raw materials are obtained and how children were once involved in the process, leading to an investigation of the concept of child labour.

Tudor Beggars and Barons

KS 1 & 2

Here children explore the past using a variety of sources of evidence. We use the Tudor Merchant's House (c.1558) and the family that lived there as our starting point to investigate the life of Tudor people, both rich and poor. Studying inventories, artefacts and the clothes of rich and poor Tudors we build a picture of Tudor life and uncover the attitudes held by the different classes in Tudor times. The children also use quills, inside the Merchant's House, to create a piece of work.

Victorian Washday

KS 1 & 2

Take a hands-on approach to a Victorian washday with children discovering how labour- intensive and time-consuming washing clothes really was in Victorian times! The children will experience the effort involved in washing and learn about and use the methods and machines of a Victorian wash day.

Homes Through The Ages

KS 1&2

Using three of the rescued domestic buildings at Avoncoft, the children consider how the levels of comfort and sanitation have changed over the centuries. By comparing the sixteenth-century Merchant’s House, the nineteenth-century Toll House and the post-Second-World War Prefab and the children’s own homes they can learn about developments in heating, lighting, furnishings and other domestic objects.

Playtime In The Past

Pre-school, Reception & KS 1

This session provides an understanding of how children played in the past. We compare and contrast toys from different ages and learn what toys tell us about the families that owned them and the children that played with them. We provide an additional dimension by considering the variety of materials that toys were made from.

Timber Framer

KS 2 and above

The children construct a scale model timber-frame building and apply the knowledge they gain of its structure to  investige the building techniques used in the Tudor Merchant's House. The children are also encouraged to contrast this timber-frame technique with other building techniques on site.

Three Little Pigs

Pre-school, Reception & KS 1

The children make a simple puppet and the story of The Three Little Pigs helps us to investigate the different materials and construction techniques of three of the buildings at Avoncroft. We explore how construction methods have changed and how the properties of various materials are best used.

Making a booking for visits and teaching sessions

1. Please call Avoncroft Museum on 01527 831363 / 831886 or request a booking form online in the ‘contact us’ section.

The office is open Mon – Fri From 9.00 am – 5.00 pm for any enquires and our bookings officer is available to take bookings 9.30am to 1.30pm daily.

2. Make a provisional booking by phone. Please talk to us about your requirements and any access needs or assistance your group may require. Provisional bookings are held for 48 hours.

3. You will then be sent a confirmation form along with your invitation for a free pre-visit for two adults.

4. We will confirm the booking as soon as we receive the completed booking form. We do not send written confirmation.

Please don’t forget to book your transport.

Costs are inclusive for the maximum group numbers. Special needs assistants who provide 1:1 pupil support are admitted free of charge We have a maximum limit of 30 children per session. Special needs groups who need adapted sessions should advise us of requirements in advance and we will do whatever is reasonable to accommodate your needs.

If you have any questions regarding pricing or your plans for the day please contact us and we will do our best to answer your queries and deliver sessions to meet your requirements.

The Museum Shop

Avoncroft Museum's shop provides an extensive range of history-themed books and gifts and pocket-money priced souvenirs to provide a great memento for children to take home and remind them of their visit in the future. We welcome all educational groups to use the shop, but ask that only 8-10 children visit at a time  This helps our shop staff to more ably assist children learning about money denominations and transactions, especially for younger age groups, who may not always know what they can afford.  Please ensure that a teacher or helper accompanies each group.

The shop also stocks replica items and educational resources which can add an extra dimension to a classroom session.

For those not able to visit the shop while at the Museum, we offer a gift bag service available for £1.50 or £2.50. Gift bags are pre-made and can be collected during your visit. They contain a number of Avoncroft souvenirs. Please complete the gift bag form which comes with your booking confirmation, and return it to us two weeks prior to your proposed visit with payment.

If you need any additional information please contact us via email or call and we will be more than happy to answer your questions. Email: bookings@avoncroft.org.uk

Tel: 01527 831363 / 831886