History & Geography workshops index

Exploring Ancient Egypt (Key Stage 2)

• Become a history detective and investigate Ancient Egyptian artefacts.
• Touch real objects which are over 2,500 years old.
• Encounter many Ancient treasures from our amazing Egyptian gallery.
• Be transformed into characters from the past, including a scribe, priest and mummified pharaoh.

Local History Investigators (Key Stage 2)

• Explore the new Bolton Lives gallery which tells the exciting story of Bolton
• Find out more about your school or your local area through a hands-on workshop in the Bolton History Centre.
• Become an archivist and access historical records, photographs, census data and local maps.
• Classes must be split into smaller groups as the History Centre can only accommodate a maximum of 15 children at a time. Whilst one group works in the Bolton History Centre, the other children will get the opportunity to explore the museum.

Toys (Key Stage 1)

• Encounter fascinating toys from the past and compare them with modern toys.
• See how fascinating mechanical clockwork toys move.
• Investigate materials, which traditional and modern toys are made from.
• Explore, handle and play with a wide range of historic toys.

Samuel Crompton & the History of Spinning at Hall i’ th’ Wood (Key Stage 2)

• See where Samuel Crompton invented his famous Spinning Mule which revolutionised the cotton industry.
• Watch a talented spinner use a spinning wheel to transform wool into thread.
• Become children from the past with traditional costumes and have a go at carding and spinning some yarn from a sheep’s fleece.

Tudor Family Life at Hall i’ th’ Wood (Key Stage 2)

• Meet Master or Mistress Brownlow and re-live life in a Tudor merchant household.
• Be transformed into a variety of characters from the past.
• Participate in an exciting tour of the Great Hall, Bedroom, Kitchen and Dairy.
• Investigate Tudor household artefacts.

Extend your Tudor experience into the afternoon with these optional activities:

• Create a traditional pomander and write with quill pens.
• Participate in Tudor dancing.

Tudor Celebration at Smithills Hall (Key Stage 2)

• Be transformed into Tudors and re-enact a traditional Tudor feast.
• Participate in an exciting tour of the Great Hall, Bower, and Solar.
• Discover the difference between rich and poor people in a Tudor household. 
• Investigate Tudor entertainment and participate in traditional Tudor dancing
  

Extend your Tudor celebration into the afternoon with these optional activities:

• Make observational drawings of the stained glass window in the chapel
  
• Investigate the crests at Smithills Hall and design your own family crest
  

Global Explorer (Key Stage 2)

• Be a global explorer. Discover natural and manmade objects from around the world on an exciting journey through the museum.
• Handle and examine museum objects from the Ethnology and Natural History collections.
• Explore different continents in our World Galleries. Make notes and observational drawings of our specimens and artefacts.
• Investigate how different cultures have used nature as inspiration for the objects they have created.

Victorian Experience at Smithills Hall (Key Stage 2)

• Become a Victorian servant and experience life at Smithills Hall.
• Participate in an exciting tour of the Victorian rooms and sneak a peak into Colonel Ainsworth’s study and library.
• Investigate the different lifestyles of the Ainsworth family and their servants.
• Handle Victorian artefacts and take part in an exciting washday experience.

Extend your Victorian experience into the afternoon with these optional activities:

• Take part in an interactive washday experience.
• Perform drama inspired by Victorian characters from Smithills Hall
  
• Discover how some of our Christmas traditions have evolved