School Visits

On Wednesdays, the Polar Museum although closed to the general public, will be open for pre-booked school group visits (one morning/one afternoon). Priority will be given to school groups who are visiting as part of a polar project. This arrangement will last until the end of 2021. You will lead your group around the museum accompanied by a member of our education team. We are happy to lend you clipboards and pencils. There is a suggested donation of £1 per child for a class group visit to the Polar Museum.

Home school challenges

• Expedition Diary
• Make a Narwhal 
• Expedition Reporter
• Polar Packing 
• Expedition Music

The following taught session is offered for KS5 students:

Anthropology, Archaeology and Identity (90 minutes)

This discussion based session examines the relationship between museums and people, as well as current issues with collection, curation and repatriation. Students will learn how the collections come to the Museum and how we navigate the ethics of display and access.

A museum teacher leads the first 45 minutes of the session. Students then independently investigate the galleries and conduct their own object research.

Museum of Me (60 minutes)

What is the role of museums in society? How should museums use objects to represent other cultures? How can objects help construct and display identity? These are some of the questions that frame this cross-cultural gallery-taught session, which combines critical thinking, self-reflection, discussion, looking and object handling activities.

Ancient Maya (90 minutes)

How did the ancient Maya express their identity? What objects did they use to show their power? What can archaeology tell us about Maya life? These are some of the questions we will discuss while students learn how to read a Maya monument and handle objects from Central and South America.

Extreme Environments (90 minutes)

How have people adapted to extreme environments such as deserts, jungles or polar regions? How do these environments impact their way of life and culture? These are some of the questions students will think about as they look at and handle objects from around the world.

Rituals and Beliefs focuses on the scene from a plaster cast taken of a stone lintel from the doorway of a temple in the city of Yaxchilan, now in modern day Mexico, and dating from 709AD.

The images depict a blood-letting ritual being performed by Lady K'ab'al Xook and her husnabd King Shield Jaguar. Lady K'ab'al Xook can be seen pulling a rope of thorns through her tongue in order to collect blood in a bowl filled with bark paper. Both figures are wearing jade and obsidian jewellery and dressed in resplendent costumes made fo fur and elaborate fabrics. 

It might not look very exciting but flint gravel has a story to tell of a warm chalky sea that covered a lot of England about 90 million years ago. That’s when dinosaur were around although they were not living in this particular sea. Sometimes it filled the holes made by borrowing animals and sometimes, if we’re lucky it enclosed the remains of sea creatures meaning it is great place to look for fossils.

What does Frank need on his polar adventure? What will he eat? How will he stay warm? How will he stay cheerful?

Download our activity sheet to give him a helping hand.