School visits to the Willis Museum

Local Area Studies – Top of Town (KS2)

This fun session looks at the major changes which have taken place in Basingstoke, using artefacts, maps, photos and census material.

• Local Area Studies Session Plan

Timeline – Stone Age to Modern Day (KS1 & KS2)

Assemble a timeline using museum artefacts and modern day objects, pupils will learn about the history of the objects and get to put them in their own timeline.

• Timeline session plan

Basingstoke’s Victorian Past (KS2)

Looking at objects and photos pupils will learn about Basingstoke’s rich Victorian past and handle the objects that Basingstoke parents would have used. Pupils will be able to view the Story of Basingstoke exhibition and view the Victorian Parlour and Kitchen

• Victorian session plan

Basingstoke through War and Peace (KS2)

Object handling from World War Two. This session enables pupils to investigate how Basingstoke was affected by WWII. Using real and replica objects, pupils will learn about every day objects which the people of Basingstoke used during the 1930s and 1940s

• Basingstoke through War and Peace session plan

Victorian Printing session (KS2)

This hands on session will enable pupils to gain an understanding of Victorian design in the context of design found within the Willis Museum, and looking at the huge influence of William Morris. They will be creating a book of printing design based on Victorian patterns found within the Willis Museum. All materials will be supplied by the Museum.

• Victorian printing session plan

We are currently offering free schools assemblies, as well as a special Outreach Service to schools in Basingstoke which will consist of two sessions:

Victorian Printing Passion (KS2)

We are also offering this session as an Outreach session. For details see above.

Local Area Studies – Top of Town Guided Tour (KS2)

We appreciate that many school staff are not from the Basingstoke area. With this in mind we have put together a very thorough guided walk through the oldest ‘Top of Town’ area of Basingstoke town centre. This fascinating fun walk takes about 90 minutes and is filled with all sorts of historical and quirky information which our guide will help your children to find for themselves. Pupils will also be able to visit the Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery.