Learn
The West Highland Museum aims to provide an inspirational and inclusive learning programme for school visits, special events and museum-based holiday activities.
School pupils dressed as Jacobites
Schools

Education at the Museum

We welcome school groups to our in-house learning sessions. Our varied collections form the basis of our programme of learning activities. We have taken a cross-curricular approach in the development of our school workshops, lively, hands-on as well as thought-provoking. We can also tailor a workshop to your particular needs.

Our bookable learning sessions include:

  • Early people of Lochaber
  • Jacobites
  • Victorian Life
  • Age of Empire
  • World War II
  • Health and Wellbeing Through the Ages
Outreach
A member of our learning team can visit your school to provide a fun and inspiring learning session based on one of our topics, tailored to your requirements. The session can include costume, and both reproduction and authentic objects.
Digital

Learn through play with the Museum of the Highlands online resource. https://museumofthehighlands.org/play-learn

This website was created by Museums and Heritage Highlands in partnership with other Highland museums.

The Our Lochaber project website is here.

Inclusion
All of our learning activities and resources have been developed with an inclusive, actively anti any kind of discrimination approach.
Environment
We are conscious of the climate emergency and will make environmentally friendly choices in the delivery of our learning activities.

Handling Boxes

We have a number of topic-based handling boxes available for loan to schools. These contain approximately ten objects, of which some are genuine artefacts and others are reproduction. Each box comes with a set of notes with information about the objects and suggested learning activities which can be done with your pupils.

Boxes currently available for lending to schools range from:

  • Early people of Lachaber
  • Jacobites
  • Victorian Life
  • Age of Empire
  • Wartime Lochaber
  • The Clearances
St Brides Primary - Coronations & Celebrations Project 2023
The rim of an Iron Age bowl.
Early people of Lochaber
The secret portrait of Bonny Prince Charlie
Jacobites
The brightly coloured belt that belonged to AA Cameron, Gold with blue and red enamel
Victorian Life
The Beetle wing dress
Age of Empire
Green Tartan
Wartime Lochaber
The Clearances
Facilities
Wheelchair access, stair lift, accessible toilet. The room where learning sessions take place will be closed to the public during your class visit. Lunch/snacks may be eaten. Coats and bags may be left in this room, if your group is visiting other rooms and galleries of the museum.
Supervision
Please note that teachers and other school staff are responsible for the behaviour, safe conduct and wellbeing of their pupils during museum visits.
Risk assessment
Our room for learning activities has a safe capacity of fifteen pupils for more active hands-on activities, such as dressing up or Victorian laundry. Larger groups can be divided, and given different activities relevant to the topic within the museum. Individual schools are responsible for their own risk assessments.
Booking

Our schools' sessions are free for Lochaber schools. To enquire or book please contact

Our Lochaber

Heritage fund logo
our lochaber logo

Our Lochaber is an exciting project for the 2023/4 academic year covering all aspects of life in Lochaber from the very earliest times, through the ages to the present day and beyond, with a strong theme of community and belonging.  The website for this project is here.

The project has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help young learners engage with culture and heritage and we would like to thank lottery players for making this project possible.  Throughout the year we will be working in partnership with local schools to deliver a diverse range of learning sessions.  Our partner schools are Bun-Sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar and Lundavra Primary School, although other primary schools are encouraged to be involved with the project through our learning sessions.