Each exhibition investigates a historical topic in-depth. Most are divided into a number of galleries, each exploring a particular theme using primary materials and providing activities. There is a wide selection of original sources. Most sources have transcripts and sometimes simplified versions of the transcripts to assist with reading. Exhibitions can be used in classroom lessons or for independent research.
There are 12 galleries in this exhibition. Three look at the period before 1450:
Were the Middle Ages lawless and violent?
Who was responsible for crime prevention in medieval England?
What were the purposes of punishments given by the courts in the Middle Ages?
Three galleries look at 1450-1750:
Did governments in this period decide what kinds of people were to be regarded as criminals?
Did methods of crime prevention change?
What was the purpose of punishments in the period?
Three galleries look at 1750-1900:
Did the Industrial Revolution lead to more crime?
What new crime prevention methods were set up to deal with changes in crime in this period and what were the problems?
What was the purpose of the punishments used in the period?
The final three galleries relate to the 20th century:
What was the most important factor affecting crime in the 20th century?
Did police work change dramatically in the 20th century?
What was the purpose of 20th century punishments?
Within each gallery there are case studies using original documents with transcripts. The most visual material is to be found in the Punishment Section 1750-1900, case study 3, on Victorian Prisons, which younger pupils might find more accessible.
Activities: each gallery has a worksheet, some source questions, and in some cases a game: Tug of War; Catch the Robber; The Watchman; Guilty or Innocent.
There are 12 galleries in this exhibition. Three look at the period before 1450:
Were the Middle Ages lawless and violent?
Who was responsible for crime prevention in medieval England?
What were the purposes of punishments given by the courts in the Middle Ages?
Three galleries look at 1450-1750:
Did governments in this period decide what kinds of people were to be regarded as criminals?
Did methods of crime prevention change?
What was the purpose of punishments in the period?
Three galleries look at 1750-1900:
Did the Industrial Revolution lead to more crime?
What new crime prevention methods were set up to deal with changes in crime in this period and what were the problems?
What was the purpose of the punishments used in the period?
The final three galleries relate to the 20th century:
What was the most important factor affecting crime in the 20th century?
Did police work change dramatically in the 20th century?
What was the purpose of 20th century punishments?
Within each gallery there are case studies using original documents with transcripts. The most visual material is to be found in the Punishment Section 1750-1900, case study 3, on Victorian Prisons, which younger pupils might find more accessible.
Activities: each gallery has a worksheet, some source questions, and in some cases a game: Tug of War; Catch the Robber; The Watchman; Guilty or Innocent.
This exhibition is based around six online activities:
What was life like at the court of Henry VIII?
How did Tudor people have fun?
Was there freedom of religion in Tudor England?
What can you find out about Tudor life?
What countries did England trade with in Tudor times?
Joust!
To answer these questions and complete the activities, pupils must examine documents and objects from the Tudor period. In addition, there are supporting materials and suggestions for further activities - both online and in the classroom.
The Tudors has been created for key stage 2 pupils, but there is material here that could be used at key stage 3 (for example, a timeline on religious change in the period or an activity based around the portrait of Anne of Cleves).
To view the animation and see the objects in 3D, you will need Flash (free software that comes with most web browsers - for more information, see The Tudors help page). However, the resources are also available in a printable format.
This tells the story of Tudor Hackney with video drama and a virtual reality reconstruction. You can walk around the town, see inside the home of the Daniell family, pick up objects and learn about daily activities.
The seventeenth century was an extraordinary time for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Find out more about the civil wars and the people who lived through them - in their own words. There are six galleries in this exhibition:
Sensational sources
What kind of king was Charles I?
Why did people go to war in 1642?
Why did people want the king back in 1646?
Why did Britain become a republic?
What kind of ruler was Oliver Cromwell?
In each gallery you will find case studies with sources and questions to help you investigate the material. To help, there is a glossary and background material on key people and events. There are also report writing activities and worksheets and a video reconstruction of civil war people. In order to help students face the challenge of 17th century language and expression, all sources have an audio version, transcripts and simplified transcripts. Keystage 5 students studying this topic will be able to make use of these original documents.
This website for Key stage 1 pupils tells the story of the Great Fire of London in an engaging interactive way with activities and games. There are also opportunities to explore how we know about the Great Fire through museum objects, documents and paintings. The website was created by the Museum of London in partnership with The National Archives, London Fire Brigade Museum, National Portrait Gallery and London Metropolitan Archives.
In addition, there are supporting resources and suggestions for further activities in and out of the classroom.
To view the animation you will need Flash (free software that comes with most web browsers) and make sure that you have sound turned on your computer. There is also a text version of the site available.
For the last 400 years Britain has played a key role in the world - mainly because of its empire. There are three galleries in this exhibition that explore:
the rise of the British empire;
living in the empire;
the end of the empire
Within the galleries, there are case studies on the empire in Africa, Australia, North America, India and Ireland, using a wide range of sources.
The visual material is accessible to all pupils with or without teacher input. Pupils will enjoy the challenge of the 18th and 19th century language evident in the hand written sources. There is help in the form of document transcripts and simplified versions. Pupils would be advised to have access to a dictionary.
Activities: each gallery contains a selection of quizzes, worksheets and source questions. A glossary and a set of simple maps can be accessed within all galleries.
There are 12 galleries in this exhibition. Three look at the period before 1450:
Were the Middle Ages lawless and violent?
Who was responsible for crime prevention in medieval England?
What were the purposes of punishments given by the courts in the Middle Ages?
Three galleries look at 1450-1750:
Did governments in this period decide what kinds of people were to be regarded as criminals?
Did methods of crime prevention change?
What was the purpose of punishments in the period?
Three galleries look at 1750-1900:
Did the Industrial Revolution lead to more crime?
What new crime prevention methods were set up to deal with changes in crime in this period and what were the problems?
What was the purpose of the punishments used in the period?
The final three galleries relate to the 20th century:
What was the most important factor affecting crime in the 20th century?
Did police work change dramatically in the 20th century?
What was the purpose of 20th century punishments?
Within each gallery there are case studies using original documents with transcripts. The most visual material is to be found in the Punishment Section 1750-1900, case study 3, on Victorian Prisons, which younger pupils might find more accessible.
Activities: each gallery has a worksheet, some source questions, and in some cases a game: Tug of War; Catch the Robber; The Watchman; Guilty or Innocent.
This exhibition includes an introduction that focuses upon the Great Exhibition of 1851.This is followed by six galleries, each based on a different aspect of public life during the Victorian period:
Industrial Nation
Happy Nation
Healthy Nation
Caring Nation
Lawless Nation
Divided Nation
Each gallery contains a selection of sources and related questions, timelines and background information. In some galleries there are additional activities or games.
Pupils will enjoy the challenge of the 19th century language evident in the hand written sources. There is help in the form of document transcripts and simplified versions. Pupils would be advised to have access to a dictionary. A glossary can be accessed within all galleries.
Finally, pupils can reach their own judgment on the Victorian Age and say if it was ‘fair’ or ‘foul’ in the Great Nation section of the exhibition.
Inspired by the life of a Victorian child prisoner, Prisoner 4099 was created in partnership with teachers, youth workers and young people from Worcester. It includes a radio play produced by students as well as numerous documents and images to allow other groups to create their own responses. The project has cross-curricular links to Citizenship and English.
Moving Here explores, records and illustrates why people came to England over the last 200 years and what their experiences were and continue to be. It includes an online archive of original material related to migration history from local, regional and national archives, libraries and museums and gives visitors to the site the opportunity to publish stories of their own experience of migration. The site features numerous resources designed specifically for schools.
For the last 400 years Britain has played a key role in the world - mainly because of its empire. There are three galleries in this exhibition that explore:
the rise of the British empire;
living in the empire;
the end of the empire
Within the galleries, there are case studies on the empire in Africa, Australia, North America, India and Ireland, using a wide range of sources.
The visual material is accessible to all pupils with or without teacher input. Pupils will enjoy the challenge of the 18th and 19th century language evident in the hand written sources. There is help in the form of document transcripts and simplified versions. Pupils would be advised to have access to a dictionary.
Activities: each gallery contains a selection of quizzes, worksheets and source questions. A glossary and a set of simple maps can be accessed within all galleries.
There are 12 galleries in this exhibition. Three look at the period before 1450:
Were the Middle Ages lawless and violent?
Who was responsible for crime prevention in medieval England?
What were the purposes of punishments given by the courts in the Middle Ages?
Three galleries look at 1450-1750:
Did governments in this period decide what kinds of people were to be regarded as criminals?
Did methods of crime prevention change?
What was the purpose of punishments in the period?
Three galleries look at 1750-1900:
Did the Industrial Revolution lead to more crime?
What new crime prevention methods were set up to deal with changes in crime in this period and what were the problems?
What was the purpose of the punishments used in the period?
The final three galleries relate to the 20th century:
What was the most important factor affecting crime in the 20th century?
Did police work change dramatically in the 20th century?
What was the purpose of 20th century punishments?
Within each gallery there are case studies using original documents with transcripts. The most visual material is to be found in the Punishment Section 1750-1900, case study 3, on Victorian Prisons, which younger pupils might find more accessible.
Activities: each gallery has a worksheet, some source questions, and in some cases a game: Tug of War; Catch the Robber; The Watchman; Guilty or Innocent.
This exhibition investigates the varied life of the British people 1906 to 1918, following the broad themes of contrast, contradiction and change. There are seven galleries:
Liberal welfare reforms, 1906-11
achievements of the Liberal reforms
early 1900s women’s suffrage
gaining women’s suffrage
civilians and war, 1914-18
propaganda, 1914-18
review and revision
Each gallery tackles a big question that is broken down into a number of case studies. These use a range of primary sources with related questions and additional exam practice questions. There is background information on the sources and a gallery worksheet. Further help exists in the form of document transcripts. Pupils would be advised to have access to a dictionary.
The 'review and revision' gallery is designed for pupils to test their understanding of the period.
This exhibition investigates the tragedy of the First World War, 1914-1918. It explores the causes of war the experiences of those who fought on its battlefields and how the Great War has been commemorated. There are six galleries:
The Great War: conflict and controversy
Why did Britain go to war in 1914?
The trench experience
Lions led by donkeys?
How has the Great War been remembered?
Why was it so hard to make peace?
In each gallery you will find a key question based on the sources within each case study and there is background material to help you study the sources.
Moving Here explores, records and illustrates why people came to England over the last 200 years and what their experiences were and continue to be. It includes an online archive of original material related to migration history from local, regional and national archives, libraries and museums and gives visitors to the site the opportunity to publish stories of their own experience of migration. The site features numerous resources designed specifically for schools.
This is an investigation into life on the home front during the Second World War. There are seven galleries:
preparations for war
evacuation
bombing of Britain
Empire home front
everyday life
women at war
spies
Each gallery is broken into various topics with sources and questions.
The visual material is accessible to all pupils with or without teacher input. There are worksheets, timelines and a glossary. There is also a diary facility so pupils can save, edit and access their work directly from the net. The gallery contains a video archive using clips from the Imperial War Museum on many of the topics. Some galleries have additional activities to play: Lights Out; Escape the Blitz; Shelter from the Blitz; Empire Home Front; Shopping in the War; Spy Catcher.
This exhibition contains six galleries that investigate the causes and effects of the Cold War. Using a wide of range of sources, including film, pupils can explore these galleries:
Did the Cold War really start in 1919-39?
How strong was the wartime alliance, 1941-45?
Who caused the Cold War?
How did the Cold War work?
The nuclear game
How close was it?
Was Vietnam a turning point in the Cold War?
Within each gallery there are case studies using original sources with questions.
Pupils will also find timelines, notes on the sources, document transcripts and a worksheet for each case study to help them organise their work. Pupils have an opportunity to create their own exhibition on how the Cold War worked (gallery 4). There are text links to a glossary and an archive section that has extended versions of the sources used in the case studies. The exhibition features the Nuclear Bunker in Essex with a tour using stills.
This exhibition contains galleries that examine a significant event in the life of these historical figures:
Winston Churchill and the bombing of Dresden
John Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis
Benito Mussolini and the invasion of Abyssinia
Joseph Stalin and the industrialisation of USSR
Harry Truman and the atomic bomb
Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement
Each gallery raises a series of questions that pupils can examine in the light of the sources provided. There are additional report writing activities and worksheets within the gallery. The exhibition contains a glossary.
Moving Here explores, records and illustrates why people came to England over the last 200 years and what their experiences were and continue to be. It includes an online archive of original material related to migration history from local, regional and national archives, libraries and museums and gives visitors to the site the opportunity to publish stories of their own experience of migration. The site features numerous resources designed specifically for schools.
