Our Primary Learning Programme is built around supporting children to engage with objects, animals and artefacts on their own terms: to investigate, ask questions, use evidence, and be excited!
We hope that this approach will help children to find meaning in what they see, make connections with real-world issues, practice using evidence to justify their thinking and answer genuine questions … as well as make it easier for your adult helpers to lead meaningful discussions with their groups.
We do this through four steps of enquiry that build museum literacy skills:
Look closely at these amazing things: What details can you see? What do you notice?
Connect your knowledge and experiences to what you can see: Does it remind you of anything? How do you feel about it?
Explain what you think: Can you use the evidence of the object to reach a conclusion?
Wonder more: What else would you like to know?
In our brand new Dinosaur gallery (in the Fossils Zone), you’ll find these types of questions built in to the displays.
In our self-led resources and Big Questions, you’ll find that many activities are structured around these investigation prompts.
Learning at Manchester Museum 