SCHOOLS
BRINGING THE PRIMARY CURRICULUM AND MUCH MORE, TO LIFE.
Welcome to our schools page where you’ll find the variety of sessions that we have to offer, along with the list of loan boxes you can hire. To find out more, or to book your school session or to hire a loan box, please complete the enquiry form at the bottom of this page, or email thebeacon@copeland.gov.uk
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ACTIVITY SESSIONS
Our education team bring the primary curriculum and much more, to life. We combine exploration of the Museum’s collection with hand on experiences.
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Explore the past – Stone Age to Iron Age
Step back in time and discover how early humans lived, learn about human evolution from primitive Homo sapiens through to our Iron Age ancestors.
Toys – old and new (KS1)
Find out about toys from the past and how they differ to those played with today. The activity session involves discovering and looking at a wide range of fascinating Victorian toys and how they compare with toys from the 40s, 50s, 60s through to modern toys.
Wish you were here – a day at the Victorian seaside (KS1)
Let us take you on a journey to learn what a trip to the seaside was like for the Victorians! How have holidays changed?
Norse settlers
Discover where the Vikings came from and what they looked like. Explore how they navigated across the seas, how they lived and what happened to them.
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The Romans are coming (KS2)
The Beacon Museum staff bring the sights, sounds and smells of ancient Rome into schools. Togas, original artefacts and some very fishy smells will bring the life and times of the Romans alive in your classroom.
Roman armour
Discover the armour that Roman soldiers wore and try on child- sized replicas and become a Roman soldier.
Keep the home fires burning – World War II (KS2)
What would life be like for the people of Copeland during World War II? Find out about rationing, air raids, gas masks, fun and games.
Time detectives
Go back in time and explore the 19th century industrial Whitehaven. Learn what life was like for the working class and find out how they survived without electricity or sanitation.
LOAN BOXES
Loan boxes are the perfect addition to your class room when learning about a certain topic. The boxes contain a mixture of real and replica artefacts, along with a list of the contents and interpretation notes. They come in durable plastic boxes for easy transportation and storage.
Availability
The boxes are available for loan periods of one week, at a charge of £20 per week (with the exception of the Viking loan box which is £25 per week).
Contact The Beacon Museum’s Learning Officer for availability.
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Coal mining
- Stephenson’s miner’s lamp
- Gray’s miner’s oil lamp
- Miner’s electric lamp
- Lamp tallies x 3
- Cap lamp and battery
- Bait tin
- Metal water bottle
- Coal tub tag
- Explosives detonator
- Fuse lead
- Brass sieve
- Haig Pit laundry bag safety pin
Plus information pack.
Viking times
- Birka Cross
- Runes
- Strike-a-light
- Blowing horn
- Glass beads
- Bronze key
- Viking tunic
- Viking woman’s costume
- Viking man’s costume
- Antler porridge spoon
- Piece of antler
- Bone toggles
- Drinking cup
- Mammon axe
- Viking coins and bag
- Whetstone
- Viking games
- Pottery bowl
- Various pieces of Viking jewellery
Plus more objects, books, CD, DVD, information for each object and resource pack.
Victorian toys
- Spinning top
- Skipping rope
- Cup and ball
- Pick up sticks
- Yo-yo
- Diablo
- Jacks
- Whip and top
- Acrobat swing toy
- Monkey swing toy
- Hoopla
- Happy families
- Hobby horse
- Tumbling man
- Jacob’s ladder
- Flick books
- Pecking chickens
- Pop gun
- Cord pull spinning top
Plus suggestions for Victorian parlour games and other activities.
Victorian school room
- 6 x replica writing slates
- 4 x Victorian copyboards (to be photocopied)
- 11 x dip pens
- Ink well
- 2 x Victorian history book facsimiles
- Victorian school day – teacher’s manual
- Victorian school day – activities pack (to be photocopied)
The Egyptians
- Egyptian game
- Replica necklace
- Anubis figure
- Scribe statue
- Cat ‘Bastet’ figure
- Ushabti writing box
- Mini canopic jars
- Hieroglyphs info and poster
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Seaside
- Tin bucket
- Wooden spade
- Edwardian boys bathing costume
- Victorian girls bathing costume
- Penny lick
- Parasol
- Punch and Judy puppets
- Mechanical tin carousel
- Lighthouse model
- Lifeboat model
- Fishing net
- Shells
- Driftwood
- Starfish
Plus object information, resource pack, posters and memorabilia.
Victorian artefacts
- Flat iron
- Candle stick and snuffer
- Dress clip
- Butter pats
- clay marbles
- Original whip and top
- Clog
- Button hook
- Glass bottle
- Miner’s lamp
- Clothes pegs
- Stone hot water bottle
- Original school slate
Information pack containing information for each object, Victorian adverts, photographs, Punch cartoons, timeline, census extracts for Copeland and reports on public health.
The Romans
- Wine jug
- Roman cup
- Beaker
- Face pot
- Sauce pot
- Mortarium
- Gladiator beaker
- Leather ball
- Chatelaine
- Knucklebones game
- Coins and pouch
- Sponge on a stick
- Board games
- Writing tablet
- Lamp
- Jewellery
- Toy horse
- Feely bags
Geology rocks!
- Scales
- 6 x magnifying glasses
- 5 x pipettes
- 12 x jumbo tweezers
- Tooth fossil in slate
- Stem root fossil
- Sandstone
- Quartz
- Coal
- Slate
- Chalk
- Granite
- Limestone
- Pumice
- Marble
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ENQUIRE
To check our availability or to book your education session, complete the form below to send us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible, or you can contact us on 01946 592302 | thebeacon@copeland.gov.uk
Please include date(s) required, which session/loan box, how many pupils, and which school.
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CONTINUE EXPLORING
GALLERIES
Whether you’re 4 or 104, there is something for everyone to enjoy at The Beacon Museum.
WHAT’S ON
Find out what we having going on.
HOWLING WOLF
Sit back and relax with family and friends and enjoy a delicious bite to eat in the Café.
VOLUNTEER
We believe that everyone has something unique to offer.