Learning & Outreach

The Society of Antiquaries runs an engaging outreach and learning programme. Thanks to generous support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we provide free workshops for:

  • State schools (Key Stages 2-5)
  • Home-educator groups
  • Community organisations, charities, and special-interest groups who might not otherwise visit our building

These accessible workshops introduce new audiences to the antiquarian world through paintings, objects, and manuscripts from our special collections.

Please see below for details on the topics our workshops cover.

Contact our Learning & Outreach Manager at [email protected] to find out more or book a visit.

Learning Workshops at the Society of Antiquaries

“The group enjoyed looking at, and interacting with, the artefacts themselves. They liked being able to ask questions and having their questions both valued and answered by someone more knowledgeable than myself.” Discovering the Romans, Year 9 Teacher, July 2024

Book a FREE learning workshop in an atmospheric setting with excellent public transport links in the heart of London’s West End.

Since 2023, we have been encouraging younger learners to connect with our Grade II* listed building and unique collections through the Sensing History project. Thanks to the generous support of the National Heritage Lottery Fund, we offer free learning workshops to state school pupils from KS2-5 and other non-traditional audiences.

Workshops typically include a lively tour of our building and opportunities to respond creatively to our museum, library, and archive collections. All workshops offer a chance to develop skills in historical inquiry and engage with the past in dynamic ways.

  • Royal Me (KS2-5) - Tudors, Art History, History

    “I especially enjoyed hearing about the symbolism of certain gestures or objects within a portrait…and taking inspiration from the different portraits throughout the tour to create our own portraits at the end.” Royal Me, KS3 Pupil, July 2024

    Pupils tour our spaces to view original Tudor royal portraits from our collections, including Richard III, Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and Mary I. We explore the use of symbolism and find out what connects the kings and queens of the past with modern-day celebrities. Pupils use the learning to make a royal self-portrait in a short creative activity.

  • Discovering the Romans (KS2-5) - Romans, Classical Civilisation, Ancient History

    “We were inspired by how many incredible and original artefacts were within the collections…and loved the opportunity to handle the dodecahedron!” Discovering the Romans, KS2 Teacher, July 2024

    This handling session begins with an I-Spy guided tour of “Ancient Rome” within our Victorian building. Pupils then have the opportunity to view Roman objects and illustrations of classical antiquities from our library and museum collections and discover more about them through structured learning activities.

  • Behind the Brand (KS3-5) – Student Enrichment, Business & Marketing, Careers

    “The approach to the brand theme was very creative and was extremely accessible for the students.” Behind the Brand, Year 8 Teacher, March 2024

    Using our organisation as a case study, students discover career opportunities in the cultural heritage sector. A building tour reveals the ways in which organisations convey a shared sense of identity through hard and soft branding. This informative and thought-provoking workshop ends with a short creative activity, inspired by historical bookplates from our special collections.

     

Community Groups

“Lots of lovely surprises! I enjoyed the history lessons + how old the books are + the 2,000 years old drinking vessel!” The Geezers, Community Group Visit, June 2024

We are always happy to adapt our workshop content for community groups. If you are a group leader working with non-traditional audiences, get in touch to discover more.

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