Learning Programmes with Portraits

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• How to develop a learning programme
• Who is your programme for?
• Evaluation
• Themes around Portraiture
• Case Studies
• Festivals and National Events
• Acknowledgements
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Day Trippers

Many families visit museums, galleries and historic sites as part of a day out. It is important to have interpretation tools and hands-on activities for these audiences.

An Online 'Day Planner' for families can help. List all the activities that families can do (trails, audio guides etc) and give the approximate timings of these activities. Provide a list of what facilities you have - toilets, high chairs etc.

Resources on-site can comprise every thing from a trail to rucksacks to audio guides. It is important that these resources are put together with the thought of involving parents / carers as well as children:

• Activity rucksacks can contain jigsaw puzzles of portraits, examples of textiles or objects from within portraits and information or storybooks about the portraits.
• Family Trails can comprise information about the portraits and site as well as activities, such as drawing, puzzles and searching for clues to solve mysteries. It is important to give out pencils with these as well!
• Audio tours are usually made for adult visitors, but family audios have proved to be popular.
• Costumed guides are often used to bring people in portraits, a story or part of a historic site to life - as is the case at Hampton Court Palace.

A good example:

Kenilworth Castle

English Heritage's Kenilworth Castle in the West Midlands provides online information for families about the castle. It lists facilities, activity information and timings as well as what other visitor attractions are nearby. For example:

Castle

Suggested time needed: 1 hour
Let the children explore a magical world where the past is brought to life using our 'Step Inside' activity sheets.

The website also has a downloadable trail on the castle and a 'Children's Zone' page on entertaining Elizabeth I.

Activities onsite include a trail around the castle, childrens' audioguides and a learning room in the 'Gatehouse' that uses interactives to explore Robert Dudley's and Elizabeth I's relationship.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.16874