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Since April 2009 a team of volunteers has been putting together a new Learning Strategy for the museum in support all Learning organisations. We aim to enhance learning experiences in a several aspects of Bridgwater's rich local history.

We are now inviting some schools, colleges and other organisations to help develop these experiences during a trial period which finishes at the end of March 2010. The Museum is closed to the general public to enable more re-furbishment and to prepare new displays from 12 November to 31 March 2010, but is open for pre-arranged visits from individuals and parties.

We are encouraging pre-arranged visits by teachers to the museum to view the artefacts, collections and the library and to tell us what is wanted from a visit and suggestions for web-based resources for learning. The aim is for planned group visits to fall in line with the historical and archaeological curriculums and will prove to be informative and enjoyable to all involved.

Members of the Bridgwater & District Archaeological Society and local students meet on 22 October
with Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Officers to make an initial assessment of recently-donated local finds.

Everything on display in the museum is available for viewing by groups by prior arrangement (max. of 30 children in any one group). The Museum has material about:

• Bridgwater-born Robert Blake (1598-1657)who distinguished himself in the English Civil War as a soldier and a sailor.
• The Duke of Monmouth and the Battle of Sedgemoor (1685)
• Social and economic history, including the Bridgwater Carnival
• Maritime Heritage, including ship models and tools used in the port crafts
• Archaeology, with objects from the Stone and Iron Ages, the Roman Port at Crandon Bridge, and Medieval Bridgwater
• Eighteenth Century Bridgwater folk and scenes - the Chubb collection of watercolours
• Nineteenth and Twentieth century Bridgwater in photographs - A scanning program is in hand to make them more widely available.
• Reference resources - A small library of local books, and a collection of reference notes about local villages and other topics
• For further details, please visit the Museum's developing Resources website

This could include: -

• Presentations with an emphasis on a particular period of history or event. This may involve some interaction with the group
• Opportunities to study using the library, under supervision
• Activities involving a quiz to identify objects (possibly for younger children)
• Activities involving an element of construction, drawing or craft
• Archaeological discussions (including buildings) and handling exhibits
• Study of the digitised archives and photographs
• And much more to be decided by YOU!

For more information: -

Contact: - Kay Robins (Learning Co-ordinator) e-mail learning