The Wings Museum is a superb place for school children to learn about World War Two
Wings Museum educational activities for school visits typically include:
– holding a rifle and other deactivated weapons
– sitting in the cockpit of an RAF aircraft
– reflections of being a child in WW2 from a veteran from that period.
(Our WW2 veteran is not always available, as he is 88!)
– object handling and a talk about the living conditions in the home front.
– role play of jumping out of a real C-47 WW2 aircraft as a paratrooper!
Talks and workshops are subject to change dependant on volunteer availability but there will always be plenty on offer to keep pupils busy.
Not only does the museum provide original artefacts highlighting and bringing alive the history of World War Two, but it has an abundance of artefacts from the local area as well as showcasing hundreds of personal stories.
Visiting The Museum
We charge £12 per child and £5 each for teachers and teaching assistants, 1 teacher or teaching assistant is free for every 10 pupils.
We generally steer school visits to take place on a Monday as the museum is closed to the public. This means that your school can have the museum to themselves. However, other days are available.
The Museum is wheelchair friendly, and if you have any special needs for your pupils or anyone with specific requirements, we are very inclusive.
We always suggest schools to do a risk assessment prior to their visit. A sample risk assessment is available for download here.
The museum has a small shop and we normally recommend a spending budget of £5 should the pupils wish to purchase souvenirs.
The museum is not centrally heated. Please make sure you and your pupils are wearing plenty of layers for your visit, as the museum can get very cold during the Winter months!
Wings Museum offers a series of educational workshops for large school groups:
Workshop 1: Exhibit handling talk
One of our volunteers introduces a variety of original “Home Front” World War Two artefacts and exhibits which are then handed around for the children to handle. Often the items chosen have their own little story to tell!
With some of our more mysterious items we ask the children to guess what they might have been used for.
At the end of the presentation we sound an original hand operated air raid siren to bring the workshop to a close.
Workshop 2: C-47 Dakota Aircraft Fuselage D-Day experience:
Where else can children learn about the D-Day paratroopers whilst sitting in an actual World War Two Dakota?
One of our volunteers talks to the children about what it was like being an allied paratrooper about to parachute into enemy territory for the first time.
After a brief talk the children are asked to think about how they might feel if it was their loved one or perhaps even themselves about to go into action.
At the end of the workshop the children are asked to perform a “Pre Jump Check” such as:
“Stand up! – Hook Up! – Equipment check! – GO GO GO”
at which point the kids exit the aircraft fuselage down the access ramp.
As well as our workshops, the museum has a variety of exhibits on display such as:
- Morrison and Anderson Shelters (Anderson Shelter fully accessible)
- WW2 C-47 Dakota Aircraft Fuselage
- Cockpit for children to sit in
- Have a go at Morse Code
- Use an old fashioned telephone and speak to their friends
- Dressing up box!
The museum also offers a “shop” where children can purchase plastic models already built ready for display as well as wartime coins and other period items.
Tea, coffee and cold drinks are available on site.
PLENTY OF PARKING FOR COACHES!