Our museums inspire children to look, investigate, compare and question their ideas about the world around them. The wide range of collections provide endless possibilities to explore any area of learning, whether you want to plan your own visit or take part in one of our active museum-led sessions.
You will find information about all our schools sessions and resources below but you can also download a pdf School Visits brochure.
Early Years
Constable: Early years music session
Gallery topic boxes - EYFS nurseries and classes
Key Stage 1
Animal classification
Victorians
Toys
Key Stage 2
Pre-history
Constable: our great local artist
Journeys in Ancient Egypt
Ipswich at war
Victorians
All school, nursery and group visits, including self-led visits, must be booked in advance.
To enquire about a visit or make a booking please contact telephone 01473 433550 or email: museums@ipswich.gov.uk
Entry to Ipswich Museum, Ipswich Art Gallery and Christchurch Mansion is free.
We like to encourage schools to use their local museums and therefore we offer a 50p discount per child for schools within the borough.
Cost per child (minimum charge may apply):
You will only be invoiced for the number of children who actually visit and all accompanying adults are FREE.
Borrow one of our loan boxes to bring objects from the past into your classroom. Use them to inspire children's imagination at the start of a project and develop their thinking and enquiry skills or support post-visit work.
Boxes contain a mix of replica and real objects, photos, documents and teachers' notes.
Length of hire: Two weeks
Cost: £20
All loan boxes must be collected and returned to Ipswich Museum.
Please call 01473 433550 or email: museums@ipswich.gov.uk
These risk assessments may be downloaded and used as part of your own visit risk assessment:
What facilities do you have?
Can I make a pre-visit and do you have a risk assessment?
Can you offer sessions for groups with special needs?
Is there an indoor space for lunch?
Is there an opportunity for children to shop?
Are your sites fully accessible for wheelchair users?
Are the museums suitable for Nursery and Early Years groups?
All our sites have a bookable indoor lunch space, shop, accessible toilets and coach drop-off point. All sites except Christchurch Mansion have lift access to all galleries. Click on individual sites for more detailed information, or ring and talk to a member of the team.
Can I make a pre-visit and do you have a risk assessment?
Yes! We highly recommend you to make a preliminary visit to help you get the most of your day, especially if you are on a self-led visit. If you would like to talk to a member of our education staff on a pre-visit, please ask when booking. Copies of risk assessments for all sites which you can use as a guideline for your own visit risk assessment can be downloaded above.
Can you offer sessions for groups with special needs?
Yes! We are very experienced working with special needs groups. Our sessions are very practical and include lots of object handling and dressing up activities and can be adapted to meet your students specific needs. A member of our team would be happy to discuss this with you when you ring to book.
Is there an indoor space for lunch?
All our sites have a bookable indoor lunch space. There may be a small charge for the lunch room if you are not on a museum led session.
Is there an opportunity for children to shop?
Yes! All sites have a shop with a range of pocket money priced souvenirs. Shop space is limited so we recommend you visit in small groups.
Are your sites fully accessible for wheelchair users?
There is a lift in all sites except Christchurch Mansion where we have alternative provision for groups with mobility difficulties to ensure all pupils are able to fully participate in the activities. Please talk to a member of our team when you book. Please see individual sites for more detailed information about access.
Are the museums suitable for Nursery and Early Years groups?
Museums provide an exciting place for young children to explore, encouraging conversation and learning. At Ipswich Museum we have 'Activity carts' on the gallery with resources which support nursery and early years groups to actively explore the museum. For a small charge we are able to provide additional object handling boxes and I spy trail cards to provide a focus to your visit. Please ask about these resources when booking a visit. At Ipswich Museum we also have a special loans box with handling objects and a museum story book which is a great way to introduce the museum to children before they visit.
