Plan a school visit

We make learning hands-on using real artefacts and encourage young people to apply their learning in a new context. Our workshops are designed to help learners make meaningful connections across the curriculum. Please contact us to discuss how we can make a visit to the Museum as relevant as possible to your group.

Two £1 coin blanks being held over the nickle-brass webbing they were cut from.

Format of a School Visit

On arrival, the class is given a short introduction to the Museum and the topic of money. The young people are then split into smaller groups and rotate around different workshops chosen in advance, led by Museum staff. In order to give young people the best possible experience, we recommend that you allow three to four hours for your visit.

We also have a Visual Story and Sensory Map to help prepare for your visit.

For further details, directions and maps, please consult our Pre-Visit Information for Schools. An additional map and travel information can also been found in Find Us.

Activities

Choose three activities from the following list.

1

What is Money...?

Detail of a tevau - feather money from Solomon Islands

Investigate and handle a range of extraordinary artefacts, once used as money in other cultures.

2

Heads and Tails (Looking at coins)

Close up of gold coin being held between thumb and finger

Explore the features of coins. Discover how they were made in medieval Scotland and strike your own.

3

Making Notes (Looking at banknotes)

Looking at the details on a Bank of Scotland £20 through a magnifying glass

Compare and contrast banknotes past and present. Add elements to your own note using stamps, presses and invisible ink.

4

Kists and Keys (Keeping money safe)

Transparent, acrylic safe which visitors can open if they can find the combination

Find out how banks and savers keep their money safe. Handle and discuss a variety of keys and money boxes. Have a go at cracking the Museum safe!