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Learning Experiences | Units | Anniversaries | Bookings | Calendar| Resources
The NSW Schoolhouse Museum is open for pre-booked school excursions on Mondays and Wednesdays, and occasional Thursdays. Students can experience early school lessons, examine a range of objects and artefacts and do outdoor activities such as drill, maypole dancing and playground games. More details are on the Schools Program 2010 flyer.
The fully restored schoolrooms are furnished with original school furniture. A varied collection of exercise books, texts, craft works, teaching resources and items from daily life are on exhibit.
Learning Experiences
Objects from the past hold stories and memories and what better way to discover these than through a hands-on approach. The focus of the program is for the students to interact with museum objects as much as possible.
A visit to the NSW Schoolhouse Museum gives your students the opportunity to:
- Experience an 1880s school lesson sitting at long-toms by firelight
- Examine artefacts and discuss the stories they hold
- Explore exhibits of old objects and consider changes over time
- Look at early crafts and work samples treasured through generations
- Write on slates with slate pencils and Copperplate with pen and ink
- Study early photographs of school children and discover life in the past
- Use early technologies such as rubber stamps and jelly pads
- Dress in pinafores and sailors' collars
- Dance around a maypole and practise drill using wands and dumb bells
- Play with early toys like knuckles, marbles and spinning tops
- Enjoy early playground games such as 'fly', skipping and bowling hoops
- Compare life of the past to that of today.
In winter, students can toast a piece of bread over the open fire.
Programs can be run in the context of the 1870s-1900s, 1910s-1940s or 1950s-1960s with activities and resources used from these eras.
Related Units of Work
Activities at the NSW Schoolhouse Museum support the heritage content of the NSW HSIE syllabus and provides a first-hand experience for COGs and BoS units such as:
COGs Our Stories Stage 1 Our Families Stage 1 Effects of Growth and Change Stage 2
BoS The Way We Were Stage 1 Families: Past and Present Stage 1 Then, Now and Tomorrow Stage 2 Australia: You're Standing in It Stage 2 The Schoolhouse Museum can also provide an authentic setting for studying Federation related content in the Stage 3 COGs units Traditions and Heritage and Interconnecting Growth and Change. For example, debating the pros and cons of a Federated Australia as 1890s pupils.
The visit program can be tailored to your unit of work, local context or class studies by our education officers who are qualified teachers. Each visit is staffed by a qualified teacher and experienced facilitators.
School Anniversaries
A visit to the NSW Schoolhouse Museum could be a part of your school’s anniversary celebrations. Re-live a typical school day from the year your school started. A program can be designed to suit your needs.
Booking Information
No. of classes : 2 or 3 classes, max. 90 students Duration: Approx. 3 hours, including recess Cost per student: $8 per student. No GST Bookings available: Mondays and Wednesdays, occasional Thursdays
- If 3 classes, the second part of the outdoor session is teacher-led.
- We ask that two parent helpers accompany each class in Terms 2 and 3 to assist with the toasting activity.
- Grandparents are welcome.
- Background notes, photos and a visit plan will be sent before you visit.
- We recommend that the students eat morning tea on arrival. They’re usually hungry and the sessions can then be run uninterrupted.
- Visit fees fund staffing, collection management and conservation works.
Schools are advised to book as early as possible to secure a date. Most schools book about a term ahead. Bookings are taken in order of receipt.
Booking form (for faxed bookings) - check calendar for available dates.
Cancellation Policy: Any confirmed booking that is cancelled within 14 days of the visit will incur a $50 cancellation fee.
Risk Management Advice: Word document
Calendar
Dates available are shown with a green "Available" bar. The calendar is a guide only and we cannot guarantee the dates shown are actually available. Some additional days may also become available.
Please phone or email the Schoolhouse Museum to confirm availability of dates or fax your enquiry on this form. Emails are checked daily and phone and fax messages are collected twice a week.
Phone/Fax: 02 9805 1186
info@schoolhousemuseum.org.auResources
Information Sheets to download (PDFs)
About the NSW Schoolhouse Museum
Pre- and Post-Visit Suggestions
Print all the Information Sheets (set-up for easy duplex printing)
Pen and Ink Set - $5.00
Each set includes 3 nibs, one pen, powdered ink, blotting paper and script. Order form
Vere Foster's Copy Book No. 10 - $8.00
This is a reproduction Vere Foster Copy Book No. 10 - Ornamental Lettering. The Vere Foster series of writing copy books were the first used in NSW schools for handwriting practice. Order form
Photos of Early School Days CD-Rom - $4.00
50 photographs of schooling dating from the 1880s to 1920s. Included are photos of students at work in early classrooms, outdoor drill and maypole activities, school playgrounds, early class photos of students and teachers, transport to school and school sports. Order form
Online gallery of photos of early schooling
An online photogallery from the Government Schools of NSW from 1848 website.
Objects in the museum
The objects in this photo gallery are part of the museum's collection. Students are guided to look for them when they visit. Objects photo gallery.
Jelly Pad Recipe
375ml glycerine, 250ml water, 60g gelatine
Melt all ingredients together over low heat. Pour into a shallow rust-proof dish and allow to set. Can be re-melted if it gets damaged.
Updated 29-04-10
