Hastings Museum & Art Gallery introduces blended learning and COVID-19 secure loan boxes

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery is making it easier for schools to still access their fantastic collection during the current pandemic.

The museum's new blended approach brings together object loans box and digital workshops, to ensure pupils can continue to learn about historical topics in a unique and interactive way.

The museum's new COVID-Secure loans boxes cover a range of topics including the Dinosaurs, the Stone Age, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, the Romans, Victorians and World War 2 amongst others. These loan boxes all contain a combination of original and replica objects, photographs and archive material.

Schools can also link-up digitally via video call, enabling the museum's learning officer to work with pupils and teachers to facilitate engaging, hands-on workshops.

Cllr Colin Fitzgerald, lead portfolio holder for Regeneration, Culture and Tourism, said,

"The loan boxes are a great way of giving pupils the opportunity to see artefacts, which really brings history to life. Through the handling and investigating of the objects, this will help to encourage discussion, empathy and creative thinking skills. These objects can also be used to inspire art and design projects and develop understanding of other cultures."

The museum has introduced a strict cleaning procedure and a downtime period between uses to ensure each loan box is sanitised between uses. Schools, home educators and clubs are welcome to borrow loans boxes for £10 per term.

Loan boxes and digital workshops can be booked by emailing charlotte.moon@hastings.gov.uk. For more details about the museum's learning programmes and activities are available on the museum's website: www.hmag.org.uk.