The Museum is inviting classrooms across Ireland to go back to the Bronze Age; take a tour through space; explore revolutionary Ireland; or discover wildlife winter wonders - all through its new virtual schools programme launching this September.
This is the third specially developed, virtual programme launched by the National Museum of Ireland since traditional class visits to the Museum sites have been restricted due to COVID 19 regulations.
This latest virtual programme of imaginative workshops, online tours and classroom activities means primary and post primary students in classrooms across Ireland can continue to connect with culture and enjoy a meaningful learning experience with the NMI.
Some highlights from the programme include:
COUNTRY LIFE
Explore Traveller Culture and intangible heritage at primary level with artist Cas McCarthy, inspired by the National Museum of Ireland and Kid's Own publication This Giant Tent. This 60-minute session includes an introduction to the Museum; a segment on Traveller objects in the National Museum of Ireland; a workshop; video and Q&A. Booking is required. FIND OUT MORE
Join one of Ireland’s premier traditional storytellers Niall de Burca to hear some spine-tingling stories based around the Museum’s collections in this bi-lingual session for post primary students. This is a 40 minute vritual session featuring an introduction to the Museum; a performance and a Q&A. Booking is required. FIND OUT MORE
Celebrate Science Week with this primary level workshop with Science Ireland. Explore the scale of the universe with a tour through our solar system looking at what would happen if the sun was half the size. FIND OUT MORE
ARCHAEOLOGY
This resource for history teachers and first year Junior Certficiate students includes videos, activites, teachers notes and comic strips all designed to explore the work of archaeologists, the role of the museum, artefacts as evidence, and the impact of Christianity on Ireland. The resource was inspired by the archaeology of the valley of Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, and objects on display in the exhibition Glendalough: Power, Prayer and Pilgrimage at the NMI – Archaeology. FIND OUT MORE
Engage with Museum educators live in your classroom in these new virtual sessions on Leaving Certificate Art from the NMI - Archaeology. These 40-minute live sessions will explore key Museum objects on the Leaving Certificate Art Specification, representing art periods from the Neolithic to Medieval Ireland. Staff will discuss the name, object type, find location, and date, as well as particular metal-working techniques and key decorative art styles on these objects. FIND OUT MORE
This classroom activity invites 3rd to 6th class primary level pupils to see what life was like during the Bronze Age in Ireland. Use the 'Summer Sun Discs' activity sheet to find out about the gold objects made during the Bronze Age in Ireland and decorate your own sun discs in the classroom. Find out more about life in Bronze Age Ireland using the Bronze Age wordsearch and see if you can find all the words. FIND OUT MORE
NATURAL HISTORY
Transition Year students can explore the effects of climate change on Irish coastal ecosystems through the Museum's 3D virtual viewer. Detailed teacher’s notes on featured animal species and associated impacts of climate change are provided, with suggested follow-up classroom activities. These may be used to create classroom discussion and expand upon on the topics of climate change effects and the environment in an Irish context. FIND OUT MORE
Primary level classes (2nd class +) are invited to discover some of the natural 'Wonders of Winter' at the Museum using the 3D Virtual Visit and PowerPoint presentation. Take your pupils on a self-guided virtual tour to find wildlife in the galleries and explore how they survive the cold winter months. Pupils complete a themed word search to help develop vocabulary, problem-solving and memory. Teacher’s notes, including resources pand suggested activities are provided and can be used to complement the learning outcomes. FIND OUT MORE
Discover the amazing extinct animals of the Museum in this live virtual session, led by a Museum Educator and beamed straight to your classroom. Your class will be virtually welcomed, and guided through some of the rarest museum specimens, all of which have one thing in common – they are extinct! This is a 40 minute virtual session for 3rd to 6th class pupils at primary level. FIND OUT MORE
DECORATIVE ARTS & HISTORY
Explore artefacts and stories from the National Museum of Ireland’s Irish Wars, 1919 - 1923 exhibition through this engaging and informative interactive set of factsheets for post primary level. These factsheets present an overview of the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War by discussing 10 key themes, through artefacts in the Museum's collection. Each topic also presents activities and discussion topics to engage students with some of the key questions of the period to provoke discussion and reflection. FIND OUT MORE
Join Museum Educators online and live in your classroom for an engaging and interactive primary level workshop to explore how objects enable our understanding of history. Students will be introduced to key artefacts from the Museum’s collection and, through a series of fun activities, will learn how to analyse and interpret artefacts and appreciate their importance in shaping our knowledge of the past and the people who lived in it. FIND OUT MORE
Join Museum Guides, Educators and Curators for an engaging, informative and thought-provoking look at a significant period in Irish history, through the Museum’s recent ‘Proclaiming a Republic’ exhibition. Available for PRIMARY and POST PRIMARY level, this virtual tour focuses on personal stories, in particular those of the lesser-known participants and civilians who were involved in Easter Week, and examines why the rebellion happened, and the immediate aftermath. Included on this page are Teachers Notes, which will guide your class through the film. FIND OUT MORE