In touch with our cultural heritage How museums, historic sites, libraries and archives can support the Welsh Baccalaureate

They collect and preserve information – Sometimes this is ‘raw evidence’ – Sometimes it is interpreted, in exhibitions, display panels or through expert staff or actors What do they do? Museums, historic sites, libraries and archives have different types of collections

Museums National Waterfront Museum, Swansea

Museums Museums conserve and interpret: –Objects (archaeology, social history, decorative arts, natural history, literature, etc) –Art (paintings, graphics, prints) –Historic documents (books, letters, journals, photos, maps) Museums Museum staff Museum staff and volunteers include: –Curators, conservators, business staff, historians, education officers

Historic sites Harlech Castle, Gwynedd

Historic sites Historic sites conserve and interpret: –Buildings, archaeological and industrial sites –Building contents (e.g. paintings, maps, plans, furniture, costumes) Historic sites Historic site staff Historic site staff and volunteers include: –Curators, conservators, business staff, estate management staff, education officers –Interpretation staff (e.g. actors, guides)

Libraries Libraries conserve and interpret: –Information written after the event (books, magazines, newspapers) –Original documents written at the time (letters, diaries, census returns) –Local history –Music and video Libraries Library staff Library staff include: –Librarians, local studies experts

Archives Archives conserve and interpret: –Original documents (e.g. letters, census returns, council records, business records, certificates of birth, marriage and death) –Newspapers and magazines –Prints, maps, plans, photos –Audio and video collections Archives / Record Offices Archive staff Archive staff include: –Archivists, conservators, local studies experts

WBQ Core –Especially Wales, Europe and the World –Research, communication and IT skills –Visits are cross-curricular –Shared experiences and team building Links to studies Options –Not just History and Art –Opportunities for vocational courses too

Wales, Europe and the World Welsh culture at St. Fagans

–The most obvious link, through 2 elements: –‘The Impact of Economic and Technological Change’ –Heritage and Cultural Perspectives’ –Cross-curricular learning –Skills in research and other Essential Skills Wales, Europe and the World

–Think about Sustainable Development by comparing old and new technologies –Study Global Citizenship by visiting collections with international links, such as transport, trade or art –Join in Community Participation by working with voluntary organisations such as local museums, or in libraries (e.g. working with young readers) Personal and Social Education

Individual Investigation A quiet moment in a gallery

–Good general material to enhance research projects –Archives and libraries have staff to assist with research (but need clear instructions from users) –Archives and libraries getting more material online Individual Investigation

–Work placements: in larger organisations these might be working with the public, and in smaller ones more on conservation, documentation or cataloguing –Team enterprise: working with staff to set up and run public events Work Related Education

–Cross-curricular learning: visits cover a wide range of Essential Skills –Research skills (especially in IT and Problem Solving) –IT (especially in libraries and archives) –Communication (e.g. discussion during visits) Essential Skills Wales

You don’t have to be studying history Options –An archive worked with IT students to develop PDA trails –A 17 th century manor house welcomes WBQ groups –Beauty (comparing with past techniques) –Childcare (how was it different?) –Construction (historic building techniques) –Leisure and Tourism (running a tourist attraction) –Health and Social Care students visited a sustainable energy centre to link to the Social Responsibility element of the course

Museums and historic sites –Guided tours –Workshop sessions –Outreach (e.g. travelling exhibitions, loan collections) What services can we expect? Libraries and archives –Assistance with research –Tours to find out what the organisations do –Online collections

Making the most of a visit –Be aware that smaller organisations may not have staff responsible for education –Visits are brief, so ask for experiences, not just knowledge and information –Tell the organisation about your learning objectives (but also be open to unexpected gems!) –Fit the visit into a scheme of work – e.g. as a stimulus at the start, or to lead to more informed discussion at the end of a project –Give plenty of warning so the organisation can dig out relevant material