Whether you’re a teacher looking for resources to support a visit to one of our museums or you’re a parent looking for high quality activities to try out at home this page is for you! Find free downloadable and printable resources relating to all 4 of our museums here.
If you enjoyed these resources or if you’ve got an idea for a future resource, please let us know! Send an email to learning@bptrust.org.uk or find us on social media.
The Bath Heritage Plaque Challenge – Have you noticed the heritage plaques devoted to famous literary, scientific and artistic figures (and many more!) dotted around Bath whilst enjoying your daily stroll? Challenge yourself to learn more and feature on our social media pages!
Find out more about Bath as a World Heritage city using our World Heritage Day resources.
Visit the Bath World Heritage page for digital resources and activity ideas from all Bath Museums!
These learning resources are designed to support teachers in planning lessons about the City of Bath World Heritage Site or to extend student learning before or after a visit to one of our museums:
World Heritage resource pack for primary schools
Georgian Bath was built largely due to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, a part of the network of trade which existed between Britain, West Africa and the Caribbean between 1501 and 1866.
We know that our buildings and collections have strong connections with this awful period in history and we do not hide it. We believe that it is vital to share these histories to encourage discussion and debate, especially with children whether in school or at home.
We are currently working on a number of resources to support these conversations. While we do this we have compiled a list of our own resources from previous exhibition surrounding Bath and the Slave Trade and links to our favourite resources, websites and literature from elsewhere.
If you would like to support our work or suggest other resources to add to our list, please do not hesitate to get in touch by contacting learning@bptrust.org.uk
Resources from our museums:
The history of the Beckford family is a tale of social ambition, political manoeuvrings and inexhaustible collecting all made possible by a huge family fortune built on the back of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Read more about it here – Beckford and the Slave Trade: The Legacy of the Beckford Family and the Slave Trade.
Elegance and pleasure in Georgian England owed much to the British slave trade. Read more about how this links to objects from our collections here – Elegance and Exploitation: Luxury Goods and the Slave Trade.
Watch ‘Civilisations Stories’ Episode 10 of 11: The Remains of Slavery – In this West Country addition of the BBC series, Brisol and Bath’s ties to the slave trade are explored, including a feature at one of our museums, Beckford’s Tower.
Resources from other museums:
‘Hidden Presence in Bath’ is a project funded by HLF researching the Black presence within Georgian and Victorian Bath – Explore the project online here.
Explore Britain’s ties to the transatlantic slave trade here – Liverpool Museums and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
What was the transatlantic slave trade? Who benefited from it? What was Bristol’s involvement and what are its legacies today? Bristol Museums explore these questions and more here – Bristol and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
The Understanding Slavery Initiative is a free online teaching resource produced by a partnership of 6 UK Museums to support the teaching and learning of transatlantic histories and legacies.
Discover how the trade in enslaved Africans and sugar shaped London in the Museums of London’s ‘London, Sugar and Slavery’ Exhibition – Explore the exhibition online here.
Explore the everyday lives of Black people during the Georgian period (1714-1830) with the Black Cultural Archives – View ‘Black Georgians: The Shock of the Familiar’ online exhibition here.
Teaching Slavery resources and literature from elsewhere:
Rebekah Gienapp discusses tips for when and how to have these conversations, approaches to avoid, and a list of recommended books to help you talk about slavery with young children – How should we talk with children about slavery?
CBBC Newsround – Guide to slavery.
BBC Bitezise – the Triangular Slave Trade learning revision guide for Key Stage 3.
Parliament and the British Slave Trade 1600 – 1807 – this complex relationship is explored, with online access to all of the key documents in the archives including the 1807 Act and slave trade petitions. The learning section includes lesson plans and tools for creating interactive resources
How did the Abolition Acts of 1807 and 1833 affect the slave trade? – A lesson pack to support teaching in school or at home designed for Key Stages 3 and 4 from the National Archives
Black History reading lists for children
Best children’s books about black history – a run-down of some of the best books to introduce to children when supporting learning about Black History.
Slavery, resistance and reparations – an extensive run-down of books recommended for the classroom and as background reading for parents and teachers on the history of slavery and resistance in the United States.
Georgian treats (flourless recipes) – Ever wondered what people ate over 300 years ago? Try out some of these easy, child friendly, flourless recipes at home. Perfect for little ones with a sweet tooth!
Georgian Paper Dress up Dolls – Wigs, feathers, ribbons and reticules were all a ladies best friend in Georgian fashion. Try making your own own Georgian paper dress up doll, designed and illustrated by Katy Potaty Illustration.
Fantastic Fans – Fans were a hugely popular accessory in the Gerogian era but did you know that you can you speak with a fan? Make your own decorative Georgian fan then learn some fan language to try out at home.
Decorative Prints Worksheet – Explore the beautiful prints that adorn the walls and carpets of No.1 Royal Crescent, learn about how symmetry affected Georgian design, then make your own decorative print using recycled materials.
No. 1 Royal Crescent Colouring and Making Sheet – Learn about all the different building components of No.1 the Royal Crescent and help us put it back together again! You can also colour it in.
Did you enjoy these activities? Drop us an email to let us know at learning@bptrust.org.uk. We would love to hear your feedback or any ideas for future resources!
Caroline’s Comet – Did you know that Caroline Herschel was the first woman to discover a comet/ Find out more and how to make your own here!
Amazing Acrostic Poems – Learn about acrostic poems then try writing your own. We’ve made a space themed one but you could write about anything you like!
Who were the Herschels? – Why are William and Caroline Herschel so special and why is our museum named after them? Find out in this information sheet complete with an astronomical glossary.
Planet Top Trumps – Research the planets and fill in your own top trumps cards with drawings and facts then get together with family or friends to play a cosmic game of planet top trumps!
Crazy Telescope Designs – Find out about the Herschel’s crazy record breaking telescope design then try creating your own crazy telescope.
Galaxy Paintings – Get messy and creative and learn how to create your own galaxy inspired painting complete with planets and starry dark skies.
Did you enjoy these activities? Drop us an email to let us know at learning@bptrust.org.uk. We would love to hear your feedback or any ideas for future resources!
Ask a Relative – Inspired by Bathscape’s Ask a Relative resource (available here), use this questions sheet to find out more about bath’s built heritage from your family or friends.
The Bath Heritage Plaque Challenge – Have you noticed the heritage plaques devoted to famous literary, scientific and artistic figures (and many more!) dotted around Bath whilst enjoying your daily stroll? Challenge yourself to learn more and feature on our social media pages!
LEGO Architecture challenges – Calling all master builders! Explore architectural concepts then test your design and build skills through a series of fun LEGO® challenges. Suitable for all levels.
Challenge 1: Scale
Challenge 2: Repetition
Challenge 3: Symmetry
Challenge 4: Mass
Challenge 5: Buildings for Entertainment
Challenge 6: Spacing Columns
Challenge 7: Pediments
Challenge 8: Maps and City Layout
Challenge 9: Symmetry Part 2
#HeritageHunt – On your daily stroll or walk to the shops why not look more closely at the architecture around you? Take one of these heritage hunts with you and spot different architectural features on each journey – Don’t forget to let us know what you found on social media!
Heritage Hunt: Doors and Columns
Heritage Hunt: Windows
Heritage Hunt: Decorative Designs
My Gallery Wall – William Beckford loved to collect paintings and display these pieces of art around the Tower. Fill in the frames to make your own gallery wall.
Matchbox Collector – William Beckford loved to collect treasures like pots, books, art and furniture. He built the Tower to display all of his treasures inside. Follow the instructions to make your own collectors drawers to fill with your own treasures.
Loo Roll Binoculars – follow these easy instructions to make a pair of binoculars out of loo roll tubes, then take them on a treasure hunt, who knows what you will find..!
Building Challenges – Try this list of building challenges with any construction materials you can find at home, a perfect way to develop counting and fine motor skills. There’s even a recipe for homemade play dough!
Songs and Rhymes to Sing at Home – Singing nursery rhymes at home together is great fun and can encourage a whole range of skills. Our songs follow the tunes of 3 well known nursery rhymes, and the lyrics are perfect for making up your own dance moves as you sing!
Mindfulness Colouring Sheets – Find your Museum Zen with our Beckford’s Tower inspired colouring for mindfulness sheets. Suitable for older children and adults.
Easy Tower Papercraft – Learn more about William Beckford, then colour, cut and fold your own Tower to display at home.
Coats of Arms – Design and sculpt your own coat of arms to represent you or your family, inspired by Beckford’s obsessions with heraldry.
Toilet Roll Towers – Beckford created his tower to be as tall, decorative and special as he could. Use up toilet roll, kitchen roll, cling film or wrapping paper tubes (or whatever else you can find) to make your own terrific towers!
Swirly Staircases – Beckford’s Tower is famous for its beautiful spiral staircase. Follow the instructions on the activity sheet to make your own swirly staircase to display at home!
My Collectors Box – Learn about William Beckford and his collections, gather together your own special objects then produce a drawing of your own collector’s box.
Design Your Perfect Garden – William Beckford built an amazing garden for himself, what if you were able to design your own dream garden? What would it look like? What would you fill it with? Design your own on this worksheet!
Cut out and build Beckford’s Tower – Inspired by the original architect drawings, why not colour in, cut out and build your own Beckford’s Tower to display at home.
Nelson Trail – Visit the people and places that Admiral Lord Nelson, our country’s greatest-ever naval hero visited when Bath was one of the largest English cities.
Did you enjoy these activities? Drop us an email to let us know at learning@bptrust.org.uk. We would love to hear your feedback or any ideas for future resources!
