What is it?
Archives and Libraries are generally physical locations in which there are expansive collections of certain objects, most commonly books and historical records. There can be more specific types of archives and libraries with more specialist content, but the most largest and most popular types encompass a wide selection of topics.
What does it involve?
Visiting an archive or a library generally comes from a desire to further research a specific subject, but it can also be to use the resources available, such as computers, scanners or a newspaper microfiche machine.
Why do it and what are the benefits?
Libraries are incredibly important places for learning, as they can provide a safe space for studying and the freedom for the students to educate themselves in pretty much whatever topic they have interest in. A lot of libraries and archives also put on activities and groups to encourage independent reading and learning.
What equipment do we need?
You shouldn’t need to provide any equipment for a visit to a library or an archive! The venue should have everything you need, but if you have a specific study activity in mind you should always check beforehand to see what they are set up for.
Who is it suitable for?
Archives and libraries are generally reasonably quiet places, so noisier groups of young children may not be as welcome – however, it will depend on the venue, as some will have dedicated children’s corners!
Costs?
Libraries are generally free to access! Some more specialist archives may have an entry fee, but if you research beforehand you shouldn’t come across any surprise costs.
Issues/Things to think about? (unsuitable for age groups, medical conditions etc)
Make sure to tailor any trips to an archive or a library to the needs and interests of the group of students!
How do we include?
Most venues will have great disabled access! Everybody should be able to join in with a visit, but always check beforehand if you have concerns about your group of students.
Doing it abroad?
There are libraries and archives all around the world, and visiting one whilst abroad can be fantastic for getting some more detailed information on local history and culture!
Main website:
Consult individual venue websites to see their specifics.
St. Barbe Museum explores the unique history of Lymington and the New Forest Coast.
The colourful, hands-on displays provide a fascinating journey of discovery for all ages, charting Lymington’s development as a market town and port and looking at the smugglers, salt makers and boat builders who have used the Solent shore.
Discovery Centres are modern, welcoming and friendly with a modern library service at the heart ... with books, information, music, DVDs and talking books for all ages and tastes.
Before the discovery of natural gas in the North Sea, Britain’s gas was made from coal. Fakenham’s gas museum combines industrial archaeology with social and cultural history. It charts the first steps to light up homes and cities at night and to provide heating and domestic appliances. It also pays homage to an industry that between 1800 and 1970 employed over a million people.
The Royal Mint is a national treasure, making beautifully crafted coins and medals for countries all over the world. Over a thousand years of craftsmanship and artistry ensures every piece we strike is a long lasting piece of history.
The Richard Burton Archives is the corporate memory and archive repository of Swansea University and holds material of local, regional and national significance. The Archives selects, preserves and makes accessible to all the records of historical value created or acquired by the University.
Maritime Museum
If you would like to discover more about Hull’s maritime heritage, come and enjoy free admission to the city’s Maritime Museum.
The Historic Dockyard, Chatham is a fully accredited museum and partner in Renaissance South East, the South East Museum hub.
We collect, preserve, study and exhibit objects and material connected with the history of:
The people who worked in, or were associated with, Chatham Dockyard
The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, is the geology museum of the University of Cambridge. It is part of the Department of Earth Sciences and is located on the University's Downing Site in Downing Street, central Cambridge.
The Dorset History Centre is the archives service and local studies library for Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole. We house Dorset's local archives - from council records to personal collections. Our online catalogue gives access to over 150,000 catalogue entries, with more being added all the time.
See how people lived through time - what they wore, the toys they played with and how they managed their household chores. Find out about the history of the house, the landscaping of its estate and enjoy the beautiful Picture Room. Free entry.
Our exhibitions include Dolls, Art, Victorian School Room, Costume and Bristol at School.
Visit HMS Alliance, newly restored after a £7m refit and ready for patrol! Assault all of your sense by walking on board HMS Alliance, the only remaining WW2 era British ocean-going submarine.
One of the finest local history collections in Hampshire, exploring 100 million years of history Displays include prehistoric tools, Roman pottery reconstruction, Saxon burials, the Battle of Alton 1643, the notorious tale of Sweet Fanny Adams and Hop picking and brewing.
Jane Austen Trail at the Curtis Museum
Make a voyage of discovery about Gosport in this exciting display, with objects, display panels and set pieces which trace the story of Gosport through the centuries.
The National Maritime Museum (NMM) in Greenwich, is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world.
Saltdean Lido at Saltdean Park Road, Saltdean, in the city of Brighton and Hove, is an Art Deco Lido designed by architect R.W.H. Jones and opened in 1938.
PLEASE NOTE THE LIDO'S SWIMMING FACILITIES ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED BUT THE LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY CENTRE ARE OPEN.
In our fun, free and interactive galleries, discover how Cardiff was transformed from the small market town of the 1300s, to one of the world's biggest ports in the 1900s, to the cool, cosmopolitan capital we know today.
Dartmouth Museum is a small, fascinating and interesting museum housed in an atmospheric old merchant's house, built in approximately 1640.
The displays in Dawlish Museum are changed regularly and aim to represent life past and present in the town, for example the acclaimed display of the February storms which severely damaged the railway.
Children as well as adults are catered for and there are activities especially for them.
As the site of officer training for the Royal Navy for over a century, Britannia Royal Naval College in many respects resembles a living museum, not unlike a stately home, in which modern day-to-day life exists in parallel with a rich history and tradition. The College is an imposing Edwardian building that stands on Mount Boone overlooking the town of Dartmouth.
Housed in the west wing of the Bishop’s Palace is a modern library and archive facility in which we preserve many thousands of books and documents – most of them rare or unique - and make them available to people.
A glimpse of the museum from Runnymede Gardens, which is situated next to The Landmark Theatre on Ilfracombe's seafront. A fascinating place to visit come rain or shine and one of the best value for money attractions in North Devon.
Plymouth and West Devon Record Office is your one-stop shop for help with family, house and local history research.
The North Devon Maritime Museum offers a fascinating insight into the rich shipbuilding and seafaring history of the area. It is housed in a fine, Georgian Grade II listed building which has been the home of several ship owners and master mariners in the past 200 years and is situated in the picturesque village and sea port of Appledore.
Devon & Cornwall Police's Heritage and Learning Resource contains extensive archives, artworks, photographs, ephemera, equipment and uniforms relating to the history of policing throughout Devon and Cornwall. The earliest items in the collection date from around 1840 and we continue to collect today.
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon is the perfect way to find out more about North Devon. Our collections and displays cover the natural and human history of this beautiful part of the country. Highlights of the Museum include the Tarka Gallery, the Story of North Devon and the Regimental Collection of the Royal Devon Yeomanry.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.