What is it?
A guided tour is the practice of an individual leading a group of people around a point of interest and giving them information about it, which can cover topics such as religious significance, cultural history and how it relates to other locations and events in history.
What does it involve?
Attending a guided tour basically just involves paying attention! All the work is done for you in finding out the facts and presenting them in an interesting manner; the role of the participant just calls for a level of interest in your surroundings and an eagerness to learn!
Why do it and what are the benefits?
Tour guides can be extremely educational - physically interacting with the place while learning about its history will provide a different kind of academic experience to the classroom by giving the students something more tangible to focus on.
What equipment do we need?
You shouldn't need any equipment for a guided tour, but check beforehand to make sure; some tours involve their participants even further by getting them to write down their own thoughts, or make drawings - so you may need to ensure students have something to write on!
Who is it suitable for?
Guided Tours are suitable for pretty much anybody if you pick the right one - smaller children will find it harder to focus on more complex subjects and will need more visual aids, but if they are engaged correctly they will have a great time! Likewise, teenage students will get bored if the subject isn't engaging enough, so make sure to choose the tour appropriate for the age and interests of the group.
Costs?
Around £20 or less per person, but it can vary greatly depending on the location of the tour - for example, a minibus tour around a park will cost more than a short walk around a country manor! Make sure to shop around to get an idea of the prices in your area.
Issues/Things to think about? (unsuitable for age groups, medical conditions etc)
A guided tour should be suitable for all ages, but students with condtions such has ADHD may have trouble focusing for an extended period of time - make sure to be aware of the specific needs of your group.
How do we include?
Many guided tours have disabled access for those with limited physical movement, but it would be wise to doublecheck beforehand. Those who are deaf and blind can also be included in guided tours but may need more specialist staff - again, you will need to check with the specific establishments.
Doing it abroad?
There are points of public interest all around the world, so wherever you can find something well known chances are there will be a guided tour available! Foreign tours may be conducted in another language though, so make sure to confirm the specifications of the tour before booking it.
Main website:
This website gives a good overview of places where you can go for a tour guide, but you're best looking at the specific areas around you to find out details!
A gallery of rogues and rascals, wizards, witches and wild things unfolds throughout the atmospheric spaces of The Story Museum in our immersive exhibition '26 Characters'.
Sail to a tropical island, walk through the wardrobe into Narnia, listen to stories, dress up and meet a talking throne. Exhibition runs until November 2014
Learn about the history of the Northamptonshire Regiment & Yeomanry and about how we used to live. Discover historic and contemporary leather design.
You can find us in Abington Park.
What's on offer?
The centre houses a wide variety of animals including:
exotic birds
mammals including meerkats, porcupine, prairie dogs and mara
domestic species including rabbits, chickens and kune kune pigs
The centre is a small award winning zoo.
Newham City Farm is one of London's longest established, as well as one of its largest city farms.
They are home to an extensive range of farmyard favourites and rare breeds – from a huge Shire Horse to tiny birds as well as cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, chickens, rabbits, fish, a peacock and even a harris hawk.
An enchanting and magical world that is based on the Chronicles of Wizard’s Thatch. Home to a School of Magic, an alley full of magical shops, plus a number of other exciting streets and alleys to explore.
Deen City Farm is a unique, educational resource in SW London, open free of charge.
Our aim is to give people the opportunity to learn from their visit and contribution to a Working Farm.
The Farm is based on National Trust land (part of the Morden Hall Park Estate) and you can reach the Farm after a pleasant stroll from Morden across Morden Hall Park.
We deliver tailor-made sessions for EYFS to KS4, on various topics including minibeasts, habitats, sustainability and woodland management, through investigations of our ancient woodland, reservoir, pond and grassland.
EYFS:
Exploring Senses, Pond Power, Go on a Bug Hunt, Teddy Bears Picnic, Natural Art
Key Stage 1:
Lose yourself in this romantic moated manor house, described by David Starkey as 'one of the most beautiful and interesting of English country houses'.
Built nearly 700 years ago, this house has seen many changes and been owned by Medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and high society Victorians.
This magnificent Norman Cathedral with its sense of awe and wonder is the perfect environment to support work in all areas of the National Curriculum and agreed Religious Education syllabus. Along with Durham Castle the cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Commandery has exciting stories to tell you about power, greed, war, wealth, romance, death, society and industry.
Step back in time to catch a glimpse of the lively characters that have inhabited this ancient building during the past seven centuries.
Enjoy the splash of the waterwheel and the sound and smell of grinding corn in this picturesque 19th-century working mill. There is an exhibition on the historical role of the mill and a delightful walkway alongside the mill lade. Schools are welcome by prior appointment. Please allow a minimum of 1 hour for a guided tour which will include a milling demonstration.
This traditional Highland crofting estate is a diverse mix of Scotland?s most beautiful landscapes. It encompasses croft and farm land, woodland, moorland, villages, coastline, saltmarsh, lochs and offshore islands, and offers stunning views across the water to the mountains of Skye and Applecross.
Visit the home of the famous literary Brontë sisters - Emily, Charlotte and Anne. The parsonage in which they grew up and wrote countless works in the 19th Century is beautifully preserved.
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum houses one of Europe's great civic art collections. Since its 2003–06 refurbishment, the museum has been the most popular free-to-enter visitor attraction in Scotland, and the most visited museum in the United Kingdom outside London.
Wander through the elegant home of Susanna Shakespeare and her husband, Dr John Hall. Enjoy the luxurious rooms and beautiful decoration of this fascinating house, befitting a wealthy physician of Dr John Hall's status.
Relax in the beautiful gardens and breathe in the fragrant herbs as used by Dr Hall in his remedies.
Highlights at Hall's Croft
Dickens World - The Grand Tour is a 90 minute interactive guided tour experience that takes visitors back in time to the Victorian England that Charles Dickens knew and wrote about in his novels and short stories.
A great place for walking, flying kites or simply taking in the extensive views of the surrounding countryside and the English Channel in the distance.
This museum is located on the site of the Scottish Archery Centre in North Berwick. The museum is named in honour of the Borders longbow archer Dick Galloway.
Twickenham is home to the England rugby team and its museum celebrates the players' successes.
The World Rugby Museum, in the East Stand of Twickenham Stadium, formerly opened as ‘The Museum of Rugby’ in 1996. It became the World Rugby Museum in 2007.
A stark symbol of power, Chirk Castle was completed in 1310 during the reign of the conquering Edward I to subdue the last princes of Wales. Built on an outcrop above the meeting point of the rivers Dee and Ceiriog, the imposing silhouette of the castle was a brooding statement of English intent in these disputed lands.
Coughton Court has been the home of the Throckmorton family since 1409. It holds a unique place in English history with its close connections to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
The Manx Museum is bursting with artefacts and treasures unique to the Isle of Man. The Island’s 10,000 year history is presented through film, galleries and interactive displays. The perfect starting point on your journey of discovery around our Island and its Viking and Celtic past.
Cusworth Hall has been described as the jewel in Doncaster’s crown. The beautiful grade 1 listed building is set in acres of historic parkland with lakes, plantations and pleasure ground with dramatic views across the town.
One of the finest surviving medieval halls which contains the legendary Round Table.
Round Table
The Round Table has been famous for centuries for its links with the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Queen Eleanor's Garden
A re-creation of an enclosed medieval garden.
Schools
Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester is home to the Lancashire County Cricket Club Museum.
Lancashire cricket history dates back to the Manchester Cricket Club, set up in the early 19th century. The county side was established in 1864.
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.