WWT Washington
WWT Washington
Washington Wetland Centre, set on the banks of the River Wear, is a perfect destination for every type of group. In particular, we welcome school groups of all sizes, all year round.
Get close to rare and exotic birds, mammals and different wetland habitats. Walk with a warden, bug hunt or tour the duckery. You’ll also see colourful flamingos and the rarest goose in the world!
We offer guided learning sessions outdoors and self guided visits suitable for a range of ages and abilities, including special needs groups.
Book a guided learning session
Our guided learning sessions cover a range of themes and topics and run from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Click here to view our guided learning sessions
Click here for a sample itinerary with a learning session
Please be aware all our sessions need to be booked in advance.
Book a self guided visit
We welcome you exploring our centre independently with your pupils. Self guided groups can hire binoculars, use our spotter sheets and trails and enjoy access to a range of unique learning resources.
Click here for a sample itinerary for a self guided visit
Visit us for free
Visit our centre and take part in a guided learning session free of charge, subject to availability.
Click here to find out more about our Free School Visits Scheme
Join us for a Teacher Taster Session
A chance to experience for free the learning sessions available for your pupils.
Click here to find out more about our Teacher Taster Sessions
Come for a familiarisation visit
We encourage group leaders to visit us in advance, free of charge. Your free familiarisation visit allows you to:
- Prepare your risk assessment
- See the facilities you'll use during your learning session
- Identify group meeting points and locations for lunch
- Plan self guided activities
- Meet us and ask us questions
Use our safety information for school visits
To help you plan your visit we provide our own safety information for you to use as a preparatory tool.
Click here for WWT Washington's safety information for school visits
Watch our pre-visit presentation with your pupils
To help you and your pupils prepare for your visit and think in advance about what you might experience.
Download here your pre-visit presentation for WWT Washington
Use our learning resources
Explore what you might see on the day using our images and webcams, or what you might hear using our wetland sounds.