UK Centre for Materials Education
Working with you to enhance the student experience
Working with you to enhance the student experience
Awarded to: Alex Pickering
Institution: HM Royal Armories, Tower of London
Funded in: 2002
Project description: To provide an innovative and creative programme dedicated to science and create a full time post to oversee its development and highlight science subjects to the thousands of children who use the Royal Armouries Education Centre at the Tower of London. Details of some of the actual project sheets planned are attached.
Background: The Royal Armouries is one of the most important collections of arms and armour in the world, and the treasures displayed in the White Tower are seen by more than 2 million visitors annually. A major function of any museum is to pass on the richness of its collections to future generations and although the Tower is maintained by Historic Royal Palaces, it is the Royal Armouries who are responsible for the award winning education department.
In 1999 the education staff received a Gulbenkian Commendation for the most imaginative interpretation of a museum collection, and in 2001 the department received its sixth Sandford Award for excellence in heritage education. Although currently housed in temporary accommodation, around 12,000 children take part in a wide range of creative sessions each year. With the aid of superb teaching materials and a huge handling collection, they witness 900 years of history brought to life.
Objectives: As part of a new initiative, and to meet growing demand, staff are creating a programme dedicated to science and plan to establish a full-time post to oversee the project and implement it further. The new programme will give added depth to almost every subject, ranging from the manufacture of 15th century armour, to the natural formation of diamonds used in Royal Crowns. The Worshipful Company of Armourers' and Braziers' and the Institute of Materials have already part funded a three-month appointment to evaluate and develop plans for the project, and the museum is now keen to create a full time post for a minimum of three years.
The development of a materials science teaching post at the Tower of London will undoubtedly create a greater awareness of science related topics before the growing number of children and students using the new education centre. However, the Royal Armouries is unable to fund the project and the success of the scheme is therefore totally dependent on securing the right level of support.
Details of the new science projects will be circulated to all schools and groups on the Education Department's mailing list, and included in the education pack.
The many thousands of school children that visit the Tower of London education Centre each year will be able to attend classes and work on projects with a full Materials Science content taught by a qualified scientist. Both students and schoolteachers will take home project work and information sheets.
The importance and interest of viewing Knights and Castles from a materials science perspective is a great opportunity to enthuse students with the potential attraction of studying sciences.
