Virtual workshops

Bring the Horniman’s much-loved workshops and collections into your school with our popular, affordable, live virtual workshops.

Virtual sessions

Kingdom of Benin (KS2)

Learn about the culture, beliefs and achievements of the African Kingdom of Benin, as we explore contemporary brass plaques and statues, cast by expert craftsman John Ihama in Benin City. Uncover the stories told in modern brass plaques by exploring the symbols and images within them; discover how the Oba used objects to show his power; and see the stages of the incredible Lost Wax Process.

Hear and discuss the modern history of the artefacts displayed in our Museum; looted in 1897 from Benin City. These objects were purchased by Frederick Horniman, and held in the Museum’s collection for over 120 years. Ownership of these objects was returned to the Nigerian government in November 2022, and we will discuss the significance of this together.

Ancient Egypt (KS2)

Explore ancient Egyptian religion and think like Egyptologists in this interactive session. Working as a whole class and in small groups, pupils will explore ‘mystery’ ancient Egyptian objects and discover their connection to mummification and the afterlife. There will also be time for Q&A and the opportunity to see some of our ancient Egyptian collection up close.

Rainforest People and Animals (KS2)

Immerse yourself in the rainforest habitat, learn about life in the rainforest and the people and animals that live there. Working as a whole class and in small groups, pupils will discover the importance of rainforests, the threats to their existence and consider the consequences locally and globally. There will be the opportunity to see some of our collection of Wai Wai objects up close.

Bones and Teeth (KS2)

Bring your Science topic to life by exploring how different animal skeletons and teeth have evolved to adapt to different ways of moving, different diets and lifestyles. Pupils explore different types of dentition and their function through close observation of a range of animal skulls and we compare a range of bones and skeletons.

Masks Around the World (KS2, 3)

Discover some of the different materials, designs, uses and significances of masks for people around the world. From an ancient Egyptian death mask, to a modern welder’s mask, explore amazing objects from the Horniman’s collections up close, share your ideas, and design your own practical mask.

Learning at the Horniman (HE, CPD)

Discover how the Horniman uses object-based learning and enquiry led approaches to facilitate a huge range of learning audiences. Try out visual exploration techniques yourself using our objects, and enjoy a virtual tour of our incredible Hands on Base. This session is particularly suitable for HE or CPD groups studying learning or museums, but can be tailored to your topic – please contact us to discuss.

  • Virtual sessions last 1 hour.
  • Each session is accompanied by a Teacher Pack which outlines how the session will run and includes resources to print and suggested extension activities.
  • We offer a bursary to support eligible schools.
  • Sessions are run on Zoom or MS Teams. If these platforms are not accessible to you, please contact us to discuss alternatives.
  • We can accommodate up to 3 classes simultaneously.
  • Sessions are run on Zoom. If this platform is not accessible to you, please contact us to discuss alternatives.
  • Mainstream State schools: £90 including VAT, £75 excluding VAT
  • Private/independent schools: £129.60 including VAT, £108 excluding VAT
  • SEND schools and groups: £45 including VAT, £37.25 excluding VAT
  • Gamelan workshop: £127 excluding VAT, £152.40 including VAT
  • We recommend that schools have their microphone and camera off during the session and use the chat function to communicate with Learning Officers. We can however work with microphone and/or camera on should you prefer this.
  • Our Online Safety Policy Statement is available to download on this page, and we ask that all teachers review this ahead of the workshop.
  • The Museum’s full Safeguarding Policy is available upon request.

Outreach sessions

We’re offering a small number of outreach sessions for local schools, please contact schools@horniman.ac.uk