Palace Explorers

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Palace Explorers

A cross-media storytelling pilot project for schools and families, which ran at the Tower of London and Kensington Palace from 2010 - 2013
Bookkeeper Illustration
A unique exploration and storytelling project for families at Kensington Palace: primary schools from the local boroughs have been selected to become members of the Palace Explorers Network (PEN). They are sent on an adventure to help the Keeper of the Books to explore places, discover secrets, unravel mysteries and tell stories while learning exploration, storytelling and digital skills.
They will become explorers, ready for new missions and adventures.






Learning resources:

Storytelling tutorial >






Bookkeeper Illustration2


Palace Explorers2

The combined use of iPads, QR-codes and social media creates an interactive learning experience on- and off-site, which allows students to immerse themselves in the quest and stories while learning storytelling, digital and media literacy skills. Over the seven weeks of the project students receive video messages and communicate with the ‘Keeper of the Books’ via a blog in school. They as well visit the palace twice where they investigate and collect story ingredients by using iPads and scanning QR-codes. This way students can access and record media resources on-site at the palace which they can later access online at school to create their own stories.


Palace Explorers families1


At the same time the quest and story are extended beyond the classroom. Enthused by the work in school the children can transfer their knowledge to their families. Together they create digital stories and QR codes in after school sessions, drawing from themes that bring the palace and the school community together to celebrate a shared heritage.

Palace Explorers1

School and college visits

A school session at one of the palaces

Only getting your history from books? You're not getting the full story. Reduced price entry for education groups, from KS1 to college.

Find out about our school and college visits

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