The King’s marriage
It is early 1544 and there is a new Queen at court: Henry VIII's sixth bride, Katheryn Parr. Students will visit sites around the Tower connected with Henry's previous wives. Accompanied by a courtier well-acquainted with the new Queen, students will hear about the momentous lives (and deaths!) of Henry's wives. This session especially supports knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past and chronological understanding by examining Henry VIII's marriages in the historic environment.
This session includes time spent exploring outdoor areas of the site - please encourage students to dress appropriately for the weather.
Monday to Friday
10.45, 12.00, 13.30
50 minutes
£90 plus admission
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Imprisonment, escape and execution
Students will put themselves in the shoes of a prisoner and hear exciting stories of the Tower's dark history from a costumed character. Where would they have been locked up? What were the prisons like? What crime might they have committed? This session especially supports skills of historical interpretation and historical enquiry by examining prison cells in the historic environment.
This session includes time spent exploring outdoor areas of the site - please encourage students to dress appropriately for the weather.
Monday to Friday
10.45, 12.00, 13.30
50 minutes
£90 plus admission
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Henry VIII: Tudor superstar
To accompany the Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill exhibition, this session will examine the man himself: King, sportsman and Tudor superstar! Led by a costumed presenter, students will have the opportunity to handle Henry VIII's replica armour inside the historic White Tower. This session especially supports skills of historical interpretation and historical enquiry by examining replica objects.
Tuesday to Thursday
10.45, 12.00, 13.30
1 hour minutes
£90 plus admission
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Tudor exploration: the story of Walter Raleigh
It is 1616; Sir Walter Raleigh is imprisoned in the Bloody Tower. Word has just arrived that he's to be freed to go in search of the lost city of El Dorado! You'll meet one of Sir Walter's closest friends and relive his pioneering expeditions to the 'New World'. Students will advise Sir Walter on making his latest venture a success. This session especially supports knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past and skills of historical enquiry by examining evidence about a key historic character and exploration.
This session includes time spent exploring outdoor areas of the site - please encourage students to dress appropriately for the weather.
Monday to Friday
10.45, 12.00, 13.30
1 hour
£90 plus admission
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Investigating the Tudors
Your students will become history detectives investigating replica objects with a Tudor costumed character. Quill pen, board game, lantern: sort the rich from the poor in our Tudor chest collection. This session especially supports skills of historical interpretation and organisation and communication as students examine replica objects and report back their findings.
Mondays and Fridays
10.45, 12.00, 13.30
1 hour
£90 plus admission
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Dressed for court
Students will enjoy a rare opportunity to handle and try on exquisite costume. Comparing and contrasting the clothing of rich and poor, students will find out about the rules and regulations that governed dress in Tudor England. This session especially supports skills of historical enquiry and organisation and communication as students examine replica clothes and report back their findings.
Monday to Friday
10.45, 12.00, 13.30
1 hour
£90 plus admission
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The Tower dig!
This fun, hands-on session gives students the unique opportunity to become archaeologists. Working with each other on a reconstructed dig, students will identify, record and classify a wide variety of finds – excavating and handling Roman, medieval, Tudor and Victorian artefacts. This session especially supports chronological understanding and skills of historical enquiry by unearthing artefacts from different periods and classifying the evidence.
Available:
1-4 December 2009
2-5 February 2010
29 June-2 July 2010
11.00, 13.30
1.5 hours
£100 plus admission
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Tudor music
Our music historian will introduce students to a range of Tudor music, from tunes that Henry VIII enjoyed, to entertainment for sailors aboard the Mary Rose. This is a rare chance for your students to hear Tudor tunes played on replica instruments. Students may have the chance to handle and play some of the instruments. This session especially supports knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past and appraisal skills by engaging with and comparing different music for rich and poor in Tudor times.
Fridays
10.45, 12.00, 13.30
1 hour
£90 plus admission
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Tragic Tudor tales
Students will choose between two tragic Tower stories: the fate of either Anne Boleyn or Lady Jane Grey. Your class will break into groups and workshop a 'scene' from the story. Once confident, students will perform their tale to Tower visitors on the very site where it happened! This session especially supports knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past and skills of communication through drama.
This session includes time spent exploring outdoor areas of the site - please encourage students to dress appropriately for the weather.
Available:
4-7 May 2010
11.00, 13.00
1.5 hours
£90 plus admission
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Tudor heraldry
Using the many examples of heraldry and coats of arms at the Tower, students will compare the Tudor and modern use of emblems to understand identity and symbolism within the Tudor court. Their investigations will include Henry VIII and his wives. Students will also design and make their own clay shields, which can be painted back at school. This session especially supports skills of historical interpretation and organisation and communication by analysing examples of Tudor heraldry before creating new versions.
Available:
29 September-2 October 2009
19-22 January 2010
22-25 June 2010
11.00, 13.30
1.5 hours
£90 plus admission
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Materials: mix and match
The White Tower needs careful treatment. In this session students will become conservators and help preserve the Norman fortress. They will make and test different mortar recipes to match the original medieval mortar used centuries ago. This hands-on workshop is an exciting opportunity to explore traditional craft skills and understand why they are still important today.
Available:
Tuesday to Thursday
11.00, 13.30
1 hour
£90 plus admission
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The White Tower rocks
The White Tower is made up of thousands of stones. Details of every one must be recorded during the conservation project. Pupils will help our geologists map out the walls of the fortress by comparing samples to identify the different types of rocks used in the White Tower.
Available:
Tuesday to Thursday
11.00, 13.30
1 hour
£90 plus admission
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Masons: medieval versus modern
The White Tower has seen many masons throughout its history. Are building conservators working in a very different way to their medieval counterparts? By examining tools, materials and images, pupils will be invited to explore the differences and similarities. This session especially supports awareness of building craft across different time periods through exposure to a wide range of objects and visual resources.
Available:
Tuesday to Thursday
11.00, 13.30
1 hour
£90 plus admission
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