At Middlesbrough Museums we offer a range of learning options and experiences for all ages and levels. From ancient Egyptians to Captain Cook we ensure accessible learning that’s curriculum relevant and interactive.

Start your learning journey with us today, choose from loan boxes, workshops, and arts awards there are many ways to get involved.

Unlock creativity with our full-day workshops, now featuring an Arts Award Discover or Explore add-on!

Some of our workshops can be offered as a full day visit with the add-on of an Arts Award Discover or Arts Award Explore.

Arts Award is a nationally recognised qualification certified by Trinity College London that boosts students’ mastery of art skills, helps them learn about local, national, and international artists and believe in their skills as a creative.

Dorman Museum’s Learning team are qualified Arts Award assessors and will deliver the learning and assessment of student portfolios.

Arts Award is also an excellent avenue for home educators to engage their children with art, history, and museum learning all the while earning a nationally recognised qualification. For more information please contact us.

Our schools loan boxes can be used to supplement your chosen topic of study with a hands-on, object-led experience inside your own classroom. Loan boxes contain a mixture of real and replica artefacts from the museum as well as ephemera, books, and costumes to bring your classroom learning to life.

Loan boxes are hired over a half-term period and must be collected from and returned to the Dorman Museum.

If you require a more detailed list of loan box contents, please contact us.

Explore our galleries and book supplementary materials to move at your own pace with a self-led visit for your school or home educated children.

Self-led visits can open up the exciting world of museums for our young people. Led at their own pace they can develop exploring skills, fact-finding and ignite their inquisitive nature. From fossils and Middlesbrough’s history to life in the Royal Navy during the 18th century, there’s so much to discover at the Dorman Museum and Captain Cook Birthplace Museum.

Self-led visits must be booked through the Learning Officer to maintain safe numbers within our galleries. Our Learning Team are keen to make your visit both entertaining and worthwhile and have developed the following bookable resources:

  • ‘Dorman Museum: Adventure in Time’ activity workbook. A full-colour 12-page activity book that chronicles the history of Middlesbrough and the Dorman Museum through puzzles, quizzes, riddles and drawing challenges inspired by our galleries.
  • Captain Cook Birthplace Museum’s Sensory Trolley: A wheel-along trolley designed for SEN children to engage with our galleries. Each gallery has a box with sensory materials and activity prompts for teachers and home educators to make the most of their visit.

Looking for somewhere to eat lunch during your self-led visit? Our Education Rooms at both Dorman Museum and Captain Cook Birthplace Museum are bookable for your visit. Please contact the Learning Officer for the most up to date cost of room hire.