Thanks to the Association of Independent Museums ‘Tackling Inequalities Hallmarks Grant Award’ supported by Arts Council England, we were able to develop and launch ‘Breaking out of the Museum’, a new outreach programme bringing the Powell-Cotton Museum into the classroom.

This exciting year-long project kick-started a sustainable, long-term outreach programme for the Museum. Bringing cultural heritage into the classroom is more important than ever. As schools continue their amazing work under difficult circumstances, we will support children’s learning. Taking our passion for discussing the past from multiple points of view, these resources will not only feed into the National Curriculum but also provide age-appropriate and thoughtful ways for children to think critically about the world around them.

The grant funded two projects; ‘What’s in the Box?’ and ‘World on our Doorstep’.   Between April 2021 and July 2022 the loans box service reached over 750 pupils.

What’s in the Box?

This resource offers KS1-2 pupils the use of a museum loans box, including objects, activities, and curriculum links, as well as a virtual session with one of the Museum’s Learning and Engagement Officers.

We have two loans boxes: Natural History and Trading Textiles. Each box contains real museum objects, a teacher’s guide, and suggested learning activities, and is linked to the National Curriculum.  The Natural History loans box offers a unique hook into Animals and their Habitats, Adaptation and Teeth. The Trading Textiles loans box introduces designing and printing textiles that tell stories. It looks at the history of Kente, Adinkra and Kanga textiles from Africa, and the techniques and symbolism used to produce them. 

‘World on our Doorstep’

The unit of work, suitable for KS2 children, uses the life and collections of the Powell-Cotton family to support learning about the British Empire, colonialism, local history, and how ideas and attitudes of the past impact us today.  We created this resource in collaboration with Ramsgate Arts Primary School.  A series of meetings, testing resources, and gathering feedback ensured this product met the needs of teachers and children. Nick Budge, Headteacher said:  

The World on our Doorstep topic really helps to diversify the history curriculum. The content is easy to use and the objects in the loans box bring it to life, as well as visiting the museum. The topic enabled our children to talk about colonisation and discuss if it was a good or bad thing and form their own opinions.

This approach has led to sustained engagement, which has benefited both parties, and we are looking forward to working together on more projects in the future.

 

Project Team

Catriona West

Director

The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens

Emma-Jayne Hamlington

Learning and Engagement Officer

The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens

Fiona Moore

former Learning and Engagement Officer

The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens

Dr Inbal Livne

former Head of Collections

The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens

You may also be interested in

Loan Boxes

What's in the Box? We are excited to offer our new loan boxes to primary and secondary schools in the local area.

Learning

We have an exciting and engaging learning programme for schools and home educators. Teachers, parents and students, we are here to help enrich your learning experience.

Collections

The majority of the Museum's collections originate from the African and Asian continents. This includes over 20,000 world-culture objects, 6500 mammal specimens, and fine and decorative arts.

@powellcottonmuseum
We continue to celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth with our Female of the Species tours every weekend throughout March. Embark on a journey of empowerment and discovery with our female-focused tour, where you'll uncover the surprising pursuit of women as hunters and collectors as well as learning about the artisans that created our newest collection, Nambian Narratives. Tours are included with your standard admission ticket.

#WomensHistoryMonth #InternationalWomensDay #Learning #ReimaginingTheMuseum #MuseumMaker 

@visitkent @visitthanet @kentattractions

We continue to celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth with our Female of the Species tours every weekend throughout March. Embark on a journey of empowerment and discovery with our female-focused tour, where you`ll uncover the surprising pursuit of women as hunters and collectors as well as learning about the artisans that created our newest collection, Nambian Narratives. Tours are included with your standard admission ticket.

#WomensHistoryMonth #InternationalWomensDay #Learning #ReimaginingTheMuseum #MuseumMaker

@visitkent @visitthanet @kentattractions
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As part of the Sunshine project members of the garden team recently took part in a clay workshop led by Jayne Wright @ThanetTilesOfJoy and our resident artist, Julia Ellen-Lancaster. 

Starting with identical balls of clay each person created an individual tile inspired by things which brought them joy. The result is a set of tiles which are different from each other. Participants discovered ways to sculpt and mould their designs with inspiration from the garden as well as personal flights of fancy!

Discover these incredible works from our talented team at our open days from Saturday 2nd March to Sunday 1st April. 

@visitkent @visitthanet @ketnattractions 
#Learning #QuexGardens #ReimaginingTheMuseum 
 
The #SunshineProject receives a grant from AIM Connected Communities. AIM Connected Communities is funded by the DCMS Know Your Neighbourhood Fund through Arts Council England. @Aimuseums, @dcmsgovuk and @aceagrams

As part of the Sunshine project members of the garden team recently took part in a clay workshop led by Jayne Wright @ThanetTilesOfJoy and our resident artist, Julia Ellen-Lancaster.

Starting with identical balls of clay each person created an individual tile inspired by things which brought them joy. The result is a set of tiles which are different from each other. Participants discovered ways to sculpt and mould their designs with inspiration from the garden as well as personal flights of fancy!

Discover these incredible works from our talented team at our open days from Saturday 2nd March to Sunday 1st April.

@visitkent @visitthanet @ketnattractions
#Learning #QuexGardens #ReimaginingTheMuseum

The #SunshineProject receives a grant from AIM Connected Communities. AIM Connected Communities is funded by the DCMS Know Your Neighbourhood Fund through Arts Council England. @Aimuseums, @dcmsgovuk and @aceagrams
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Don't miss our beautiful new spring product range here at the museum. Spring into the gift shop to browse the collection that includes everything from budget friendly bugs to gorgeous china gifts. 

We have to say, these Gem Bugs really are very cute! Which items do you most like the look of? 

#ReimaginingtheMuseum #Learning #Kentgiftshop #Museumgiftshop #PowellCottonMuseum #QuexHouseandGardens 

@visitkent @kentattractions @visitthanet

Don`t miss our beautiful new spring product range here at the museum. Spring into the gift shop to browse the collection that includes everything from budget friendly bugs to gorgeous china gifts.

We have to say, these Gem Bugs really are very cute! Which items do you most like the look of?

#ReimaginingtheMuseum #Learning #Kentgiftshop #Museumgiftshop #PowellCottonMuseum #QuexHouseandGardens

@visitkent @kentattractions @visitthanet
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It's #InternationalLEGODay and we're excited to announce a special event here at the museum happening on Father's Day weekend in June. 

Come and visit us on either Saturday 15th or Sunday 16th June and in addition to exploring the museum and gardens, you can also take part in LEGO® workshops which involve creating LEGO® Dot mosaics and taking on fun LEGO® speed building challenges. There'll also be a range of Bricktacular models on display! 

This is the perfect family activity for a unique and special Father's Day - head to the website to book your LEGO® experience today! Pre-booking essential. 

https://powell-cottonmuseum.org/.../bricktacular-adventures/

@visitkent @visitthanet @kentattractions @TheBRICKPeopleLtd #ReimaginingtheMuseum #PowellCottonMuseum #KentMuseums

It`s #InternationalLEGODay and we`re excited to announce a special event here at the museum happening on Father`s Day weekend in June.

Come and visit us on either Saturday 15th or Sunday 16th June and in addition to exploring the museum and gardens, you can also take part in LEGO® workshops which involve creating LEGO® Dot mosaics and taking on fun LEGO® speed building challenges. There`ll also be a range of Bricktacular models on display!

This is the perfect family activity for a unique and special Father`s Day - head to the website to book your LEGO® experience today! Pre-booking essential.

https://powell-cottonmuseum.org/.../bricktacular-adventures/

@visitkent @visitthanet @kentattractions @TheBRICKPeopleLtd #ReimaginingtheMuseum #PowellCottonMuseum #KentMuseums
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This week our artist in residence @juliaellenlancaster_ceramics, has been working with local groups as part of the exciting community outreach initiative - The Sunshine Project. 

Here we can see Julia teaching the group how to make leaf imprints into the clay as they prepare sculptures for the Spring into the Museum Tree Trail. Look out for the faces in the trees as you discover the trees of #Quexgardens during our Spring into the Museum event next month! 

#Behindthescenes #ReimaginingtheMuseum #QuexGardens #Sunshineproject #Learning #thanetcommunity 

@visitkent @visitthanet @kentattractions

The Sunshine Project is in receipt of a grant from AIM Connected Communities. AIM Connected Communities is funded by the DCMS Know Your Neighbourhood Fund through Arts Council England.
@Aimuseums, @dcmsgovuk and @aceagrams

https://aim-museums.co.uk/connected-communities-marketing-guidelines/

This week our artist in residence @juliaellenlancaster_ceramics, has been working with local groups as part of the exciting community outreach initiative - The Sunshine Project.

Here we can see Julia teaching the group how to make leaf imprints into the clay as they prepare sculptures for the Spring into the Museum Tree Trail. Look out for the faces in the trees as you discover the trees of #Quexgardens during our Spring into the Museum event next month!

#Behindthescenes #ReimaginingtheMuseum #QuexGardens #Sunshineproject #Learning #thanetcommunity

@visitkent @visitthanet @kentattractions

The Sunshine Project is in receipt of a grant from AIM Connected Communities. AIM Connected Communities is funded by the DCMS Know Your Neighbourhood Fund through Arts Council England.
@Aimuseums, @dcmsgovuk and @aceagrams

https://aim-museums.co.uk/connected-communities-marketing-guidelines/
...

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Museum Close Up:

On his visit to China during his World trip, Percy took great interest in the manufacturing of silk. He brought home a quantity of silk fabric and some Chinese robes decorated with embroidery. (We believe that the embroideries in the Oriental Drawing Room came from these robes. We know they were originally sewn onto silk fabric, which deteriorated over the years and was replaced with the current material on display.) 

The stunning images on the embroideries include typical Chinese subjects - dragons, waves, clouds, insects, birds and flowers in rich gold, green, blue and orange colours.

#kentmuseums #museumcloseup #reimaginingthemuseum #powellcottonmuseum #visitkent #visitthanet

Museum Close Up:

On his visit to China during his World trip, Percy took great interest in the manufacturing of silk. He brought home a quantity of silk fabric and some Chinese robes decorated with embroidery. (We believe that the embroideries in the Oriental Drawing Room came from these robes. We know they were originally sewn onto silk fabric, which deteriorated over the years and was replaced with the current material on display.)

The stunning images on the embroideries include typical Chinese subjects - dragons, waves, clouds, insects, birds and flowers in rich gold, green, blue and orange colours.

#kentmuseums #museumcloseup #reimaginingthemuseum #powellcottonmuseum #visitkent #visitthanet
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A photograph from the archives...Percy Powell-Cotton enjoying the winter snow in Quex Gardens. 

#museumskent #powellcottonmuseum #quexhouseandgardens #visitkent #reimaginingthemuseum #fromthearchives #behindthescenes

A photograph from the archives...Percy Powell-Cotton enjoying the winter snow in Quex Gardens.

#museumskent #powellcottonmuseum #quexhouseandgardens #visitkent #reimaginingthemuseum #fromthearchives #behindthescenes
...

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