Digital museums events for schools at Norwich Castle

Norwich Castle Virtual museums events for schools 468 x 263

It's not always possible to make it to the museum so why not book a digital museum event? Let us bring learning to life to inspire your pupils with one of our digital events. Each event offers one or more films exploring the topic and includes curriculum-relevant information along with museum-specific content. We hope you enjoy them!

Meet costumed characters, explore objects from our collections, join in with historical discussions and debates, and take a peek into the museum from your classroom! For £40 per event (unless otherwise stated), you and your students can watch your chosen film(s) in the classroom throughout the school year. These events are fully pre-recorded.

Each event includes:

One or more videos on your selected topic
Teachers' pack to support the video(s), including video overviews and transcriptions, suggested lesson plans and cross-curricular activities

Digital events

KS1 Digital Life in a Castle

It's the 13th century and the Castle is undergoing exciting renovations! The residents of the Castle are preparing for a large tournament that will be held to celebrate the building reopening. This option includes four videos with costumed characters: introductory and plenary films, a storytelling session, and a film looking at period objects and at what life was like in a medieval castle. The films feature talking points for discussion with your class.

KS1 and 2 Digital The Journey of Chocolate

Find out about the story of chocolate and chocolate production from the Maya all the way to the sweet factories of Norwich in the 20th century. This package includes a stop-motion animation as well as a video in which our intrepid time-traveller explores the history of chocolate with help from a few friends - including a 16th century privateer!

KS2 Digital Ancient Egypt: Discovery and Debate

A 19th-century archaeologist has uncovered the tomb of the High Priest Ankh Hor and wants to share their exciting finds with the world. However, not everyone feels that uncovering the treasured tombs of the dead is such a good idea. This option includes two films. You'll meet the archaeologist, who'll show you Egyptian objects from 3,000 years ago, and a modern-day conservator, who'll take you through the process of mummification and reveal what life was like in Ancient Egypt. You'll also be able to see a brand-new stop-motion animation created especially for this digital event. There'll be talking points for your class to discuss and debate during the films.

KS2 Digital Romans and Iceni: Culture Clash

It is AD80, around 20 years after Boudica's revolt, and the Romans have taken control of Norfolk. The original settlers, the Iceni, feel they have suffered terribly at the hands of the Romans and that the Iceni way of life has been forever changed. Meet Roman and Iceni characters to learn about the conflict and their contrasting cultures. This option includes three films, in which you'll meet a Roman soldier, a Roman citizen and a member of the Iceni tribe. Explore Roman weapons, armour, and other objects, and uncover Iceni treasures of the museum. There'll be talking points for your class to discuss and debate during the films. Whose side are you on

KS2 Digital Anglo-Saxons and Vikings: Uncovering the Past

Find out what life in Norfolk was like over 1,000 years ago by uncovering what the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings left behind. There'll be talking points for your class to discuss and debate during the films. This option includes two brand new videos (storytelling and a look at the Castle's Anglo-Saxon and Viking gallery) alongside the Visit from a Viking Trader film.

KS3 Digital Storming the Castle - with Bafflements Games

Travel back to 1216 as Norwich Castle prepares for an attack by Prince Louis of France! Help Hubert de Burgh, the Castle's constable, to calculate how many weapons and how much armour he will need for the defenders. Help his wife work out how long the Castle's water will last in the event of a siege. With Sir Piers de Necton, a supporter of Prince Louis, work out the scale of the Castle. Meet Blanche of Castile, Prince Louis's wife, and work out how much money each side is going to spend either defending or attacking the Castle.

This event is free if your school visited for the on-site Storming the Castle event between September 2017 and September 2021 (or booked and had the visit cancelled due to coronavirus), thanks to funding from Norwich Castle: Royal Palace Reborn's National Heritage Lottery Fund and other sponsors.

KS4 Digital Medicine

Discover medical breakthroughs of the Medieval, Renaissance, Industrial and Modern eras. Compare and contrast the Black Death and the 1665 plague with a 17^th-century plague doctor, re-enact an amputation with an Industrial surgeon and meet a modern-day GP. This event is free (otherwise £40) if your school visited for the on-site Medicine event between September 2017 and September 2021 (or had the visit cancelled due to coronavirus), thanks to Move IT On funding from Festival Bridge.

KS4 Digital Anglo-Saxon and Norman England

Improve and expand understanding of Anglo-Saxon and Norman England. Sir Stephen, a Norman knight, describes how and explains why the Normans won the battle of Hastings, while Esme, a local Anglo-Saxon, reveals the stories of those who rebelled against the new Norman overlords. This event is free (otherwise £40) if your school visited for the on-site Anglo-Saxon and Norman England event between September 2017 and September 2021 (or had the visit cancelled due to coronavirus), thanks to Move IT On funding from Festival Bridge.

KS4 Digital Crime and Punishment

Bring Crime and Punishment to life by analysing objects that were used to punish criminals from the Medieval era to the 19^th century, and taking a virtual tour of the Castle's former gaol and prison buildings, including the prisoners' tunnel and locations of executions and burials. This event is free (otherwise £40) if your school visited for the on-site KS4 Crime and Punishment event between September 2017 and September 2021 (or had the visit cancelled due to coronavirus), thanks to Move IT On funding from Festival Bridge.

KS4 Digital Historic Environment - Free event

Improve and expand your understanding of Norwich Castle as a historical site. This option includes the following films: Museum Highlights tour, Castle Keep tour, and a Gaol, Prison Buildings and Prisoners' Tunnel tour. You can find resources and supporting information on our website. This event is free thanks to Moving IT On funding from Festival Bridge.

Information, enquiries and bookings

If you'd like to book one of our digital events, please call 01603 493636 or email norwichcastle.bookings@norfolk.gov.uk, and have the following information to hand:

The name and postcode of your school
The number of students you'd like to participate
Their year group(s)
The event you'd like.

Once you book, you'll be sent link(s) which will give you access to the film(s) for the school year. You'll also receive a teachers' pack with additional information, including a guide to the film(s). You can also find free resources for many of our events on our website.

We'll send you an invoice or request the payment by journal transfer. Please note that once you've received the link(s), the charge is non-refundable. We'd ask that you don't share the link(s) with anyone else.