Our hit foundation course is back! Museum Learning explores a variety of topics in the field, from access and inclusion to interpretation, from management to evaluation, interrogating different ideas and approaches to help you develop your skills and understanding. Since the course first opened in 2015, participants have discovered new direction, succeeded in finding employment, produced exciting projects, and made change in their organisations. Open discussion of challenges and solutions, practical training, and in-depth case studies will equip you with the tools to be an outstanding educator, and learner, and get your career off to the best possible start.

What will I gain?
The course will provide you with opportunities to develop, practise and demonstrate the basic skills and knowledge needed to be a heritage educator.  Six days of formal training, site visits and activities will guide you towards completing a work-based assignment that will benefit not only you but your organisation too.  You’ll be supported by an experienced course director, a group of like-minded peers, and a professional mentor within the sector.

What is it about?
The following elements will be covered on the course:
• The context for museum learning today
• Museum learning theory
• Methods of using museum collections and historic sites for learning
• Best practice approaches to museum learning
• Access and inclusion
• Understanding different interpretations and voices in museum learning
• Programming for different audiences
• Managing and evaluating projects
• Working with peers and teams
• Careers and continuing professional development

“I have managed to put so many of the great ideas the course gave me into action and lots more to come over the next few months.”

Who is it for?
GEM’s foundation course is intended for those in their first year or so of their museum education career; or for those working in a different part of the heritage sector but wishing to take up an education position.  Since it is a work-based course, it is a requirement that applicants should be working or volunteering in the heritage sector.

When & where is it?
The course is spread over a four-month period from November 2019 to January 2020. There are six full days of seminars, workshops and site visits, and participants then complete a work-based assignment, which should be completed a month after the last on-site course day.

Participants should be able to attend the following on-site course days in London:
11 November 2019, The Postal Musum
12 November 2019, Sutton House
9 December 2019, Royal Museums Greenwich
10 December 2019, Museum of London
13 January 2020, London Canal Museum
14 January 2020, National Army Museum

“I really enjoyed the range of site visits, it was great to see how many different styles of learning there are in just one city’s worth of museums.”

Course fee?
The course fee is £650 per participant.

Who runs the course?
Pete Brown, the course director, is a museum learning professional with over 20 years’ experience, including responsibility for CPD and organisational development at senior management level and for devising and running training courses for learning, curatorial and visitor services staff.

Do you wonder if this course is for you?  Our course director, Pete Brown, tells us a little bit more about the course and who it’s for. 

How do I apply?
You need to be a personal member of GEM to attend the course. However, you can join GEM by submitting a membership application form along with a course application form.

Organisations that are institutional GEM members can receive complementary personal memberships for up to two employees or volunteers that attend the course.

Please read our FAQs before filling in and sending your course application form.

Have a question?  Call us on 01634 816280 or email [email protected].

“A very good course – inspiring, interesting & covering all important areas for someone new to museum learning work.”