Museum Learning Basics

This course is now closed for bookings. Email us if you wish to be added to the waiting list for the next iteration of the course.

Course dates: Mondays 4, 11, 18, 25 March 2024 (3-4:30 pm)

This live virtual learning course provides practical examples of preparing and delivering museum learning progammes and is ideal for pre-career and early career museum professionals interested in delivering learning. Gain confidence in museum learning basics by sharing challenges and practical solutions with peers from other organisations and the course leader.

Who is it for?
This course is for pre-career and early career museum professionals, including:

  • students and early career professionals, trainees and apprentices;
  • museum professionals working outside of learning teams;
  • professionals working in archives, libraries, community centres and other cultural organisations. This course provides a great introduction to all aspects of museum learning;
  • refresher for museum learning professionals.

Museum Learning Basics course introduction video. A special thank you to Watts Gallery and Artists’ Village for providing the filming location. 

Who runs the course?

This five-week online course is run by Kara Wescombe Blackman, museum learning expert with over two decades of experience of working with collections, exhibitions and museums. With responsibility for learning, public programmes and visitor services for a number of prestigious museums in different settings, she has wide-ranging insights and practical experience to share, from engaging new audiences to creating new museum and learning spaces.

When & where is it?


This virtual course will take place over five weeks and will be run online through a series of virtual lectures. There will also be a possibility to engage with the recorded sessions afterwards.

Course Structure

Week 1 – An introduction to working in museum learning and developing a strategy

In this introductory session we explore the different roles and responsibilities you may encounter in your museum learning profession, from creating and delivering programmes to collections interpretation, audience research and visitor experience.

Discover how to access and use learning theory and policy to inform planning and learn about the importance of research and evaluation to ensure your programmes have clearly identifiable benefits you can promote to colleagues, trustees and external funders.

Week 2 – Schools, Families & Young People

Develop your awareness of how to create learning and outreach programmes including an understanding of SEND and the most successful way to promote and develop sustainable engagement.

Build your knowledge of how to develop programmes for early years, families and young people, from drop-in and pre-booked sessions to events and co-produced projects.

In this session we will also look at how to promote your programme including writing promotional copy and effective planning and how to write and implement a risk assessment and safeguarding policy that can be applied to all areas of your work.

Week 3 – Community programmes and life-long learning programmes

Learn about how to develop community programmes from outreach to co-produced exhibitions and events and the importance of partnership, including writing a partnership agreement.

From talks and tours to workshops, courses and drop-in events, consider different ways you can animate your public programme and generate income. In this session we will also look at how all the elements of the museum’s public work come together and how to create a programming template to aid internal communication.

Week 4 – Reflective practice

In this final session, we will summarise the key learnings from the course and reflect on our practice through group discussion. We will also discuss ways you can access further support and learning through GEM.

Course Fee:

£140 – GEM Members

£180– Non-members

Please note that a £30 fee applies if you cancel your booking.

 

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