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Royal School Manchester pupils were delighted by a recent visit from the Whitworth, as pieces from the museum were brought into the classroom. Pupils were able to get up-close and personal with each exhibit - the dinosaur foot pictured above proved to be hugely popular!

Lauren Mullarkey, a Learning Support Assistant at RSM, worked with staff from the Whitworth to create a learning experience which was hugely rewarding, motivating for our pupils, and tailored to their needs. As many of our pupils may need additional support to access museums and art galleries, the opportunity to interact with these objects from the museum collections in a familiar environment allowed them to explore each piece fully.

Being able to handle exhibits and explore the tactile dimension of each piece also makes for a fantastic learning tool, as pupils are able to explore a range of shape and textures. Amongst the exhibits brought to Seashell was the textile art of Michael Brennand-Wood, pictured below. After exploring each exhibit in turn, pupils then participated in an art project where they drew on their new knowledge of tactile art to create pieces inspired by Brennand-Wood's textiles.

Of the visit, Lauren said that it had been hugely beneficial for pupils to participate in the session. She added that she hopes to arrange for a visit to the Whitworth for RSM pupils in the future, and is working to ensure that pupils are able to access the learning opportunities each artefact or piece of artwork represents. Such classroom visits, though, which allow pupils to focus on what they can discover about each item, are an invaluable tool for the young people at Royal School Manchester, and they offer unique opportunities to learn about history and art.