Learning - Discovery Visit

Discovery Visit

Discovery visits provide schools and colleges with the opportunity for a self-guided tour of the Mary Rose Museum and Ship Hall.

Ten reasons to visit the Mary Rose

1. The Mary Rose is the only surviving Tudor warship in the world. She was the flagship of Henry VIII. Pupils can see the complex conservation process in action in the Ship Hall where the wreck is being sprayed around the clock with polyethylene glycol. Each pupil will be given an audio guide which provides a 12 minute commentary. There are versions for children and adults.

2. The Museum houses over 1000 genuine Tudor artefacts from the Mary Rose which offer a unique insight into life on 19 July 1545. There are many examples of everyday objects which would normally not have survived. In the ordinary course of events, items like shaving brushes, leather mittens and woollen socks would have been thrown out. Incredibly, wood, rope and textiles were preserved in the silt for 437 years.

3. The Museum offers a chance to bring the Tudor period alive. Pupils can touch real and replica artefacts; go inside the Barber-Surgeon's cabin and the diving bell; try on Tudor helmets and armour, draw a longbow, hear Tudor music, hoist up the sails and smell some Tudor smells! Costumed guides and volunteers are on hand to answer questions.

4. The Mary Rose provides an opportunity to study many aspects of the Tudor period including warfare, shipbuilding, cookery, medicine, clothing, navigation, pastimes and religious belief. The on-going conservation work provides opportunities for studying science in a real life context. The Mary Rose project provides an ideal platform for cross-curricular visits. For example, history/science or history/maths or history/creative arts.

5. For younger pupils, it is an ideal way in which to study contrasts between rich and poor in Tudor times. The collection includes possessions of high ranking officers as well as ordinary seamen. For example, it is easy to compare pewter and wooden bowls. Pupils can consider different jobs on board ship. Workshops offer additional opportunities for hands-on activities to enhance understanding.

6. Older students can be challenged to question common preconceptions about the Tudors. The evidence from the Mary Rose has transformed our understanding of many aspects including navigation, nutrition and religious practice. An 'off-the-peg' hypothesis testing exercise using the collection as primary evidence is available for KS3 Britain 1500-1750. A Level Study Days featuring a mixture of lectures and practical sessions can be arranged to support a range of subjects including Tudor History, Archaeology and Sciences.

7. The Mary Rose is committed to making the ship and her collection as accessible as possible. Both museum and ship hall are completely wheelchair accessible. For the visually impaired, audio descriptions, tactile pictures, large print information and handling materials are available. For visitors with hearing impairments, loops are installed in the ship hall and theatre and a transcript of the audio guide is available. For pupils with learning difficulties, we offer symbol-supported information and activities. Our Pupil Notes are translated into our local minority community languages: Bengali, Cantonese and Polish as well as French. Translations may be downloaded from the 'Resources' section of this site. Workshops are designed to be as inclusive as possible. We are very happy to tailor visits to meet your requirements. Please contact us to discuss your particular needs.

8. We provide a range of resources for teachers including preparatory notes for pupils in various languages, teachers’ notes, worksheets, post-visit ideas and outreach boxes. More information is provided under 'Outreach' and 'Resources.' Further materials may be purchased from the Mary Rose Shop.

9. Workshops focus on Tudor history, science and archaeology. For younger pupils, object handling, dressing-up, Tudor navigation and gun drill are available. For older pupils, practical evidence-based sessions encourage essential historical skills and laboratory work puts scientific principles in context.

10. The Mary Rose is an on-going project. New discoveries about the 25 000 artefacts found with the ship are coming to light all the time. The Conservation team is at the forefront of international work on the conservation of waterlogged material. The Learning team is committed to sharing these developments with visitors of all ages. Keep up to date on the 'News' section of the website.

Booking your Visit
To book your visit contact Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Group Bookings on 02392 839766.

If you have any queries or to discuss your individual requirements, contact us directly: education@maryrose.org (specify ‘school visit’ in the subject box) or 02392 812931.

Prices vary depending on the age of pupils and the programme you are booking.

Discovery visit KS1-4 £3.50 per pupil Discovery visit
Post-16 £4.25 per student
Workshops - most workshops cost £40 per class of up to 35 pupils.
Prices vary for A Level, postgraduate and KS3 Science workshops depending on the staff and resources required. Contact us directly to discuss your requirements.