LEADING MUSEUM AND LOCAL SCHOOLS LINK UP FOR INNOVATIVE NEW PROJECT

 ‘Cultural Entitlement Project’
comes to the
Weald & Downland Open Air Museum

The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton, near Chichester, West Sussex, has linked up with two Chichester schools as part of a nationwide project designed to increase pupils’ access to creative and cultural learning opportunities. The ‘Cultural Entitlement Project’ is sponsored locally by SEMLAC (South East Museum Library Archive Council) and runs until March next year. 

In an innovative programme, media studies students and staff from Chichester High School for Boys, and year 10 pupils from St. Anthony’s Special School will focus on a theme of ‘Active Citizenship’. Working with the Museum’s Schools Services Department, the pupils will work together to create short promotional films for the Museum. 

Jennie Peel, Schools Services Manager at the Museum commented, “We are delighted to be fully involved in this exciting project which not only enables pupils to explore their local heritage, but encourages active partnerships and co-operation between students from differing educational backgrounds in the Chichester area.”

England’s leading museum of historic buildings and traditional rural life, located on a magnificent site in the South Downs, provides an inspirational setting for the pupils to create their film, with ongoing support from the Museum’s staff. The pupils’ film will promote the diverse educational opportunities provided by the Museum’s rich heritage which covers all areas of the educational curriculum. 

The schools have already made some fact-finding visits to the Museum and are filming on Wednesday 16 November. The winning film will be made available to many local primary schools and will be posted for all to view on a new dedicated Museum Schools Services website. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The award-winning Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building exhibits and is designated by the Government for the outstanding importance of its collections. Exhibits include a medieval farmstead; a working watermill producing wholemeal stoneground flour; exhibitions focusing on traditional building techniques and agriculture; historic gardens, farm livestock and a working Tudor kitchen. The Museum runs a well-established programme of courses in building conservation and rural crafts.  There is a café which uses the Museum’s own flour and a shop with gifts and books on countryside and buildings themes.  The modern Downland Gridshell houses the Museum’s building conservation centre and artefact collection. There is a daily tour at 1.30pm when the Museum is open, and an appointments system for visits to the collections for research purposes.

NOTE TO EDITORS

For more information about the Cultural Entitlement Project contact Jennie Peel, Schools Services Manager on 01243 811028 or education@wealddown.co.uk.

Reporters and photographers are welcome at the Museum. For further information call the Museum information line on 01243 811348 or contact Cathy Clark, Marketing Officer

Tel: 01243 811014.
Fax: 01243 811475
Email: marketing@wealddown.co.uk.

Full details about the Museum and its activities can be found at www.wealddown.co.uk 

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