Discovery Centres
The Discovery Centres
Our Discovery Centres, Discover Art, Discover History and Discover Nature offer unique and exciting learning experiences to people of all ages. They are the places to get your hands on some of the most unusual and fascinating items from the collections.
Discover Art
The purpose of these areas is to encourage pupils to explore, discover and question the world around us and to develop their skills of thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.
Discover History
Schools can book curriculum-based learning sessions delivered by our Demonstrators. During your 45 minute session your class has exclusive use of the Discovery Centre.
Teachers and supervising adults must stay with their pupils in the Discovery Centres.
Sessions available in each Centre are listed below.
Discover Nature
Discover Art Sessions
Discover Art is designed to help children learn about art through making things, creative play and experimentation. School sessions begin by focusing on one of the collection’s highlights for inspiration followed by an art-making workshop. For workshop themes see below.
The sessions are suitable for Key Stage 1 & 2 and are led by members of the discovery staff who are art specialists.
Session length: 45 mins Cost: £30.00
Discover Art Session Themes
Choose a theme at time of booking or let staff decide what will work best for your class considering age group and current exhibitions.
Session length 45 mins. Cost £30
Making Faces
A look at portraits followed by a collage or drawing workshop.
Still-life
Inspired by a Neil Shawcross watercolour draw and paint a watery still-life. (Until December 2011)
Matisse’s Sea and Sky
Exploring shapes and movement in Matisse’s wall-hangings le Mer and la Ciel then make cut-outs or prints. (Until 15 April 2012). Image caption, Henri Matisse.
Wrap up for Christmas
Make an unusual Christmas tree and explore colour, texture and form through twig wrapping. (November – December 2011)
Street Art
A session exploring some of the simple techniques used by street artists. (9 December 2011 – 4 March 2012)
Lavery’s Travels
A look at water and weather in Sir John Lavery’s landscapes followed by a collage or pastel workshop.
Exhibition Highlights 2011-2012
130th Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition
21 October – 20 November
Teachers Preview, Saturday 22 October
Schools’ Tours & Workshops Tuesdays and Thursdays To book RUA schools Programmes contact Mary McCaffrey 028 9032 0819 or email info@royalulsteracademy.org
The Queen: Art and Image
14 October 2011 – 15 January 2012
Paintings and photographs from the last 60 years including works by Lucien Freud and Andy Warhol.
Texaco Children's Art
17 November 2011- 8 January 2012
The 161 winning pictures from this year's Texaco competition
Image caption, Africa the Chimp
Andreas Bester Age 6
© Valero Energy (Ireland) Ltd
A Gift to the City
27 January to 15 April 2012
Paintings by Sir John Lavery spanning his whole artistic career.
Discover History Sessions
The aim of Discover History is to offer a unique learning experience for pupils by providing an opportunity to make connections between how people lived in the past and our lives today.
A diverse selection of artefacts from historical periods and world cultures will be available for pupils to investigate. Through the exploration of real objects pupils become aware of various skills that can be used to find out about the past and why history has a relevance to themselves.
Rather than focusing on one particular period, the pupils can engage in a range of fun activities introducing them to different types of historical evidence.
Key Stage1
This session provides an opportunity to let natural curiosity develop. Pupils will take part in a ‘History Hunt’ where they search the drawers, boxes and displays for key objects.
They can discover how people and places have changed over time by investigating the hands on displays, comparing lifestyles from the past and other cultures and listening to stories from around the world.
The session will conclude with a short overview of one of the following themes (teacher to select): Why can’t I wear flip flops at the North Pole? (How footwear is designed for different environments). Toy box (A selection of toys from long ago and the recent past).
Session Length: 45 mins Cost: £30
Key Stage 2
Pupils will participate in a number of engaging activities such as reconstructing a skull to determine the cause of death, investigating the similarities and differences between homes in the past, using maps and written evidence to locate the major Belfast industries in the Victorian period or experiencing the sensation of wearing chainmail. Time will also be available for pupils to make their own discoveries.
Session Length: 45mins Cost: £30
Discover Nature Sessions
Discover Nature encourages pupils of all ages to explore the wonders of our natural world. Through observation, handling and investigation using microscopes and binoculars, pupils will become more aware of what’s in their world both close to home and far away.
Through visiting Discover Nature, and talking with the Centre’s demonstrators, pupils will be made aware that they all have an active role in protecting our world and preserving it for future generations.
Don’t forget to bring your camera. There are lots of photographic opportunities especially with our full-sized Bengal tiger!
Foundation
Discover Nature activities for our younger visitors are designed to encourage observation and accurate recording. Each young scientist is given a clipboard with two sheets of simple activities.
The first has animals from Discover Nature, but what is missing from each? Simple drawing completes the picture. The second sheet has outlines of some of the beautiful butterflies from the drawers in Discover Nature.
These outlines must be filled with butterfly patterns as well as the proper colours. We are constantly surprised in Discover Nature by the ability, accuracy and enthusiasm of these younger visitors!
Session length: 45mins Cost: £30
Key Stage 1
Each pupil receives a Discover Nature booklet of curriculum -linked activities which encourage them to observe closely and record accurately.
They will work in small groups to investigate camouflage, determine the differences between insects and spiders, look at animals from our town and countryside and handle some of the biggest teeth in the world.
The completed booklet can be taken back to school and used for further work. The activities are designed so that the pupils will also have some free exploration time to look at the contents of the drawers, examine minibeasts under the microscope as well as handling mammals, reptiles, fossils, crystals and shells.
Session Length: 45 mins Cost: £30
Key Stage 2
Wow! is what we hear most often in Discover Nature!
Key stage 2 activities consolidate classroom learning about the natural world.
However, it is not simple revision, the activity booklet given to each pupil requires them to use their thinking skills to make links between what they have learnt in the classroom, what they observe in Discover Nature and what happens in the real world.
At every stage the pupils are encouraged to work in small groups and to handle and touch all the specimens.
Do you think they could name a collection of weird invertebrates? All they need is a really good key!
Session length: 45mins Cost: £30