Scotland at the time of Mary, Queen of Scots

An audience with the Queen - meet Mary, Queen of Scots and find out what life was like at her Court. Listen to music that Mary enjoyed and find out what Mary liked to eat.

Edinburgh Castle – pupil and teacher comments

Meeting the Queen in the Great Hall and being taught how to bow and curtsy was just the start of a great day. The children loved it and learnt a lot too.

I enjoyed the dancing – it wasn’t like we dance today. The music was quite nice. I thought Mary looked lovely in her dress.

Scotland at the time of Robert Burns

Meet "Bonnie Jean", the wife of Robert Burns, and discover what life was like in Scotland at that time and what it was like to live with Robert, the bard of Scotland. Find out how Jean manages now that she is a widow.

TundergarthPrimary School:

Mrs Burns was excellent and I'm sure the life of Robert Burns will mean a great deal more to them now.

Here is Miss Levack, the Victorian school teacher. Learn what it was like to be a child at school in Victorian times. Use a slate to practice your writing before using the pen and ink.

Primary 7 pupil at a NLS school session

"Thanks to Miss Levack for teaching us how it would have been.  You must have made a lot of effort preparing all that for us...I hope you can give this great experience to other children the way you presented it to us."

Sighthill Primary, Glasgow:

This workshop reinforced many of the ideas taught in the classroom but in a more relevant context. It also gave the children the experience of working on the slates and with pen and ink.

Here is Maggie, the maidservant, hard at work in the kitchen. Find out what life was like “below stairs”. Learn how to set the table and fold napkins for the table of the master and mistress of the house. Handle Victorian kitchen equipment.

Dunscore Primary, Dunscore, Dumfriesshire:

Excellent resource to support Environmental Studies topic – meets targets of 5-14. A most enjoyable afternoon and pupils used their experience after the visit to write letters to friends telling them about their ‘new job in the big house’.

Eastriggs Community School, Eastriggs, near Annan:

Practical experience; super to see continual reinforcement of names / jobs of articles throughout the session. Kept the children involved at all times

Meet Maggie as she prepares the house where she works for Christmas. Find out what the Victorians liked to eat for Christmas and how they liked to help the poor at Christmas time. If you are good, there should be time for parlour games and carols.

St Xavier’s Primary School, Dunaskin, Ayrshire:

Very relevant ……this motivated the children.

Netherthird Primary School, Kilmarnock:

Good contrast to modern day Christmas. A super workshop, the children really enjoyed it – especially handling Victorian objects that children would have got as presents.

Meet Mrs Gladys Scott.  While her husband, John, faces the enemy in North Africa and the Mediterranean, Gladys learns to deal with life on her own, coping with rationing and the new duties she must do as an ARP Warden.

Laurieknowe Primary School, Dumfries – Gladys, the housewife:

It brings it to life for the children – a living, breathing snapshot from the period of history they’re studying.

NMS Museum of Flight: Gladys, the ARP Warden – pupil and teacher comments:

That was great fun – I liked trying on the warden’s hat.
The children enjoyed the aeroplane identification activity and learning the gas mask drill. There’s nothing like living history.

Meet Miss Moffat, a teacher with a reputation for strictness, as she prepares your class for evacuation to the country on the eve of World War II. Check you've got your gas masks; you're going to need them!

Canna Primary School, Isle of Canna:

This was absolutely brilliant. The children were fascinated.

St. Margaret’s of Scotland Primary School, Cumbernauld:

Our Primary 7 pupils had the most wonderful experience. They were talking about it for days. The staff thought that the whole experience was excellent and very well managed.

Meet Sadie and learn what life was like when Gran was a girl and washing took all day. Wash a duster on the washboard and then put it through the wringer. Clean the carpet with the beater. Learn some of the songs and games of a bygone era.

Glenfield Community Nursery, Paisley:

The children thoroughly enjoyed the workshop, especially the hand-on experience of washing and carpet beating. They also loved the songs.

Barmulloch Primary School, Glasgow

Excellent – this helped to bring theory to life….and was pitched to an appropriate level for the pupils.

Bankhead Primary School, Glasgow (P2 pupil comments)

Thank you for visiting us yesterday – my favourite thing was the washing and using the wringer.

I liked doing the rhymes with you.