Technology / Engineering

Technology / Engineering

Technology and Engineering combine the art of Design with the problem solving and understanding of the Sciences. Until specialism takes place late in students' school careers it is rarely taught as a separate subject, instead being wrapped up with its core subjects of Design and Science. However as the topic which results in moving machinery it is perfect for demonstrations, practical workshops and, of course, visits.

The places which schools take trips to immerse themselves in the world of technology typically concentrate on how the modern world is developing and so may feature computers, new technologies such as wind farms and recycling, and their environmental impact, plus

But of course there is a wide range of museums which celebrate how technology has developed over the years, particularly since the Industrial Revolution. 

Many of the venues offer the possibility of practical workshops which allow students to create their own versions of the exhibits they have seen and discussed. All of these also present plenty of opportunity to deliver aspects of the curriculum such as PSHE, Politics, History and Citizenship alongside the core aim of Technology.

 

Main organisations:

Design and Technology Association (DATA)

NAACE

​National STEM Centre

Primary Engineer

Inclusion: NASEN

 

Thought of visiting?

Science Museum

The Museum of Technology, Peterborough

The Wellcome Collection, Euston

The RAF Museum, Cosford

Horniman Museum, London

Museum of Army Flying, Stockbridge

The Look Out Discovery Centre, Bracknell

ThinkTank, Birmingham

Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester

 

For a complete list of venues and providers who deliver specialist courses and activities for this subject see below:

Charles Burrell Museum

Venue Type: 
Museums
Overall Rating: 
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This museum, housed in Burrells original paint shop, tells the story of the Charles Burrell Works – a Thetford business that once employed 350 people and supplied beautiful and reliable steam-powered engines throughout the world.  

Burrells built traction engines, agricultural machinery, steam trucks wagons and tram engines, thriving until the internal combustion engine took over from steam power. 

Displays include fine engines and agricultural machinery alongside recreations of parts of the original

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Discovery Museum

Venue Type: 
Museums
Overall Rating: 
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Discovery Museum is a science museum and local history museum which displays many exhibits of local history, including 

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Levant Mine and Beam Engine

Unique steam-powered Cornish beam engine in action
Venue Type: 
Science & Technology
Overall Rating: 
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Part of Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site, this is the only Cornish beam engine anywhere in the world that is still in steam on its original mine site.

The famous Levant engine is housed in a small engine house perched on the edge of the cliffs.

Restored after 60 idle years by a group of volunteers known as the 'Greasy Gang', it is a thrilling experience for young and old alike to see this old engine in action, with its evocative sounds and smells.

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Finch Forge and Foundry

The last working water-powered forge in England
Venue Type: 
Science & Technology
Overall Rating: 
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The last working water-powered forge in the country nestles in the middle of Sticklepath village on the edge of Dartmoor, near Okehampton. During lively demonstrations see and hear the large water wheel and tilt hammers in action. Demonstrations of the machinery every hour. 

Discover life as an apprentice at the Foundry in the upper gallery and try and guess what all the different tools were used for in the Carpenters shop. Take a peek at Tom Pearse’s summerhouse of Widecombe Fair fame (learn the rhyme too!). 
Shop and tearoom.

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Oxford Bus and Morris Motors Museums

Venue Type: 
Transport
Overall Rating: 
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All aboard! See how engines work; what buses are made of; go aboard some; see old tickets and uniforms once used. View the workshop and on special days ride on a vintage bus. Morris Museum: see a 1970s police car; 1920s Bullnose Morris and a Mini in the original style.

The Museum has c40 vehicles on show, some of which you can go aboard and on the first Sunday of each month (Apr to Oct), most Bank Holidays and on special event days take a Free Bus Ride (see website).

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Denny Abbey and the Farmland Museum

Venue Type: 
Religious Buildings
Overall Rating: 
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Denny Abbey has a unique and fascinating history. 

Founded in 1159 as a Benedictine monastery, it then became a retirement home for elderly Knights Templars. After the Templars’ suppression for alleged heresy in 1308, it became a convent of Franciscan nuns before becoming a farm from 1539 and the dissolution of the monasteries, until the 1960s. 

All these changes are still traceable in the building and are interpreted for visitors by graphic panels illustrated by local artist Anne Biggs. 

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Paycocke's House and Garden

A stunning Tudor merchant's house whose walls have more than a few stories to tell
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
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Stunning woodcarving and elaborate panelling made this wealthy merchant's house a medieval des res built to impress.

Built around 1500 for Thomas Paycocke, the house is a grand example of the wealth generated in East Anglia by the cloth trade in the 16th century.

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Legoland Discovery Centre Berlin

Venue Type: 
Themed Attractions
Overall Rating: 
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LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Berlin - it's like you've just jumped into the biggest box of LEGO®bricks ever!

 

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Quainton Windmill

Visit the tallest windmill in the South East of England, built in the early 1800s
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
0

Quainton Windmill is a great place for kids to learn about the history of windmills and this one in particular.

It was originally restored in the 1970s but is currently undergoing further restoration at the moment, (which means the sails have been removed)but it is still an interesting place to visit.

There are six floors to explore, each with something different to learn about from the knowledgeable and friendly volunteers.

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Dolaucothi Gold Mines

Gold mines in use from Roman times to the 20th Century
Venue Type: 
Science & Technology
Overall Rating: 
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These unique gold mines are set amid wooded hillsides overlooking the beautiful Cothi Valley.

2,000 years ago, the powerful Romans left behind a glimpse of gold-mining methods. The harsh mining environment continued in the 19th and 20th centuries, ending in 1938.

Guided tours take you back to experience the conditions of the Roman, Victorian and 1930s underground workings.

See and hear the 1930s mine and mine machinery. Have a go at gold panning and take the opportunity to experience the frustrations of searching for real gold.

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