Thinking caps on for Thinktank - 14/09/2009

In the first feature of our brand new series focusing on venues which have been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, we explore Thinktank’s education programme, to find out what the Birmingham Science Museum can offer to visiting school groups.

The Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge is a national accreditation developed by The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom. Assisting educational organisers in identifying venues which deliver quality teaching and learning experiences, Quality Badge holders have been recognised as operating in a healthy and safe environment, taking account of user needs, emphasising learning/skills outcomes, and offering ‘exactly what it says on the tin’.

Destination Thinktank

In February 2009, Thinktank was one of the first organisations in the country to be awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, recognising it as a provider of quality, safely-managed educational experiences for young people.

Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, is a fun and fascinating destination for school groups. From steam engines to intestines, this exciting museum is home to over 200 hands-on displays on science and technology, promising to inspire and educate school children of all ages.

Thinktank is a truly modern museum offering ten galleries of historical artefacts and interactive exhibits. Each of Thinktank's exhibition galleries is relevant to specific areas of the National Curriculum, which allows teachers to specifically tailor each school visit to their group's requirements. A visit to the museum’s galleries will give pupils the chance to journey through Birmingham's past, explore how scientific discoveries and technological innovations impact on everyday life, and anticipate the future of artificial intelligence and space exploration.

This educational venue inspires children from Foundation Stage right through to AS/A2 students. All learning styles are catered for in an environment that really excites young minds. As well as exploring the exhibits, Thinktank offers a wide variety of educational activities and programmes to support the themes explored throughout the museum.