School Trips to Chiltern Open Air Museum

Dive into the past and spark curiosity with a school trip to Chiltern Open Air Museum. Our unique, immersive learning workshops allow students to step back in time and experience history first-hand.  

Our award winning, cross-curricula learning programme is aligned with the National Curriculum and EYFS Framework, covering a range of subjects including History, Science, Geography, Art and Citizenship.

Our hands-on activities and expert-led workshops encourage critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. From an Iron Age roundhouse to a historic farm, our collection of preserved buildings offers a physical connection to the past.  

Book your school trip today and provide your students with an unforgettable educational experience at Chiltern Open Air Museum – where history comes to life! 

Explore Our Themed Days for School Visits

How does a School Visit Work?

Arrive with your group at 10am, at the Museum entrance, where you will be met by a member of our Learning Team.

After a short safety briefing, you will be taken to your allocated lunch venue, where you will be able to leave your packed lunches.

Next, you will make your way to your first workshop or independently explore the Museum.

A short lunchbreak is then planned when you will have time to have lunch and enjoy our exciting new adventure playground.

After lunch, you will have another workshop, or more time to independently explore the Museum, before leaving us by 2.30pm.

More information and tips about school visits to Chiltern Open Air Museum can be found below.

Explore Our Themed Days By Age Group

Paying for a School Visit

For confirmed school visits, you will be invoiced. Unfortunately we are unable to take card payments for school visits.

We do not charge VAT for school visits.

Booking a School Visit

The best way to book a school visit is to fill in the enquiry form below.

Alternatively, you can contact us by email at learningteam@coam.org.uk or by phone on 01494 875 542.

We advise that you provide three preferred dates for your visit in order that we can check availability. Please also let us know how many students, the age of students and your preferred Theme Day.

Bursaries

Welcome to Chiltern Open Air Museum Sign

Thanks to some generous donations, we are able to offer bursaries to eligible schools.

Travel Bursary

If your school has a relatively high number of students receiving pupil premium (25% or greater), you can apply for a travel bursary of up to £500 to fund the cost of transport to and from the Museum. We measure pupil premium using the Pupil premium: allocations and conditions of grant data available on the government website.

SEND Bursary

If your school is primarily focused on SEND, is a Pupil Referral Unit or Hospital School, you can apply for a bursary to cover the cost of your chosen activities.

Local School Bursary

If your school is local to COAM, you can apply for a bursary to cover the cost of your chosen activities.  

If your school doesn’t meet any of the criteria above, but you feel there is a good case for receiving a bursary, please contact us to discuss further.  

Funding is limited and bursaries are therefore awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please mention your interest in a bursary at the time of booking. If you are unsuccessful in applying for bursary funding, you may choose whether you would like to continue with a paid booking or to cancel your booking at the provisional stage, with no costs incurred to your school.  

Self-led Visits

A school visit to Chiltern Open Air Museum

If you wish to bring your group for a self-led visit to the museum, you are very welcome. Entry to the Museum for students is £9 each and, for every six students, an adult can attend free of charge. Adults attending as 1:1 supporters of a student with SEND are also free of charge. 

To aid learning on your self-led visit, the Museum provides free downloadable resources. These include age-appropriate information about the buildings and activity ideas. 

Please contact the learning team to make a self-led booking. 

SEND

A child playing with sensory toys at Chiltern Open Air Museum

COAM is an inclusive and welcoming place for all students. There is great scope for multi-sensory learning across our huge, beautiful, natural site. Our workshop leaders are experienced teachers with a passion for working with students with SEND. We have accessible toilets and a family/quiet room for students to use as required.

If you like the look of our offer but think your group would benefit from adaptations, please contact us to discuss further. We would love to do whatever we can to welcome your group to COAM. 

Weather

Kids Wellies

Our Museum is in the open air. We strongly advise school groups to hope for the best but prepare for the worst in terms of the weather and temperature. We recommend: 

  • Sun cream, hats, comfortable long-sleeved clothes and a refillable water bottle in the sun 

  • Raincoats, waterproof trousers and wellies in the rain 

  • Warm layered clothes, thermals, gloves, hats and scarves in the cold  

Unless there is thunder and lightning/high winds/heavy snow, workshops will go ahead. 

In the words of Billy Connolly, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing”. 

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What Our Schools Say

  • ‘The team at Chiltern Open Air Museum (COAM) are valuable allies in the education of children. The skills and expertise of the staff are second to none, with the learning of the children at the root of what they offer. It is a pleasure to be working alongside such a skillful and organised team which aims to challenge and motivate children outside the classroom.’