Home / » Education programmes

Education programmes

Waikato Museum's wide-ranging Education Programmes include hands-on classroom-based sessions, exhibition tours and gallery activities. Our programmes are informed by the New Zealand Curriculum – ensuring we align with your school learning goals – and by our current exhibitions and events. Most of our programmes are developed for tauira from primary to secondary.

For older secondary, tertiary or adult interest groups, please contact us to explore what we can offer your learners. We provide Education Programmes around all our exhibitions, and welcome older learners who would like to engage with these exhibitions.

Education programmes at Waikato Museum

Sample timetables

If you have fewer than 30 tauira, you will not need to do rotations. Your whole group can stay together for the duration of your visit.

Sample timetable for 30-60 tauira (two-way rotation)

Sample timetable for 60-90 tauira (three-way rotation)

Education programmes at Waikato Museum

Awa and Whenua - Our Living Taonga

This programme explores the key environments of the Waikato, looking into the past, present and future. We explore the significance of our awa and whenua from cultural, scientific and environmental perspectives, and look at relevant exhibits such as our waka taua Te Winika, our wharewaka, the Tongue of the Dog sculpture and other taonga.

Curriculum Links: Science | Pūtaiao and Social Sciences | Tikanga-ā-iwi

Shaping Hamilton - Huringa Kirikiriroa

This programme aims to support the new histories curriculum across all levels, by telling the narratives of our region. Tauira will explore objects and taonga and hear some of the puurakau of our local area, while exploring how the awa and whenua have changed over time. They will explore the creation of He Whakaputanga (the Declaration of Independence), the Kiingitanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, against a backdrop of the collection items in our Shaping Hamilton exhibition.

Curriculum Links: Social Sciences |Tikanga-ā-iwi

Art Explorers – Walk and Talk

This programme spends time in the galleries looking at works of art. Art is all about communication and expression and, while all cultures produce art, our interpretations of what it means can differ wildly. Tauira are guided to appreciate artworks, artists and movements – while being encouraged to discover their own joy and freedom in looking. Students of all ages learn some fundamentals of visual analysis, and gain skills in reading and describing works of art.

Toi Maaori – Te Hiikoi Toi

This toi Maaori version of the programme focuses on the Maaori artworks in our galleries, ranging from customary practice, through transcustomary artworks, to contemporary Maaori art practice. (Please note this programme is taught primarily in te reo Paakehaa / English.)

Curriculum Links: Visual Arts | Ngā Toi

Make and Do - Art and Beyond

We invite tauira to explore the big ideas behind our artworks and exhibitions while engaging in their own creative process. Tauira can find inspiration in our exhibitions, then respond and express themselves by making artworks of their own.

(This programme also works well in tandem with other Education programmes, enabling a creative response to their main education topic.)

Curriculum Links: Visual Arts | Ngā Toi

Amazing Electrons!

In this hands-on programme we discover the parts of an atom and look at how electrons generate energy. We then explore static and current electricity with learners working with materials to make a variety of circuits.

Curriculum Links: Science | Pūtaiao