THE PORTCULLIS is being raised on the history of Warwick Castle.
Its Edwardian library may be off-limits for the time being, but a new online Learning Library is taking the castle experience to new virtual heights.
With families across the country returning to home-schooling during national lockdowns, history experts at Warwick Castle have developed a range of free resources providing fun and educational activities for children.
The Learning Library contains a host of new multimedia resources including puzzles, quizzes, videos, downloadable colouring sheets and more, suitable for children from pre-schoolers up to those aged 14.
A highlight is an extensive 360° virtual tour of the interior and state rooms with facts about each room’s history and use on the way. Learners can explore the castle’s 1,000 year past, from from the Great Hall with its extensive collection of weapons and armour, to the battlements and grounds themselves.
Other activities include design your own castle instructions, key facts about its birds of prey, and puzzles to help children learn about medieval warfare, from the art of longbow to the colossal trebuchet.
For parents juggling home-schooling and work, and teachers teaching remotely, resources can be used for independent study or play as well as starting points for discussion.
The library will be updated on a regular basis with new content. Next to go live is a letter-writing project with templates for postcards, letters or a drawing, and a historical ordering task based on the Kingmaker exhibition.
Spokesman Nick Blofeld said: “Our online resources are a great way to share the interactive learning experience that Warwick Castle offers, bringing history to life even though our gates are currently closed.
“We hope these materials provide an interesting insight into the castle, as well as a useful resource for teachers and educational fun for families whilst they are unable to experience the castle in person.”
Visit www.warwick-castle.com/education/library to get started.
