Outreach Service
Bringing The Black Watch Museum to Your Classroom
If your school can’t travel to The Black Watch Castle and Museum, we can bring the Museum to you. Our Outreach Service offers an alternative way to access our interactive, curriculum-linked learning programme without needing to leave the classroom.
Led by a member of our Learning Team, outreach sessions use real objects, replica uniforms and stories from The Black Watch Museum Collection and Archive. All visits are hands-on, discussion-led and designed to bring history to life through meaningful experiences.
What We Offer
Outreach visits are based on our popular on-site workshops covering First World War and Second World War themes, and can be adapted for both primary and secondary learners. Visit our Workshop page for more information.
All workshops are linked to Curriculum for Excellence outcomes and are adapted to suit the age, ability and needs of your class. Sessions are active, inclusive and planned in advance with the class teacher to ensure relevance and success.
Primary Schools
Sessions include dressing up in historic uniforms, handling real and replica artefacts, object-based learning, scavenger-style activities, and roleplay. Pupils explore daily life in wartime, examine medals, uncover stories of real soldiers and engage in lively discussions that support learning across social studies, literacy, expressive arts and health and wellbeing.
Secondary Schools
Outreach workshops are more focused on source analysis, structured debate, interpretation of wartime artefacts and living history discussions. Activities are designed to promote independent thinking, critical inquiry and connection with wider curricular topics including remembrance, conflict, citizenship and historical impact.
Outreach Visit Pricing
Our suggested cost for an outreach visit is:
- £75 for up to 3 hours of delivery in your school
- £0.45 per mile for travel beyond a 10-mile radius of the Museum
We do not currently charge extra if more than one class takes part during the visit. Please let us know how many pupils you’d like to involve, and we’ll help you structure the session.
If your school is further afield and you’re not sure if outreach is available in your area, get in touch. While most visits are in Perthshire, Angus, Fife and Dundee, we’re happy to explore possibilities based on staff availability and travel arrangements.
Please Note – Bursary Information
Our School Bursary Scheme is only available to support schools visiting The Black Watch Castle and Museum in person. It does not apply to outreach visits. If your school would benefit from financial support to cover the cost of admission or travel for a visit to the Museum, please visit our Bursary and Funding page for more information.
What to Expect
When we visit your school, we bring everything we need for the session. This includes handling objects, dressing-up materials, worksheets and resources. All we ask is that you provide a suitable space and let us know your class timetable.
Each outreach visit includes:
- Delivery of up to three hours of workshops
- Curriculum-linked activities based on your chosen topic
- Interaction with real or replica artefacts and uniforms
- Storytelling, roleplay or source-based investigation
- All required learning materials and session planning
- Pre-visit coordination to make sure we meet your needs
We recommend booking at least two weeks in advance to secure your preferred date.
How to Book
To request a visit, complete our School Enquiry Form and we’ll contact you to confirm details, plan your session and answer any questions you may have. We recommend giving at least two weeks’ notice when booking to allow us to plan properly.
If you’re not sure what session is right for your group, please send us an email or give us a call and we’ll be happy to talk it through with you.
Email: learning@theblackwatch.co.uk
Phone: 01738 638152
Address: Balhousie Castle, Hay Street, Perth, PH1 5HR