Our Island museums

The Museum service collects and preserves items relating to the Island's history, archaeology and geology, and displays a range of these collections through its public museums. You can view some of these collections at:

• Newport Roman Villa
• Cowes Maritime Museum
• temporary exhibitions and events
• Heritage Education Service
• Museum of Island History
• museums and schools project
  
• Dinosaur Isle
• Watercolour World.

Our Museum service handles identifications and enquiries relating to museum objects and provides professional advice to organisations and individuals on collection care and other museum issues.

Discover more about the sites and collections of the Isle of Wight Heritage Service through our fun, craft based activity packs. All craft activities will require simple materials which you will hopefully have at home.

Select the links below to download your fun activity packs:

• Make your own dragon puppet 
• Crazy coins – make your own Roman purse 
  
• Underwater exploration 
• Super sundials and wonderful water clocks 
• Cartoon history of the Isle of Wight.

There are also a range of activities to support visits to our museum sites:

• Newport Roman Villa
• Museum of Island History.

The Museums and Schools partnership has developed a range of fun and creative activities for a number of Isle of Wight museums. While these were designed for schools, they are suitable for home educators and families. These activities can be used before or after a visit to a museum site, or as a stand-alone resource. Explore some of the Island’s top museum treasures, get creative with artist-led videos or use your imagination with our storytelling prompts, plus a lot of other activities.

The Museums and Schools programme aims to enhance the links between local schools and museums. Since 2018 a partnership of museums and cultural organisations from across the Isle of Wight have engaged with local schools. They have developed a range of:

• new workshop sessions
• activities
• resources to support heritage education in museums and schools.

The Museums and Schools Partnership is led by our Heritage service whose venues include Newport Roman Villa and the Museum of Island History.

The Museums and Schools Partnership also includes: 

• Brading Roman Villa
• Carisbrooke Castle Museum
• Classic Boat Museum
• Dimbola Museum and Gallery
• Isle of Wight Steam Railway
• Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum
• Isle of Wight Cultural Education Partnership (IWCEP)

The partnership has also worked in collaboration with others including local artists and organisations such as The Earth Museum and StoneCrabs Theatre.

The Museums and Schools partnership has developed a range of fun and creative activities. These can be used to support learning before or after a visit to a museum site, or as a stand-alone resource. Explore some of the Island’s top museum treasures, get creative with artist-led videos or use your imagination with our storytelling prompts, plus lots of other activities. Designed for schools, these activities are also suitable for home educators and families.

Discover Isle of Wight History with our activities and resources on the IWCEP website.

For more information about the Isle of Wight Museums and Schools programme:

• visit the Museums and Schools pages of the IWCEP website
• download the Museums and Schools brochure 
• sign up to the Museums and Schools Newsletter 
• contact museums@iow.gov.uk.

The Museums and Schools programme is supported by Arts Council England and funded through the Department for Education.