Yorkshire Air Museum – Museum Trips for Schools

Join us for a day of fun, discovery and excitement at the Yorkshire Air Museum and let our Museum Guides enthral your pupils by bringing to life over 170 years of aviation history within authentic wartime surroundings!

Every year, our educational team accompanies hundreds of school children and their teachers on their learning journey. With our authentic wartime surroundings, original exhibits and a collection of 60 aircraft and vehicles on display, the children who visit the Museum on a school visit never forget this immersive experience.

As well as being home to a Memorial honouring the Allied Air Forces, the Yorkshire Air Museum is the largest independent aviation museum in the UK. Our acclaimed aircraft collection showcases flight from its very early origins in Yorkshire through to the latest technology of the supersonic age. The Museum is based on the original wartime RAF Elvington station which as kept some authentically preserved wartime buildings.

The Yorkshire Air Museum Learning Programme 2021/22

Our aim is to provide pupils at all Key Stages appropriate information and access to knowledge to meet their needs.

Our programmes comprise three main parts covering a timeline from 1300 through to 1949. We plan each school visit individually with you and tailor our activities to your curriculum focus to ensure that your pupils gain the most out of their visit.

The Development of Flight

• 1300 The Chinese and Kites
• Hot Air Balloons. The Montgolfier brothers’ flight over Paris
• The Development of the principles of flight
• Gliders to Biplanes
• Design and materials used in early aircraft
• The part played by aircraft in World War 1 up to 1918

The History of Aviation

• The Beginning
• The Pioneers who took aviation forward
• The Inter war years
• Through to the Jet Age

World War 2

• Life as a child during the war years.   “Harry’s Box of Memories”
• Iconic Aircraft- The Spitfire, Hurricane the Halifax and many more
• The Men and women who flew them
• Weaponry Development
• The part played by allied troops
• The Paratroopers Experience with the help of the Dakota

All topics are delivered by Guided activities comprising of group participation, demonstrations, and static displays. There are many photographs and artefacts for hands on experience.

These activities are suitable for and are tailored individually to the following age groups:

Reception/ Year 1

Year 2 / Year 3

Year 4 / Year 5

Year 6

Please note that we also welcome other age groups. If you wish to organise a visit for older class groups, please contact us at office@yorkshireairmuseum.org and we will tailor your visit accordingly.

What group sizes do we cater for?

The Yorkshire Air Museum is based on a 20 acre sites with 15 indoor exhibits. There is plenty to see indoors and outdoors on our site.

We prefer to welcome groups with a maximum up to 40-50 children to ensure optimised benefits for each child. If your group is larger and you still wish to have guided activities, talk to us about the best way to organise a successful and exciting visit.

What do we provide teachers?

On confirmation of a school trip, we will contact you and send you some resources and guidance to optimise your visit.
The Museum has a generic school visit risk assessment which you can use and adapt for your particular visit.

Each school visit operates under the guidelines of our Child and Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding policy. This policy is available electronically upon request.

School group booking rates are:

• £7 per child.
• 1 free adult per 10 children. Additional adults are charged at £7.00 each.
• Free coach parking

The booking fee includes access to an indoor room for the day where the children can eat their lunch.

Other information you may find useful:

• We have no restrictions as far are taking photos, videos or audios as long as teachers have full approval from parents for children to do so.
• No specific clothing is required although as some of the exhibits are outdoors we recommend weatherproof clothing.
• The Museum has first aid facilities and qualified personnel on site.
• The Museum has a Museum Shop where children can purchase small souvenirs for as little as 50p.
• The Museum is open every day from 10 am to 5 pm during British Summertime and from 10 am to 4 pm during British Wintertime.