Time Odyssey comes to Danum Gallery Library and Museum!
Time Odyssey comes to Danum Gallery Library and Museum
Time Odyssey, created in partnership by Art Explora and the British Museum, is a national learning programme that takes 7–11-year-old school children (KS2) on a quest through their local museum – both physically and virtually.
It is FREE for schools to enjoy and will be available from September 2025 on Thursdays during term time, and some selected Fridays in Spring term. (see below for more practical information, include transport grant information).
TO BOOK YOUR TIME ODYSSEY EXPERIENCE CLICK HERE
How does Time Odyssey work?
Time Odyssey is designed to be played with the help of teachers and museum staff. The experience lasts half a day and is available either 10:00-12:00 or 12:30-14:30 on Thursdays during term time, and some selected Fridays. Please note school eligibility criteria apply and places are limited so must be booked in advance.
Students choose one of four characters lost in time: Revna, the Viking of the Sea; Cheng, a Trainee Scribe from Ancient China; Felix, future leader from Roman Britain and Hori, a tomb painter from Ancient Egypt. Equipped with tablets, and working in groups of two or three, pupils will explore the museum’s collections and complete five creative engagement challenges to open the time portal to help their chosen character return to their own time.
Further information:
The class teacher will be responsible for the class during the visit, with introductions, timetables, resources and technical support provided by the staff from Danum Gallery Library and Museum. We recommend 4 accompanying adults per class (perhaps more if pupils require reading support), which may include parent helpers and TAs. Each challenge will be undertaken in the museum and gallery areas, and the group will be guided around the different spaces by museum staff.
Space is available for pupils to each lunch before or after their Time Odyssey visit, but this needs to be booked in advance. Please let us know if you would like your pupils to each lunch at the time of booking.
Pre-and post-visit resources are also available for teachers to use in the classroom: Teachers’ Resources
School eligibility criteria:
Priority booking will go to schools that:
- Are within the Borough of Doncaster.
- That have 40% of their children receiving Free School Meals or higher.
- Schools from rural areas of Doncaster
- And/or those schools who have not visited our museum before.
Transport Grant:
Schools need to book their own transport to get to our museum. However, eligible schools can apply for travel funding up to a maximum of £500 per coach. Please note this must be applied for by the school, within 3 months of the visit having taken place. Transport Grant payments will be made in arrears after the Time Odyssey visit has taken place.
To apply for financial support, please complete the application form here: https://forms.gle/aqCNbXuFKnRqEcTv6 or email [email protected].
To find out more information, and to book your school trip please get in touch today: [email protected]
More information about Time Odyssey:
Art Explora and the British Museum have collaborated with digital developer 1UP Studios to create a new digital learning adventure which is played on tablets (loaned to the class for the experience).
Time Odyssey aims to overcome the issues that prevent many children from visiting their local museum by encouraging them to discover the museum’s collections through a fun digital learning adventure, alongside transport support so schools can participate.
In 2024, the programme was piloted at five leading museums across the UK: The Yorkshire Museum, York; The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter; The Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne; Manchester Museum; and South Shields Museum & Art Gallery. The programme was so successful that it is expanding in 2025 with new partners including National Museums Liverpool, Danum Gallery, Library and Museum, Doncaster and Tees Valley Museums.
During its pilot, Time Odyssey engaged over 5,000 children, with schools travelling up to 65 miles (1 hr 40 min) each way to take part. Of the students who took part, 60% had not visited a museum in the past 12 months, wit many never having visited a museum before.
Time Odyssey is proven to dramatically improve children’s dwell time in front of objects and provide teachers with a structured learning support. Co-created with teachers, museum professionals and over 500 students from schools across the UK, Time Odyssey supports a range of KS2 subjects and skills, enhancing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of historical periods and skills, as well as their teamwork, communication, and digital literacy.
Feedback includes:
“I really like that we got to explore the museum in a fun way instead of the boring way” – Yr 6 Student
“Without the tablets and challenges I don’t think the children would have been as engaged in the visit”. – Yr 4 Teacher
Art Explora
Art Explora is a UK charity which aims to increase access to arts and culture and develop new opportunities for engagement and participation with the arts. They work in partnership with artists, cultural organisations and communities, embracing all art forms, to create transformative cultural experiences. Founded in the UK in 2021, they believe in sharing successful models and looking for opportunities to scale up programmes both across the UK and internationally.
1UP Studios
1UP Studios is a new kind of digital agency founded by architects, technology pioneers, game developers and creative strategists. The team specializes in using immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create original three-dimensional digital experiences that connect people to a place through play.
The British Museum
The first national public museum of the world.
The British Museum is unique in bringing together under one roof the cultures of the world, spanning continents and oceans. No other museum is responsible for collections of the same depth and breadth, beauty and significance.
Its eight million objects allow us to explore the extraordinary diversity of human cultures, from small communities to vast empires, to discover the many forms and expressions human beings have given to every aspect of life, and to realise how closely they are interconnected.
