Following updated guidance from the Scottish government, we are pleased to be able to welcome back school and nursery visits to North Lanarkshire Museums from Monday 10 May 2021. Our FAQ below should outline what you need to know before booking, but if you would like any more information then please contact our Learning and Access team directly.
All group visits must be pre-booked by our team. Please call 01236 638 460 or email:
David – mcdonaldd@northlan.gov.uk OR Gillian – brogang@northlan.gov.uk
Can I make a day trip with my class?
Yes, as of 10th May 2021, updated government guidance allows school trips subject to appropriate risk assessments and venue compliance. Please visit the Scottish Government website for full details.
Is the Museum safe to visit?
Yes, North Lanarkshire Museums have been awarded Good to Go status, designed by VisitScotland and recognised by the National Tourist Organisations of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This Industry Standard mark confirms that we have followed government and industry Covid-19 guidelines, have a Risk Assessment in place and a process to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing.
More information on Visiting Summerlee & Staying Safe
More information on Visiting North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre & Staying Safe
Do I need to book?
Yes, please contact our Learning and Access team to book your visit using the contact details at the top of the page.
NB. Our online booking system is for general admission and will not enable group bookings.
Can we bring more than one class?
Yes, but we do have limited daily numbers in the museum so please contact our learning and access team to discuss your requirements.
How much does it cost to visit?
Entry to North Lanarkshire Museums is free, so there is no charge for a self-led visit. The cost of a school workshop is £44 (£25 for early years). If visiting Summerlee Museum, there is an additional cost to ride on the tram of £1 for adults and 50p for children.
Do my pupils have to wear a mask?
As per government guidance, all adults and children over the age of 5 (unless exempt) should wear a mask in the indoor areas of the museum. Pupils will not be required to wear a mask during a pre-booked workshop with their own class.
Can we still have a packed lunch?
Yes, we are allocating an indoor lunch space to all pre-booked school parties. These spaces will be cleaned before and after use.
NB Facilities may vary across our venues so please ask when booking.
Can I book a workshop?
Yes. Read our what’s on for schools information to see what topics we can offer at each venue. Please read the information at the bottom of this webpage under ‘Are our museum workshops safe?’ for more information.
Do you offer any outdoor workshops?
Yes, we have a selection of workshops at Summerlee Museum that are delivered outdoors or can be partially outdoors. This includes Nature Detectives, Wildlife in the park, Floating and sinking experiments, Traditional washday & WWI trench tour.
Please contact the team directly for more details.
Is there object handling in the workshops?
Yes, some of our workshops still have object handling as part of the activities. We have done our best to reduce the amount of handling or change activities where appropriate. Please refer to the information at the bottom of this section called ‘Are our museum workshops safe?’
Can we ride on the tram?
Yes, but pre-booking is essential to accommodate your class in the tram timetable. We will book out the tram exclusively for your classes journey. The tram seats and touchpoints are cleaned after every journey. The cost of tram tickets is £1 for an adult and 50p for children.
Are the shop and café open?
Yes, our gift shop, café and the Summerlee Sweetie Shop are open, but we recommend that you visit in smaller groups. Cash and card are accepted.
NB Facilities may vary across our venues so please ask when booking.
Can we take a mine tour at Summerlee Museum?
No, due to physical distancing the mine is closed at this time.
Do you have a risk assessment?
Yes, our risk assessment is available online.
Are Museum workshops safe?
We have been working to make our school workshops as safe as possible for staff and pupils. Our workshops are delivered in a well-ventilated room with outdoor elements to the session where possible. We are cleaning or quarantining all our resources in-between use and have reduced the number of sessions booked each week to allow this to happen. All furniture and touchpoints are also cleaned between workshops.
We have undertaken a risk assessment of the object handling elements of our workshops and while we are able to reduce the amount of handling and sharing of resources, there will be some artefacts that are shared in small groups during our workshops. If this is not in line with your own school procedures, then please let us know and we may be able to miss out or amend part of the workshop.
Alternatively, we can offer a Museum Live Link Digital Workshop for your class to enjoy virtually.
We hope that this information is useful to you when planning a visit, but if you have any further questions or would like to discuss your visit with a member of the team then please contact us directly.
David – mcdonaldd@northlan.gov.uk OR Gillian – brogang@northlan.gov.uk OR call 01236 638 460