Primary K-6
All primary school programs are designed specifically for primary aged students in years K-6 and are delivered by TMAG’s Learning and Discovery specialists. Primary school programs are available in a range of disciplines that complement TMAG exhibitions including Tasmanian Aboriginal culture, the Antarctic, art, history and the natural sciences and range from 45 minutes to 2 hours in duration. General museum programs are also available.
Bookings are essential for all guided programs, and further information about planning your primary school group visit is available through our Bookings page.
Subject Areas
General museum
Aboriginal
Antarctica
Art
History
Natural sciences
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General museum programs
Discover your museum and art gallery
What is it? Is it real? How is it stuffed? How old is it? Can we touch it? This interactive program includes a tour of the site, uses a variety of objects and materials, and offers an introduction to collections, conservation and interpretation. This program is a good prerequisite for all other museum programs.
Duration: 45 minutes
Suitable for all grades
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Aboriginal programs
Introductory tour of ningina tunapri - Tasmanian Aboriginal exhibition
This program introduces students to the ningina tunapri gallery and highlights key stories and objects, letting the students explore the exhibition displays that appeal to them personally.
Duration: 45 minutes
Suitable for all grades
palawa stories
A unique hands-on program for students in association with the ningina tunapri exhibition. Presented by Tasmanian Aboriginal community members and TMAG staff. This workshop will include a short tour of the ningina tunapri exhibition. Following in the tradition of our very successful Ballwinne and Emita melaythenner program.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Suitable for Primary grades
Dates: May 7, 8, 9, 10; Sept 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
Times: 9:30 to 11:30 am and 12:30 – 2:30 pm.
Cost: Independent schools will be charged $5 per student. Minimum group 25 students.
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Antarctic programs
Introductory tour of Islands to Ice
Where is Antarctica? How big is it? Tasmania’s backyard is the wild Southern Ocean, remote sub-Antarctic islands and the icy expanse of Antarctica. This short introductory tour provides students with an overview of the connections between Tasmania and the far south and highlights real specimens and artefacts that would otherwise be inaccessible. This program is a prerequisite for all other Antarctic programs.
Duration: 45 minutes
Suitable grades: All ages
Life in the freezer: A day in the life of Antarctic and Southern Ocean animals
Wandering albatross, emperor penguin, weddell seal and krill – what is it like living in the coldest region of the world? How has the amazing wildlife adapted to the environment? Discover who eats who and the complex food web that exists in the Southern Ocean. This program involves students conducting guided research within the Islands to Ice exhibition.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Suitable grades: Primary
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Art programs
Introductory tour of Tasmania: Art and Design
Join our Art Educator on a visually-rich journey through the art works of the State Collection. Tracing creative endeavour from the Colonial period through to the late Twentieth Century, this program introduces a diversity of fine and decorative art forms, art movements, materials and concepts from Tasmania and beyond.
Duration: 45 minutes
Suitable for Primary grades
Drawing on the collections: using drawing as a way of seeing
Drawing offers powerful ways of understanding experience. In this program students will draw within the galleries, making their observations and responses visible, and engaging in lively discussion. This program can be run in most galleries and is an excellent way to enhance students’ experience of their museum visit.
Duration: 45 minutes for children
Suitable for all grades
Art and literacy
This specialised program uses visual art as both a stimulus and a tool for expanding literacy, in a relaxed and inspiring environment. Using discussion, drawing, writing and reading the thematic focus and structure of the program is tailored to the needs of participants. Particularly relevant to students for whom English is an additional language, or those undertaking other literacy support programs.
Duration: 45 minutes for children
Suitable for all grades
Artist in residence
A leading contemporary artist is coming to work with young people (and others) to create an exciting new project! Our regular guided art education programs will tie-in with this residency over its duration.
Artist and project dates soon to be announced!
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History programs
Introductory tour of the Bond Store
This program introduces students to the new Bond Store galleries; Our changing land: Creating Tasmania and Our land: Encountering an upside down world.
Both galleries focus on 19th century Tasmania and the discoveries and changes that occurred
Duration: 45 minutes
Suitable for all grades
Colonial history comes alive
Students will explore the themes and ideas portrayed in the new Bond Store exhibitions (Our changing land: Creating Tasmania and Our land: Encountering an upside down world) on the unique guided program.
Students will be encouraged to make personal connections within an historical context, handle objects and consider how 19th century colonial history has affected and shaped the Tasmania of today.
Duration 1.5 hours
Suitable for Primary grades
Hobart Town journey - a Tasmanian colonial history program
Why was Sullivan's Cove the preferred site for Hobart Town in 1804? How did English settlement impact upon Tasmanian Aboriginal people? What was life like in the first decade of Colonial settlement? All these questions and more are explored in this program. Students will work around a large floor map of Sullivan's Cove, set up camp, commence building the town, and learn what life was really like.
Duration: 2 hours
Suitable for grades: 3–6
Dates: May 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23
Times: 9:30 - 11:30 am and 12:30 - 2:30 pm.
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Natural sciences programs
Introductory tour of Earth and Life
Students will meet some of the locals as they discover Tasmania’s unique combination of geology, flora and fauna. This program is a prerequisite for An Island Ark: The Unique Animals and Plants of Tasmania.
Duration: 45 minutes
Suitable for all grades
An Island Ark: The unique animals and plants of Tasmania
Tasmania, with its living cargo of plants and animals, has been a separate island for 12 000 years. The wide variety of landscapes and habitats has been protected from some of the effects of climate change, human impact and introduced species that have caused extinctions in mainland Australia. Through this program students discover Tasmania's ancient origins, unique biodiversity and the unusually high numbers of endemic animal and plant species that are present here.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Suitable for all grades