School and Group Visits to Museum of the Iron Age

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Uncover Prehistoric Celtic Life

Discover Celtic hillfort life at the Museum of the Iron Age. Explore Danebury Hillfort artefacts, roundhouse reconstructions, and hands-on archaeological exhibits.

Danebury Hillfort Finds

Inspect real Iron Age artefacts excavated from nearby Danebury Hillfort. Youngsters examine ancient iron weapons, woven textiles, and handmade pottery while discovering how archaeologists piece together the everyday lives of Celtic tribes.

An engaging museum exploring Celtic hillfort life, Danebury artefacts, roundhouse models, and ancient craftsEducation Destination

Located in Andover, the Museum of the Iron Age offers a captivating venue for school residential stays. Based on archaeological finds from nearby Danebury Hillfort, the museum brings Celtic Britain to life through interactive displays and full-scale reconstructions.

A visit enriches classroom projects across topics including Iron Age, Prehistoric, Castles & Defences, Inventions & Technology, Agriculture, Food & Healthy Living, Religion, Local History, and Romans. Youngsters can explore a Celtic roundhouse and try ancient grinding and weaving skills.

Interactive trails keep students curious as they work in small teams to solve clues, examine real hillfort artefacts, and discover how ancient tribes farmed, cooked, and defended their homes. Hands-on activities encourage problem-solving and lively group discussion.

With welcoming staff, indoor learning areas, and links to Andover Museum, the venue integrates smoothly into any Hampshire school trip, providing an inspiring mix of prehistoric discovery, practical learning, and memorable fun for every pupil.

Celtic Roundhouse Life

Step inside a reconstructed Iron Age roundhouse to experience prehistoric domestic life. Youngsters learn how Celtic families gathered around central hearths, preserved food, constructed timber homes, and crafted essential household goods.

Prehistoric Crafts

Practical activities allow youngsters to try authentic Celtic skills. Pupils can grind grain using stone querns, practise loom weaving, and mould clay pots, gaining a tactile understanding of ancient technology and prehistoric survival skills.

Interactive Quiz Trails

Engaging search-and-find gallery trails challenge pupils to solve clues and uncover hidden details among the exhibits. Working in small teams, youngsters sharpen their observation skills, test historical knowledge, and enjoy active discovery.

Combined Museum Visit

Co-located with Andover Museum inside a historic grammar school building, the venue offers dual learning opportunities. Students can seamlessly combine prehistory with local social history, enjoying indoor lunch spaces and quiet courtyard areas.

Key Learnings

Agriculture, Food & Healthy Living

Exhibits detailing Iron Age farming, grain storage in quern stones and storage pits, and livestock rearing show pupils how ancient communities produced food, prepared meals, and sustained healthy living.

Animals, Habitats & Biodiversity

Focusing on Iron Age farming and wild environments, the museum explores how Celtic communities managed livestock, utilised natural resources, and interacted with local wildlife and habitats.

Castles & Defences

Exploring the nearby Danebury Hillfort, the museum details prehistoric hillfort fortifications, ramparts, wooden palisades, and defensive tribal strategies, serving as an ideal precursor to medieval castles.

Inventions & Technology

Showcasing Iron Age metalworking, blacksmithing, pottery, loom weaving, and grain grinding, the museum demonstrates how technological advances transformed everyday prehistoric life and agriculture.

Iron Age

As a dedicated museum for the period, the venue brings Celtic life to life through real archaeological finds from Danebury Hillfort, full-scale reconstructions, and interactive displays.

Local History

Focusing on Andover and the Test Valley, the museum tells the story of prehistoric human settlement, tribal life, and local archaeological discoveries across the Hampshire region.

Prehistoric Era

Tracing the centuries leading up to the Roman conquest, the attraction introduces pupils to prehistoric tools, hillfort settlements, burial practices, and Celtic culture in Britain.

Religion

Exhibits covering Celtic ritual offerings, shrine deposits, and burial customs allow pupils to explore prehistoric spiritual beliefs, druidic traditions, and religious practices.

Romans

Exploring the dramatic end of the Iron Age, the museum illustrates the impact of Roman invasion, tribal resistance, and the cultural transition from Celtic Britain to Roman rule.

Isle of Wight

Dorset / Jurassic Coast

Hampshire / New Forest

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Lifelong Learners

School trips to MUSEUM OF THE IRON AGE