Crich Tramway Village have announced that they have received the Sandford Award for Heritage Education from the Heritage Education Trust. The award was presented by Professor Dame Rosemary Cramp in a ceremony at Durham Cathedral.
The learning department at Crich met the required criteria to a high standard which covered educational and domestic facilities, contribution to local and national heritage, good management and administration for all aspects of the visit and consultation with educational customers and advisors. As part of the criteria for the award judges shadowed an education session led by a member of the learning team in the New Learning Centre.
Lead Judge Adam Clarke said: “This Museum is a gem in the East Midlands’ crown and offers excellent, unique learning opportunities. The village itself is a concoction of historical buildings in their own right, taken from elsewhere, to create a pseudo-heritage experience. The learning opportunities on offer are exceptional, giving children the chance to look into a world gone by – something which many would argue we could learn much from as we consider our future. As the museum looks to improve further in the future, this Award will hopefully be seen as a catalyst for even more excellent practise in the
area of heritage education.”
Crich were not alone in receiving one of these awards as amongst others Beamish The Living Museum of the North were celebrating the award (which lasts for five years). Speaking about the award another lead judge, Sue Mitchell, commented: “’Beamish is a wonderful ‘living and working’ open air museum, which gives pupils an interactive insight into what life was like in the North East of England during the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras. The popular schools programme offers a wide range of opportunities for active, creative, interdisciplinary learning developed and delivered by professional staff who will inspire and motivate pupils of all ages.’
* Crich will be offering behind the scenes tours of the Library and Archives in February to allow visitors to view areas and collections not normally on public display. Dates will be confirmed early in 2012.