Medwyn the Mole Detective launches his brand new
museum website for schools
Where: Carmarthenshire County Museum, Abergwili, SA31 2JG
Date of launch: Tuesday, 18th October 2011
Time: Open House 4.30 – 6.30pm
The evening will provide teachers with an opportunity to learn about the museum’s new
service for schools. This includes an innovative bilingual “teacher-led” visit to the
Museum which not only provides an opportunity for children to see historical artefacts
but also to handle artefacts from periods covering Roman Times to World War 2. By
solving Medwyn the Mole’s historical detective puzzles, children develop thinking skills
through historical enquiry and learn to interpret the historical information that they
gather in a fun way. Children also have the chance to investigate local history in order to
help learn and understand the factors that have shaped Wales today.
Three schools were invited to pilot this new teacher-led visit and their input was very
much appreciated. Their feed back was invaluable in helping to create this new type of
museum visit that links directly with the needs of the National Curriculum. The schools
that took part in the pilot visits were:1. Meidrim Community Primary School
2. Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llangadog
3. Dafen Primary School, Llanelli
As well as the teacher-led visit, Carmarthenshire County Museum contains something
to excite everyone such as a reconstruction of a 19th Century farmhouse and a
Victorian schoolroom. Schools can also use the museum's park in order to allow
children to have hands-on experience of the wonderful biodiversity of the area. The
museum offers many guided tours that can be tailored to suit any particular school's
needs and age group.
This evening will also be the launch of Medwyn the Historical Mole’s Museums
Website.
All schools in the Carmarthenshire area will be encouraged to log on to
Medwyn’s Museums Website at:
www.medwynsmuseums.co.uk
This website provides a ‘one stop shop’ where safety and booking information, teachers’
notes and borrowing outreach collections can be accessed easily from one central
location in order to make visiting Carmarthenshire County Museum hassle free.
The website will also feature the first episode of Medwyn the Historical Mole Detective’s
World War 2 Adventure called, “The Invisible Spies” written by children’s writer,
Dewi Llywelyn.
Notes to Editors
This launch will be the first of the four launches of the SWM museums.
Following a grant from CyMAL (Museums, Archives & Libraries Wales, Welsh
Government), South West Wales Museums (SWM) was formed in 2010 in order to
create a working partnership between four museums services, to include:1.
2.
3.
4.
Carmarthenshire County Museum, Abergwili
Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth
Scolton Manor, Pembrokeshire
Swansea City and County Museum
The aim of SWM is to market the four museums’ excellent educational opportunities and
extensive loan material for schools, in order to help with the delivery of the National
Curriculum.
The SWM project has been developed with input from both schools and museum staff
alike, with teachers taking a constructive role in the development of the website and
museum visits.
For more information on Medwyn the Mole’s Launch and SWM you can contact :Hazel Williams, Joint Learning Co-ordinator on
07967 024283 or e-mail: medwynsmuseums@hotmail.co.uk
For more information on Carmarthenshire County Museum
Open all year except on Mondays (closed over the Christmas period)
Tues - Sat: 10am - 4.30pm
Contact the Curator Gavin Evans at
Carmarthenshire County Museum,
Abergwili,
Carmarthen,
Carmarthenshire SA31 2JG
01267 228696 or e-mail:museums@carmarthenshire.gov.uk