Education Centre celebrates fifth birthday

Since May 2010, more than 56,000 students from schools across the UK have come to explore the Abbey's thousand years of history. They have taken part in themed workshops and tours of the Abbey, designed to offer pupils of all ages an awe-inspiring experience to enhance their learning in subjects from religious education and history to science, art and music.

In the last five years, the Education team has also worked with organisations including the National Archives, the Houses of Parliament, the Royal Society, Historic Royal Palaces, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Imperial War Museum, running special events and outreach projects for both schools and adult learners.

In addition to its schools programme, the team runs popular events for families each summer in the beautiful setting of College Garden. All activities, from learning to be a knight or dancing for the queen, to finding out what happens at a coronation, are free and are designed for children from the age of five.

The opening of the Education Centre was the first milestone in the Abbey's development plan, 2020 Vision, which set an agenda to improve facilities for the Abbey's two million worshippers and visitors. The next phase will see the development of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries in the Abbey's Triforium, and the opening of a new Song School for the Abbey's world-famous Choir. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh opened the Cellarium Café and Terrace in October 2012.

More information

Learning at Westminster Abbey