Key Stage 5 Educational Activities

Protect and Survive

This workshop is a practical lesson based on the government leaflet, Protect and Survive, which was sent out to all households in the UK in response to the perceived threat of nuclear attacks during the Cold War. Learners will build the government recommended fallout shelter and make their choice as to which essential items are needed for a 14 day survival period.

Learners will have the opportunity to look at and try on some of the equipment issued to the RAF at the time. Wearing a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) suit, they will be asked to complete a mini task which will help them understand the difficulties of working whist dressed in this protective clothing.

The final element of the workshop is designed to allow learners to understand the extent of devastation a nuclear warhead would have caused, by plotting the fallout zones on locations around the UK.

Activity type: Led by museum staff
Duration: Approximately 1 hour
Cost: £30 per session (maximum 30 per group)
Timetables for a complete museum visit are provided