Learning Centre

Working closely with young people and partners, we will design a new Learning Centre to provide much-needed, bespoke learning facilities dedicated to the development and delivery of lifelong learning programmes.

Pre-Covid around 30,000 young people took part in learning sessions linked to the National Curriculum at our Cosford site. These numbers brought us up to capacity in the spaces currently available for workshops and support such as lunch rooms.

Our new learning spaces will enable exploration, discovery and debate and will ignite visitors’ curiosity, both in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), as well as in art, history and design. They will provide safe spaces for social and emotional learning using creative experiences to explore challenging issues.

The facilities will also support programmes and activities developed for and delivered across the Museum site and across the Midlands, designed with the widest range of participants and subject matter in mind.

A lifelong learning programme

We will carry out research with our local Midlands communities and partners to understand how the Museum can best support them in a lifelong learning offer.

The programme will be designed to support the development of new and existing skills and to improve the wellbeing of participants through targeted activities delivered onsite in the new Centre, as well as supporting online and offsite outreach activities. 

Our award-winning Access and Learning team will design and deliver activities that are unique to our stories and collection but that have universal relevance. Workshops will include role modelling and mentoring that enable participants to make choices about their future training, career pathways and ongoing personal development in an innovative, safe, social and fun environment. All our activities will be adaptable to suit the specific needs of visiting groups, including those with mobility and sensory impairments and other special needs.

Partner organisations have indicated that they will use the RAF Museum as an inspiring and relevant venue in which to deliver training, activities and a range of other programmes. In addition, as part of this project, the Museum will work with our partners to broaden our pool of Learning Ambassadors who will help deliver activities and role modelling to a wider and more diverse audience.

The RAF Museum Midlands Development Programme is being made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are able to progress our plans for this project.Made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund