ARMA Calligraphy programme

Welcome to the Art of Reading in the Middle Ages (ARMA) curriculum linked teaching and learning resources for schools. These harness medieval digital collections from the Hunt Museum and Limerick Museum and manuscripts available through Europeana Foundation

The ARMA programme aims to explore how reading culture evolved in the Middle Ages and became a fundamental aspect of European culture. The main objectives of this programme is to digitise up to 20,000 medieval manuscripts (c. 500 and c. 1500) and make them accessible online for anyone to use copyright free.  Critically the programme will also unlock the educational potential of these digital collections by producing an online exhibition, blogs and other editorials and teaching and learning resources.

ARMA curriculum linked teaching and learning resources for primary and post primary will be gradually added to this section of the Hunt Museum’s website.

Primary School ARMA Educational Resources

Resource 1: Calligraphy in the Middle Ages

Suitability: 4th to 6th classes

Manuscript leaf from a Book of Pericopes/Animal,Skin,Mammal skin,Parchment,Vellum/12th century AD/The Hunt Collection/PD

Manuscript leaf from a Book of Pericopes/Animal,Skin,Mammal skin,Parchment,Vellum/12th century AD/The Hunt Collection/PD

Visual Art

  • Strand – Drawing
  • Strand Unit- Making Drawings

 

History

  • Strand: Life, Society, Work & Culture
  • Strand Unit: Life in Medieval town & countryside

Teaching Materials

Today it is easy and quick to record and disseminate information, but in the Middle Ages this process was slow and laborious. All books known as manuscripts were copied by hand using a decorative style of script known as calligraphy.

These teaching materials will enable primary school children to learn about the process and history of calligraphy by comparing and contrasting manuscript examples from Europeana’s collections and historical objects from Limerick Museum and the Hunt Museum associated with the practice of calligraphy. The children will then fashion a calligraphy pen and use it to create their own piece of calligraphy.

With thanks to:

Virtual Museums Workshop

Discover art and objects in our new Virtual Museum Workshops for schools. Participants explore and interact with virtual galleries filled with 3D objects and images from three Limerick museum collections. Participants practise analytic, creative and digital skills while they work together to create their own museum galleries and discover the role of the museum to educate and inspire.

This workshop takes place on the free online platform Mozilla Hubs and requires no software downloads or sign up. To participate you’ll need a device (mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop PC) and a strong WIFI connection.

Not sure what this is all about? Read our Frequently Asked Questions here:

For further information, and to book a free Virtual Museum Workshop for your school or group, please contact: educationoffice@huntmuseum.com

This workshop is brought to you by The Three Muses, a joint education initiative between The Hunt Museum, Limerick Museum and Limerick City Gallery of Art. The Three Muses is supported by Limerick City and County Council and Friends of the Hunt Museum.

Exhibition Layout and Design Online

This programme will introduce students to the philosophy behind the layout and design of the Hunt Museum’s Permanent Collection. On this page, you will find a series of video-based tours, aimed at Senior Cycle Visual Art students, and PDF revision notes.

Download all revision notes

Virtual Museum Workshop

Looking to enhance your students’ experience? Upgrade with our Layout and Design package.

  • Virtual museum workshop for €35 per class
    Students will:
    Interact with virtual galleries & 3D objects from the Hunt Museum
    Use analytic, creative, and digital skills
  • Q&A with a museum professional €25 per class
    Students will:
    Have their questions about the Hunt Museum Layout & Design answered by professionals

Visual Art: Section III: General Appreciation of Art “Visiting a Museum or Gallery” written question.

 

Image Bank for Teachers

We have four series of images available for download: The Captains Room; Early Christian Ireland; Prehistoric Ireland; and Treasury.

Costume Design for Junior Cycle

With this resource, Junior Cycle students can learn about the techniques and processes used to create realistic costumes for film and TV. Students will be taken on a virtual tour of the Best Costume Goes To… exhibition. Students will research clothing from the Viking, Tudor, and Georgian periods using Hunt Museum resources, and design an accessory for a costume from a historical production.

The video below will get you started in the process of researching and designing an accessory for a costume inspired by the Best Costume Goes To… exhibition.

Visual Art:

  • Design Strand

History

  • Strand 1: Working with evidence
  • Strand 2: Exploring people, cultures, and ideas

Animal Hunt Online Programme

This 20 minute video workshop introduces Primary School students to animal based collections at the Hunt Museum. Students learn how artists throughout history have depicted animals in their art, and why certain animals are important to different cultures. Students will be introduced to the online research tools that will help them complete the Animal Hunt 3D online activity.

History

  • Strand: Early people and ancient societies

Art

  • Strand: Drawing
  • Strand: Making & constructing
  • Strand: Looking & Observing

Viking Online Programme for Primary Schools

Through this programme, students will explore life in Viking Ireland and create some Viking art along the way! It is a digital programme designed for 3rd and 4th class students, consisting of short animations, a virtual handling session and printable activity books. The aim is to provide students with a better understanding of Viking history in Ireland.

Video & worksheet

Students will use both original and replica Viking objects from the Hunt Museum’s Permanent Collection to learn more about their lives.

Watch the video for more information:

Visual Arts

  • Strands: Drawing; Constructing; Looking & Responding

History

  • Strand: Stories;
  • Strand: Early People & Ancient Societies;
  • Strand: Local Studies;
  • Strand: Change & Continuity;
  • Strand: Working as a Historian

This is also available as an onsite programme.

Find it here.

Play The Three Muses

Discover the art collections of three museums in Limerick City with this interactive game. Put your memory to the test with Limerick lace, create a colourful fruit poster, paint a Paul Henry skyline, or try your knowledge with a quiz!

This project is brought to you by The Three Muses, a joint education initiative between The Hunt Museum, Limerick Museum and Limerick City Gallery of Art. The Three Muses is supported by Limerick City and County Council and Friends of the Hunt Museum.

Curricular Links:

  • History
  • Visual Art

Play the three muses


Three Muses game title

The Three Muses Activity Pack

We are delighted to bring you The Three Muses Activity Pack, a learning resource inspired by the collections of The Hunt Museum, Limerick Museum and Limerick City Gallery of Art.

It is bursting with open-ended, creative activities. This pack is available in a colour version for screens, and a reduced colour version for printing at home. Explore and learn with Limerick’s museums without leaving your house – all you need is a pencil, paper and your brilliant imagination!

The Three Muses is a learning programme designed to increase access, ownership and enjoyment of three Limerick city museums, with a focus on modern and contemporary visual art. The programme includes workshops and learning resources.

Watch a short video on the programme below:

The Three Muses programme is supported by Limerick City and County Council, Friends of the Hunt Museum and is sponsored by Affinity Credit Union and Unity Credit Union. This Activity Pack is sponsored by Unity Credit Union.

  • Art
  • History 
  • English 

Animal Hunt Tour

What kinds of animals are hidden in the collection? Why do artists draw animals? Do these animals look like animals you’ve seen in real life? Booking is essential.

Suitable for 1st & 2nd class
Duration: 60 mins.
Cost: 3.50 per pupil, teachers go free!

On the Animal Hunt Tour, students will discover how animals have been depicted in art from the past to the present. Students learn about both real and mythical animals. Learning strategies including discussion, movement, and drawing.

To book email or call:

Email: educationoffice@huntsmuseum.com

Call: 06 149 0089

  • Drawing
  • Living Things

Collection Protection

Primary School students will learn how materials (artefacts/objects) in the Hunt Museum’s Permanent Collection decay and degrade over time. They will also learn about the science of preserving them for the future.

  • Resource 1 is designed for in-class presentation. Students will be introduced to objects in the Hunt Museum’s Permanent Collection. They will be taught how to categorise these objects as organic or inorganic, based on their materials. 
  • Resource 2 is designed to be printed out and used as a hard copy for students. Through a series of practical experiments, students will explore how some of the materials in the Hunt Museum Permanent Collections erode.
  • Resource 3 is a presentation introducing students to methods of preservation and restoration carried out in the Hunt Museum

Science

  • Energy and forces
  • Materials

Visual Art

  • Strand: Painting and colour

Geography

  • Natural Environments
  • Rocks and soils
  • Weather, Climate, and Atmosphere