The day began at the Pitt Rivers Museum, whose extraordinary collections bring together objects, photographs and manuscripts from cultures around the world. Unlike many museums, its displays are arranged by type rather than by geographical area or period, allowing visitors to compare the different ways people across cultures and throughout history have approached everyday life, creativity, craftsmanship and belief.

Working directly from the collections, pupils took part in a workshop led by the museum’s resident Art Teacher. They explored different approaches to using their sketchbooks, considering composition, planning and layout, as well as techniques for observing, recording and categorising objects.

Armed with sketchbooks and cameras, Year 8 then had time to explore the museum’s three floors for themselves, seeking out objects that captured their interest and recording details through drawing and photography. The museum’s densely packed displays provided plenty of inspiration, encouraging pupils to look closely at shape, pattern, texture and form while also considering the stories and cultures behind the objects they encountered.

In the afternoon, the focus shifted to the neighbouring Oxford University Museum of Natural History, where the collections provided a very different source of artistic inspiration. Pupils experimented with drawing in white pencil on black paper, using the contrast to create striking studies inspired by fossils, minerals and specimens from the natural world. They also explored collage, developing further creative responses to what they had seen during the day.

Head of Art, Paul Spurrett, said:

“Visits like this give pupils the opportunity to draw directly from an incredible range of objects and specimens, while also encouraging them to look more closely at the world around them. It is wonderful to see them exploring the collections, following their own interests and discovering new sources of inspiration for their artwork.”

Combining observation, experimentation and cultural discovery, the visit gave Year 8 plenty of opportunities to develop their artistic skills beyond the classroom. Pupils returned to school with sketchbooks full of ideas, studies and inspiration to draw upon as they continue their work in Art.