The Victoria and Albert Museum (also known as the V&A) is the
world's largest museum of design, applied arts, and decorative arts. It is
located in 'Albertopolis,' a section of Kensington with many museums and
institutions supported by Prince Albert. The V&A began as part of the 1851
Great Exhibition and was originally known as the Museum of Manufactures. Three
years later, it was moved to its current site and renamed the South Kensington
Museum.
In 1857, Queen Victoria hosted the official
opening of the museum. In order to serve the working classes, the museum was
kept open by gas light so that all people who wanted to could access the
applied art and science resources. The museum was dedicated to serving all
classes, and when she renamed the building the Victoria & Albert Museum in
1899, Queen Victoria said, "I trust that it will remain for ages a
Monument of discerning Liberality and a Source of Refinement and
Progress."
The museum owns the world's largest collection of Italian
Renaissance items outside of Italy. There are triptychs and effigy tombs, and
you can even walk inside Trajan's Column! The Asian department includes art
from South Asia, China, Japan, Korea, and the Islamic world. These are some of
the best Asian resources found in Europe. The museum features a large
collection of medieval pieces from around the world.
The medieval period lasted from about the 5th to 15th
centuries in Europe, and is generally broken into the early, high, and late
middle ages periods. The era began with the fall of Rome and ended with the
fall of Constantinople, then transitioning into the Renaissance. During the
middle ages, several new kingdoms, based on the Roman civilization, were formed
across the western part of the continent, and the eastern part of the continent
came under the rule of the Islamic empire (see the unit study on the Umayyad Caliphate, the Button Box).
The high middle ages was a period of
technological innovation and climate changes that allowed crops to
flourish...which led to a population boom and increased trade. The feudal
system of serfs and lords became the prominent political structure, with the
nobles reporting to the king. This was also the period of the Crusades, the
founding of universities, and authors such as Dante and Chaucer. The late
middle ages were marked with difficulties, such as the Black Plague, schisms
within the church, and peasant revolts.
Pick up activities and worksheets to augment your real or virtual trip in the unit study bundle below!
Explore the art, history, geography, food, and culture of England in this cross-curricular unit study….perfect for families getting ready to travel abroad or folks who want to travel via unit studies! Each stop along the roadschooling trip covers a different facet of history and culture with unit information, resources, worksheets, activities, and more... 
Table of Contents:
- o Introduction & Geography of England
- o Portsmouth
- o The Mary Rose & naval archaeology
- o London
- o The British Museum & archaeology
- o The Wallace Collection & medieval history
- o The Tower of London / London Bridge & the Tudors
- o Buckingham Palace & royalty
- o Victoria and Albert Museum & medieval art
- o Thames / Globe Theater & Shakespeare
- o Sherlock Holmes Museum & British Literature
- o Abbey Road & British Invasion
- o Leeds
- o Royal Armouries & middle ages
- o York
- o Jorvik & Vikings
- o York Castle & archaeology
- o Haltwhistle
- o Hadrian’s Wall & ancient Celts
- o Vindolanda & archaeology
- o Alnwick
- o Alnwick Castle & architecture
- o Poison Garden & herbs
- o Barter Books & WW2 history
- o Alnmouth
- o North Sea & train history
- o Newcastle o Segedunum & ancient Romans
- o Tips & Tricks for Travelling in England
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