Roadschool Trip to London: Victoria & Albert

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 5t^h to 15t^h 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...  

YES!  I want 122 pages of FUN STUDIES!

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