Blaenavon World Heritage Centre
The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre is situated within the former St. Peter’s Church School which was founded in 1816 by Sarah Hopkins to provide free education for children whose parents worked for the Blaenavon Ironworks. Like its historic predecessor, learning lies at the very heart of the World Heritage Centre - its interpretative content was designed to meet the needs of the National Curriculum.
The centre’s interpretative layout was overseen by leaders in exhibition design and its content was developed over a two year period as a product of painstaking research and consultation with teachers. Narratives are delivered through the words of historical characters so that students can gain an insight into the daily lives of ordinary people and understand the changes that they experienced during the 19th century.
Self-led visits to explore the Blaenavon World Heritage Centre are free of charge. However in order to get the most out of your visit, we would strongly recommend that you make use of a number of facilitated sessions that we offer. These include:
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19th century and Second World War (home front) discovery days: Activities based on a two-centre visit to the Ironworks and Heritage Centre. (KS2 – 4 hours)
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Workshop sessions using artefacts and replicas spanning the 18th & 19th centuries and World War II periods; themes include toys and games in the past and domestic life. (Foundation & KS2 - 2 hours)
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Storytelling sessions by costumed interpreters based on historic characters who worked and lived in Blaenavon. (Foundation & KS2 - 2 hours)
The Heritage Centre is a logical starting point for visits into the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape. The former heavy industries left their mark on the environment, which is full of hidden treasures, making it an ideal location for outdoor educational visits that can be facilitated by staff.
Further information on the whole range of workshops and activities plus supporting resources is given in the section called ‘Workshops’.