Education Boxes

Being able to interact with history in a hands-on fashion really helps bring it to life and our education loan boxes allow you to do just that.

Our history education loan boxes have been cleverly created with some great items from our museum collection in a way that allows you to immerse yourself in the era you are studying.

Not only do they provide a fun and practical way to learn about the past but they allow you to form a deeper appreciation of what life was really like for those living during those times.

We’ve made a series of short videos exploring these boxes and their fascinating contents. They show how each box can be used as a tool for prompting further discussion and igniting curiosity.

The list below shows the wide variety of topics that our boxes cover:

Ancient Greeks - Use these exciting replica items to bring Ancient Greece to the classroom.
Roman - Replica Roman objects to explore and inspire children of all ages.
Viking - Find out more about everyday Viking life with these brilliant objects.
Tudor - How did the Tudors live? Find out with these wonderful handling objects.
Medieval - Fascinating items which open a window into the Medieval World.
Victorian - A wide selection of authentic Victorian items to recreate the nineteenth century for learners of all ages.
George Stephenson - Explore the life of the famous entrepreneur who started a transport revolution and shaped Victorian Chesterfield.
World War One - Fascinating authentic and replica items offer an emotive insight into life in the trenches of WW1.
The Home Front - Put that Light Out! Bring everyday life in the Home Front of WW2 to the classroom.
WWII Evacuee’s Suitcase - A small suitcase containing items that enable learners to understand the evacuee experience.
School Days - Objects from classrooms of bygone days to educate and entertain.
Toys and Games - A journey through the history of play, from Ancient Rome to present day.
Let There Be Light - From Ancient to Modern History, how did we light our homes?

Education boxes are available to hire at £10 per week; conditions of use apply.

Bookings should be made as far in advance as possible with popular boxes often being booked up many months in advance.

Hiring an education box

To hire an education box please make a reservation online, a member of the visitor information team will contact you to take your payment.

You can reserve an education box through your My Chesterfield account, so that you can keep track of your reservation.

If you don't already have an account signing up is quick and easy. We just need to know your name and address, your phone number and your email address.

If you don't want to sign-up for a My Chesterfield account you can: