School trip to The Bank of England Museum
The Bank of England Museum hosts a variety of exhibits and displays including a rollerball game, banknote jigsaws and an interactive timeline that navigates through the history of the financial storms.
One of the more popular exhibits allows visitors to take the helm of a virtual boat to set monetary policy to keep inflation on a stable course. Other displays include a one million pound note, and a genuine gold bar which can be held!
The Bank of England Museum is located in Bartholomew Lane, just around the corner from the Bank’s main entrance in Threadneedle Street.
What’s inside the museum
Inside the museum you can find out who we are – and what we do. You can pick up a gold bar and discover why our building is on top of one the world’s largest stores of gold. You’ll learn why people started to use paper money and how we make our notes difficult to copy.
Learn about the Bank of England and money
Learn what the Bank of England does and how this affects you. Find out how they work to keep prices stable (the cost of things like food, televisions and train tickets). Discover how we ensure that the financial system is safe and sound.
At the heart of the museum is the Stock Office. This is what the inside of the Bank of England would have looked like 200 hundred years ago.
In the centre of our Stock Office is a large model of a ship. Keeping prices stable is a bit like sailing a ship. You need to avoid storms and hazards that might push us off course. Have a go yourself in our ‘Keeping on an even keel’ interactive display.
Educational school trip
The Bank of England Museum’s education programme is designed to support aspects of teaching in several curriculum areas for key stages 2 and above. It includes free cinema presentations tailored to suit the age and interests of the group (booking essential).
Pounds & Pence (60 minutes) Key stage 2 and 3 – Encourages pupils to think about the value of money and prices, and their spending and saving decisions.
Keeping on an even keel (60 minutes) Key stage 4 and above – Explains what the Bank does to keep inflation low, maintain trust in its banknotes and keep the financial system stable.
All presentations are free of charge and must be booked in advance by emailing education@bankofengland.co.uk or calling 0207 601 5545.
The Bank of England Museum also offers free activity sheets which are a great way for young people to explore the Museum whilst learning the role of the Bank. They are targeted at different age groups from under 5 to 17 year olds.