Learning with the palaces

Learning is woven into everything we do

Learning is intrinsic to our visitor experience, it is embedded in every interaction and encounter with our visitors.

Our ambition is for everyone to discover our palaces and their stories and to transform their relationship with history.

We offer a pioneering programme that delivers exciting content, activities and events to families, schools and adults on-site, off-site and online.

A dementia friendly heritage site

‘Rethinking heritage: A guide to help make your site more dementia-friendly’ is a resource written by those who are working to promote dementia-friendly practice in small, large, national and local heritage organisations.

Family fun

Our daily public programming makes exploring the palaces as a family a real treat. We offer a range of imaginative activities – interactive trails, creative workshops, storytelling, object handling, digital activity and more. 

We stage family events on a grand scale with an irresistible mix of spectacle, live interpretation, traditional crafts and cutting-edge technology.

Half terms and school holidays are packed with extra family activities at the palaces. Discover what’s on and start planning your next great day out.

Schools and colleges

Our popular schools programme offers a huge amount of stimulating content at all levels from nursery to A-level.

We ask teachers what they want from us and we listen. This makes your school visit as useful and enjoyable as possible.

Podcasts

We embrace new ways of telling our stories too. With a range of podcasts to listen to, from exciting historical fiction and panel discussions to live recordings of our talks and events, there is something for every listener. 

Outliers - Stories from the edge of history

Enjoy our historic fiction podcast that tells stories from the edge of history. The series explores how big historic events filter down and are viewed and shaped by the people in the shadows. Themes of otherness, change, gender and the meaning of power are explored through the eyes of characters who have not traditionally held the historic limelight.

Some stories are warm and comedic, whilst others are dark, poignant and reflective, with powerful messages.

Subscribe and listen on your regular podcast app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or here.

To find out more about the history behind Outliers, explore our Outliers blog posts.

Historic Royal Palaces Podcast

This podcast is a collection of recorded talks and lectures given by curators and experts at our palaces. It explores how monarchs and people have shaped society, in some of the greatest palaces ever built.

Subscribe and listen on your regular podcast app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or here.

All types of learning

We provide lifelong learning opportunities for people with a deep interest in the heritage and conservation of our palaces with on-site themed talks, study days, lively debates and lectures.

We reinvent our stories in new and exciting ways; by combining storytelling, immersive theatre and technology to create ground-breaking experiences that appeal to anyone who loves an adventure at one of our palaces!

And our younger visitors can download the free Time Explorers app to their own device and explore the palaces; the learning is subtle and fun, it's embedded into the gameplay.

Learn online

Join expert historians and fellow learners in one of our popular, free online courses. Find out how British kings and queens have influenced fashion over 500 years and immerse yourself in the changing tastes of royalty.

Making the palaces accessible to all

We work closely with community groups to reach diverse audiences. We're developing our 'Community Access Scheme' which offers free entry and practical advice and support to adult community groups and education providers based locally to the Tower of London.

We've developed an 'Access Fund for Schools', supporting visits from Key Stage 1 - 4 students and special school students. This fund offers schools the opportunity to have a high quality learning experience at Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London.