Primary students looking into glass case

Primary Museum Trail

What: Self-directed
When: Terms 1 to 4, Monday to Friday
Duration: 60 minutes
Year level: Years 3 to 6
Minmum student numbers: Minimum 10 students
Maximum student numbers: Maximum 50 students
Cost: education service fee
Booking information: Bookings 13 11 02
School visit information

The Primary Museum trail is a self-guided program designed to give Years 3 to 6 students an introduction to the permanent exhibitions on display at the Immigration Museum.

Pre and post visit resources are available online.

For teachers

Please acquaint yourself with the contents of the galleries before arriving at the museum.

A Museum Teachers subscription provides free entry to the museum and you are welcome to visit and scope your excursion prior to your class visit.

You may want to create your own activity program based on the details below, or use the activities on the following pages.

First Floor gallery map

Your excursion will focus on the following galleries on the first floor.

Gallery and exhibition details

Leaving Home
Using sound, objects, still and moving images we explore the reasons why people left their countries to come to Australia and what they brought with them.

Voices Across Time
First Peoples' culture and connections stretch back into Deep Time and their sovereignty is unceded. People from around the world left their homes and arrived here, impacting the Country and lives of First Peoples. They also brought their memories and cultures, and they continue to contribute to an evolving diverse society. Journey through time to hear how the stories of First Peoples and the migrants that followed have intersected in joy, sorrow, loss and resilience. 

Customs Gallery
The Immigration Museum occupies the Old Customs House, a key public building in 19th century colonial Melbourne. For over a century the Customs House was the focal point for Victoria's trade and shipping.

Getting In
Since the 1800s, various immigration policies have dictated who gets in. This exhibition shows how and why our immigration policies have changed.

Suggested activities

Activity 1 - See Think Wonder (Years 3 to 6)

In the museum

Use the See, Think, Wonder strategy and have students spend 10 minutes in each gallery space.

Download or create a template for students to use and ask them to respond to either an object or an exhibit in each of the four galleries.

Back at school

Once you return to class have students share their observations with others either focusing on one particular gallery at a time or across the entire four galleries at once.