Collins Barracks

Workshop at a glance

During Ireland's historic EU Presidency, inspire the next generation to express their vision for the future by booking a free Museum Changemaker workshop!

Through hands-on, object based learning and creative activities, students will explore prominent changemakers of early 20th century Ireland, active citizenship, and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals at the Museum.

Based in the Changing Ireland galleries, students work in teams to connect Global Goals with historic artefacts and Changemakers from early 20th century to 21st century Ireland. Alongside exploring a series of related objects on display and from the Museum's handling objects collection, students design and create manifestos expressing their vision for the future as Changemakers themselves. 

"Super workshop, pitched at just the right level for our students, loved how active it was and the mix of hands-on activities combined with the key information that was delivered." - Teacher feedback

Please note that this workshop is being run as a pilot during Autumn Term, 2026. As this is a pilot stage, we can only accommodate 1 booking per school. Your classes engagement with this workshop will help us to develop this offering for Spring Term.

All galleries in Collins Barracks are fully accessible. Changing Ireland galleries can be acessed by lift. Further details on site accessibility can be found here. 

Curriculum Links

Ethical Education
Social and Enviromental Studies
Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework
Exploring and thinking
Communication Skills
History
Story Stories from the lives of people in the past
Life, society, work and culture in the past
Visual arts 
Other Curriculum Links
Language/ listening skills/ slow looking

Learning outcomes 

• To explore active citizenship through the museum.
• To develop skills in critical thinking, teamwork, and creative expression by working collectively on interpreting the collection and co-designing a shared vision for the future.
• Allow students to explore the collection in a self-directed manner, while having a defined purpose.
• ​Gain a greater knowledge of Ireland's relationship with the wider world in the 20th century.

Skills Developed

• Decision-making: The workshop will be student-led with participants being encouraged to explore the UN Sustainable Goals and collection on their own terms.
• Observational/ imaginative/ descriptive/ analytical
• Speaking/ listening/ understanding/ empathising
• ​Working within a team 

Resources and suggestions

Online

To learn more about Revolutionary-era Ireland and provide context, you can watch our virtual tours:

• Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising
• Bonnets, Bandolies and Ballot Papers

Before your visit

• Review our Learning Teams' Charter of Participation with your class ahead of the workshop. This will be sent to you once you have booked for a workshop slot. 
• Read literature and poetry depicting events from and around the period.
• Explore the online Changing Ireland resources to discuss the feelings and motives of people in the past and how an event in the past may have been perceived by those who participated in it.

After your visit

• Further work on the design and message of manifesto.
• Develop projects and classroom activities encouraging students to think about how they can bring the Sustainable Development Goals into their everyday lives. 
• Students work together to present on Changemakers, both current and historic, relevant to them. 
• Hold a classroom debate on an issue or historic event discussed during your visit.