Loan Boxes
Free object loans service for schools! Please make sure you enquire at least two weeks in advance.
Other
Explore our other fantastic boxes here, ranging from slavery to the Florence Nightingale.
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20th Century Domestic Equipment- Discovery Museum
Full of original objects this box gives a great insight into British early and mid 20th Century domestic life.
Box contents
- mincer
- toaster
- hot water bottle
- jelly mould
- poss stick
- Ringtons tea tin
- Sunlight soap
- milk can
- electric iron
- potato masher
- paper bag
- darning mushroom
- booklet ‘Make Do and Mend’
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20th Century Homes - Sunderland
This box gives a great insight into domestic life in the twentieth century. It provides a fun way to start comparing the differences and similarities between these objects and ones that you might find around your home today.
Box contents
- toaster
- tablecloth and napkins
- medicated toilet roll
- ‘Slimmers’ scales
- poss stick
- egg beater
- potato chipper
- tape
- cheesecake cookery book
- handmade rugs book
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20th Century School - Sunderland
Discover what school life was like for children living in the twentieth century with this excellent range of original objects and documents from the past century.
Box contents
- Leather satchel
- Milk bottle
- Dip pen and inkwell
- Cartridge pen
- Slate and slate pencil
- Protractor
- Yo-yo
- Spectacles in case
- Skipping rope
- School prefect badge
- Plimsolls
- 'Valiant' comic
- Arithmetic exercise book
- 'The Stuart Period' book
- Cocoa tin
- 'William the Conqueror'
- Girl's tunic
- Carbolic soap
- Dice, marbles
- Old coins
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20th Century Toys- Discovery Museum
Identify the similarities and differences between toys of today and those in the past with this intriguing collection of 20th cenutry play things. Please note box contents may vary.
Box contents
- teletubby
- Archie Acrobat
- hoop and stick
- diabolo
- petite typewriter
- cup and ball
- ludo game
- 1960s lego
- card game
- metal springy
- toy tank
- Sindy scooter
- spinning top
- ‘Toys past and present’ info pack with 8 A3 cards, poster and info booklet
- ‘Our Toys’ by Joan Blyth
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Africa - Sunderland
Discover Africa and its fascinating culture through this brilliant collection of real and replica African artefacts.
Box contents
- Protea
- Kanga cloth
- Kente
- Pushalong
- Banana picture
- The Ghanaian Times
- Rakatak
- Spirit mask
- Coil cup
- Gourd spoon
- Mud cloth
- Calimba
- Ashanti
- Cocoa Seeds
- Fang mask
- Gumbella
- Ashanti crown
- Beaded bag
- Books: Africa Focus
- Photopack: Images of Kenya
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Britain since 1948 - Sunderland
A collection of fascinating objects post 1948, which create a fun way to start comparing the differences and similarities between these objects and ones that you might find around your home today.
Box contents
- One Pound Note
- Wham ‘Freedom’ single
- Sunderland Echo
- Turquoise Pyrex dish
- ‘The Young Person’s Guide to Saving The Planet’ book
- Sunderland AFC programme
- ‘The New Albatross Recipe Book’
- ‘Cooking for the Freezer’
- ‘People and Transport the future of public transport in Sunderland’
- Purse containing old coins
- ‘Cooking with a Wok’
- ‘Woman Christmas Extra’ magazine
- Red hat
- Kodak Instamatic
- Walkman
- Sony Discman
- Floppy Disc
- 1981 royal wedding tea towel
- 2011 royal wedding bell
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Chinese New Year - Sunderland
Explore Chinese New Year and its festivities and traditions through a selection of fun and interesting objects. Compare Chinese celebrations with those we have in the UK today.
Box contents
- 'The Chinese New Year' book
- 'Lanterns and Firecrackers' book
- 'Shadow Puppets and Shadow play' book
- Chinese New Year fact sheet
- hand drum
- Chinese dragons
- paper cut outs
- ganging lantern
- paper lanterns
- fortune cat ornament
- pop up lantern
- light up lanterns
- hanging animals
- large paper dragon
- small paper dragons
- lucky knot with mask
- lucky knot
- large mouse with lucky knot
- plastic fire cracker
- lucky coins
- heaven bank notes
- large hell bank note
- assortment of red envelopes
- hello Kitty hanging ornaments
- decoration made from red envelopes
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Coal - Sunderland
Investigate the coal mining of the past with an array of exciting objects. Learn about the local F-pit mine in Washington, and handle some real artefacts.
Box contents
- Reproduction Miners Lamp
- Fluorescent t-shirt
- Fluorescent shorts
- Gloves
- Eye protectors
- Knee pads
- Safety boots
- Belt
- Helmet
- Electric torch
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Coal Box 2 - Sunderland
Explore what life was like for miners in the past through this collection of genuine historic mining equipment.
Box contents
- Breathing apparatus
- Helmet with Cap Lamp
- The Wolf Safety Lamp
- “The Oldham” Lamp
- Gray Sussmann Electric Safety Lamp
- Flame Safety Lamp
- Tallies
- Piece of coal
- Pair of clogs
- Lamps information pamphlet
- Images
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Compare Old and New Objects 1- Discovery Museum
Developed for the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage One, these are two boxes of household objects, one old and one new. The boxes will provide the opportunity for children to explore and handle objects from the past and present, comparing similarities and differences to promote and consolidate a range of historical and cross curricular skills.
Box contents
- Old Box:
- doll
- photo of Quayside
- ink pot and quill
- flat iron
- baby bottle
- telephone
- house key
- pocket watch
- hand made truck
- shoes
- nightdress
- New Box:
- baby Jo Jo doll
- postcard of Quayside
- ballpoint pen
- electric iron
- Baby bottle
- mobile phone
- house key
- digital watch
- Thomas the Tank Engine toy
- trainers
- nightdress
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Compare Old and New Objects 2 - Discovery Museum
Developed for the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage One, these two boxes contain old objects and their new comparisons from the household. The boxes will provide the opportunity for children to explore and handle objects from the past and present, comparing similarities and differences to promote and consolidate a range of historical and cross curricular skills.
Box contents
- Old Box:
- shopping basket
- purse and coins
- pots and pans
- camera
- Victorian nightdress
- handkerchief
- chalk board
- football
- watch
- record
- hand made truck
- doll
- baby's bottle
- flat iron
- soap
- wooden cup
- photograph
- New Objects:
- shopping bag
- purse and coins
- pots and pans
- digital camera
- pyjamas
- tissues
- white board
- football
- digital watch
- iPod
- toy train
- doll
- baby's bottle
- iron
- hand gel
- cup
- photograph
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English Civil War- Discovery Museum
Oliver Cromwell's replica death mask features as a key object in this newly developed loans box designed to coincide with the Siege and Storm exhibition at Discovery Museum.
Box contents
- rat
- death mask of Oliver Cromwell
- pewter plate
- pewter spoon
- pewter goblet
- games books (3)
- table skittles (10) and ball backgammon pieces and leather board
- draught pieces and leather board
- playing cards
- marion helmet
- Charles I half crown Commonwealth shilling
- Stuart woman (primary sized costume)
- Stuart woman (secondary sized costume)
- Stuart man (primary sized costume)
- Stuart woman (secondary sized costume)
- thumbscrews
- Siege and Storm booklet
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Fishing and Ships - Sunderland
Explore Sunderland’s past fishing and shipping industry with this intriguing collection of relevant objects and information.
Box contents
- 'Port of Sunderland' book
- Gansey
- Rope with display of knots and splices
- Wooden chisel
- Flat Cap
- Fish Knife
- 'Shipyards in the 1880s' book
- Clogs
- 'River Tales – A story of Sunderland Shipbuilding' DVD
- Measure/table
- Chock of wood
- Photograph
- Sextant
- Sailor Hat
- Compass
- Commemorative scroll
- Carved Tusk
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Great British Art Debate-Discovery Museum
Use these activities to explore the themes and motifs in artworks by Northumbrian artist John Martin and find the ways in which his work has influenced contemporary art and culture.
Box contents
- John Martin reproduction paintings (2)
- frame
- Activity packs:
- domino
- flyer
- describe
- music
- sign
- scale
- diorama
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India: A Hindu Wedding - Sunderland
Explore a Hindu Wedding and how they are celebrated in India. Compare the differences and similarities of a traditional Hindu wedding with a traditional British wedding.
Box contents
- Gota Garland
- Gota Face cover
- Beaded Mala
- Head Kalagi
- Gota Mukut
- Sehra
- Beaded Bracelets
- Dulha Tilak (bindi)
- Kamarband (cummerbund)
- Swastika Gate
- Wedding toran with bells
- Mala (Bridal Garland)
- Pair of wedding shoes
- Pair of gold wedding shoes
- Sets of wedding bangles
- Silver Necklace
- Holi Pichkari
- Bandhi Cotton Turban
- Sherwani
- Photograph pack
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Life in an Indian Village - Sunderland
Discover what life is like in an Indian village and compare differences and similarities with how we live in the UK today.
Box contents
- pushpa doll and bed with clothes
- mundu cloth
- therika (pot rest)
- mulamaglass (bamboo)
- kail (coconut shell spoon)
- kadum (steel pot)
- thorthe (towel)
- velenjikol (bird trap)
- peechankuzhal (toy water piston)
- cheya podi (tea powder)
- shikakai powder (bath powder)
- ragi (finger millet)
- paruppu (dahl)
- ari (rice)
- kurumulagu (pepper)
- kappi (coffee)
- girl's outfit
- boy's outfit
- glass
- muram (winnow)
- 'Footprints in the Forest' book
- 'Shompa lives in India' book
- 'The Story of Divaali' book
- 'Elephant Dance: A Journey to India' book
- ‘India’ CD
- ‘Putheri: Songs of the Adivasi’ tape
- photo pack
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Medicine through Time- Discovery Museum
Bring the history of medicine to life with this exciting box full of real and replica artefacts.
Box contents
- Anubis statue
- canopic jars
- bust of Hippocrates
- cast of Asclepius
- Roman strigil
- Roman sponge stick
- Medieval urine chart
- plague doctor mask
- Vesalius prints
- cauterizing iron
- syringe
- Christening gown
- leeches jar
- Florence Nightingale lantern
- magneto-electric machine
- milk bottle
- X-ray print
- petri dish
- laboratory coat
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Post 1950s Home - Sunderland
Full of original objects, this box gives a great insight into the domestic life in the post 1950s home.
Box contents
- Hairdryer
- 1960s iron
- 1980s iron
- Cream maker
- Flour shaker
- Cigarette packets
- Practical mechanics
- Practical Mechanics
- cake tins
- 1960s primo camera
- Floppy disk drive and disk
- Vogue pattern
- 2 pairs tights
- 'Making History' Book
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Post 1950s Toys - Sunderland
Learn about and experience the toys that children have been playing with since the 1950s with this brilliant selection of past toys and games.
Box contents
- Mr Potato Head
- Duplo Lego bricks
- Scrabble for Juniors
- ‘Stop Thief’ board game
- Draughts board game
- Connect 4
- ‘Operation’ game
- Musical toy
- Knitted dog
- Electric keyboard
- Subbuteo figures
- Tractor and Trailer
- Peg doll
- Action Man
- Rubix Cube
- Plastic dinosaur
- Humming (spinning) top
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Pre 1950s Toys - Sunderland
Learn about and play with the toys that children had before the 1950s with this brilliant selection of pre- 1950s toys and games.
Box contents
- Snakes & Ladders and Ludo
- Dominoes
- Lead Aeroplane
- Large wooden dominoes
- Playing Cards
- Patience card game
- Marbles
- Plastic dice
- Wooden rattle
- Acrobat
- Cup and ball game
- Pecking chickens
- Sailors on rigging
- Woollen Santa doll
- Peg doll
- Wooden doll
- Wooden sailing boat
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Remembering Slavery- Discovery Museum
This collection of replica artefacts represents life on board a slave ship and will help pupils to empathise with the victims of the transatlantic slave trade. The box also includes the newly published 'Hidden Chains' book which looks at the North East's connections with the slave trade and its abolition.
Box contents
- sugar nippers
- monkey fist
- tea brink
- sugar
- tobacco
- manilla armlet
- cotton
- wrist menacles
- arm shackles
- slave collar
- leg shackles
- 5 traditional African instruments
- 'The Story of Slavery' Sarah Coutauld
- 'Slavery to Freedom' James Walvin
- 'Hidden Chains' John Charlton.
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Seaside Holiday - Sunderland
What were seaside holidays like in the past? Find out with this collection of delightful original artefacts that complement the QCA scheme of work.
Box contents
- Sandcastle flags
- Beach Ball
- Children’s parasol
- Glass penny licks
- Camera
- Tea pot
- Punch and Judy
- Children’s knitted swimming costumes
- Wooden Spades
- Tin Buckets
- Photographs
- Postcards
- Souvenir china wheel barrow
- Glass Bottle
- Multicoloured sticks
- Plastic Crab
- Shells
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Seaside Holidays in the Past- Discovery Museum
What were seaside holidays like in the past? Find out with this collection of delightful original artefacts.
Box contents
- shell souvenir box
- Brownie camera
- seashells
- postcards
- small deckchair
- spade
- bucket
- pair of sunglasses
- blue knitted swimsuit
- sun hat
- sundress
- romper suit
- penny lick
- fan
- pack of seaside photos of holidays in the past and present
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Slavery - Sunderland
This collection of replica artefacts represents life for a slave during the height of the transatlantic slave trade. The box will help pupils to empathise with the victims and their day to day work.
Box contents
- Tea brink
- The monkey fist
- Tobacco
- Manilla
- Sugar nippers
- Cotton
- Arm shackles
- Sugar cone
- Shackles
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Suffragettes- Discovery Museum
Throughout the Westernised world the struggle for the right for women to vote was long and bitter. Discuss the 'Vote for Women' campagin in your classroom and use this box of replica artefacts to bring to life nearly one hundred years of violence, brutality heroism and courage.
Box contents
- sash
- suffragette propaganda poster
- defaced replica penny
- anti- suffragette postcards
- votes for Women banner
- house brick
- prison uniform costume
- force feeding tube
- cat and mouse act poster
- horse shoe
- 2003 commemorative coin
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Textiles - Sunderland
Identify different sewing and knitting styles and learn how to knit from the helpful books. Use the knitting examples to test your knitting skills.
Box contents
- wooden knitting needles
- crochet hook
- hooky mat tool
- knitting doll
- 'Treasure Book of Family needlework' book
- 'Quilts and Coverlets' book
- embroidered doiley
- crochet shawl
- example; wholecloth quilting
- example; patchwork quilting
- examples; knitting stitches
- ball of wool
- stitchcraft
- women’s weekly baby knitting
- knitting patterns
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Transport - Sunderland
Learn about different forms of transport and the ways these have developed over time with this collection of handling objects and books.
Box contents
- Transport Photocards
- Tractor and Trailer
- Wooden plane
- Wooden helicopter
- Construction vehicles
- Wooden cars
- 'Travel Through Time – On the Road' book
- 'Travel Through Time – Cycle Power' book
- Motor car card game
- Motor car ration book
- Motor cycle tyre repair kit
- Monkwearmouth Station platform tickets
- Timothy’s book of trains
- 'Meet your Metro' book
- 'Practical Mechanic' magazine
- Motor fuel coupons
- Images
- Whistles
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Vikings- Discovery Museum
Find out about how the Vikings lived in Britain with this fascinating collection of replica artefacts based on archaeological finds. Please note we have 2 Viking boxes and the contents may vary.
Box contents
- Viking helmet
- Hnefatafl board game
- Thor hammer amulet
- Coins
- Bone needles
- Spouted pitcher
- Leather shoe
- Horn beaker
- Oil lamp
- Pan pipes
- Key
- warrior's broadsword
- archer's dirk
- bag of runes
- horn
- Viking costume
- Viking Invaders book
- Jorvik resource book
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World War One - Sunderland
Discover what it would have been like to live during World War One by exploring original objects, photographs and newspaper articles from the time.
Box contents
- Periscope
- Sunderland Daily Echo
- The Daily Mirror
- Piece of clothing
- General Thanks Giving Service
- Snippet from local paper
- 1914-15 Star
- Wartime pictures
- Old pennies
- Souvenir of Peace Celebrations
- Copies of ‘Great War’
- Children’s Commemoration of Peace medals
- Greetings cards
- Children’s Christmas certificate
- Memorial plaque
- Officer’s binoculars
- 'Poppy Day' book
- Birthday postcard
- 'Remembrance day' book
- Essex Rgt. in Palestine 1917 photo
- 'Start up History: Rememberance Day' book
- Poster
- Poppies
