Educational Trips to Explore the Art and Science of Paris

As the largest city and capital of France, Paris is just a short hop away from the United Kingdom and makes for an exceptional place to go on educational trips for a taste of the art and science that makes the city what it is today. With a history that dates back over two thousand years, exploring Paris and its surrounds can seem to be a monumental task for educational trips to the city, but it is easy to manage the wealth of information and culture if you focus on a few key sights or topics.

While in Paris, it is hard to ignore the arts. World famous museums, such as the Louvre, are around every corner, but if you have a little time and want to get a more in depth look into a museum, consider a visit to the Musée d'Orsay. Don't neglect the sciences, either, which have a background that can be explored when you visit the Cité des Sciences.

The Musée d'Orsay

Situated on the left bank of the Seine, the Musée d'Orsay literally cannot be missed. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, which is a stunning Beaux-Arts train station that was built between 1989 and 1900. The building itself was completed just in time for the Universal Exposition of 1900 and the station remained one of the most important stations in France until 1939 when the short platforms became an issue for the longer trains. During the 1900s, the station was used as a film location, by auctioneers, and as a theatre company before the building was saved from destruction and opened as a museum in 1986. Educational trips here will reveal its history and heritage: it was designed to bridge a perceived gap between the collections of the Louvre and the National Museum of Modern Art. The resulting museum is light and airy and known for its extensive collection of impressionist and post-impressionist works of art with names that everyone will recognise - such as Monet, Degas, Manet, and Van Gogh, just to mention a few.

Cité des Sciences

Officially known as the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, this museum is must-visit destination for science focused educational trips to Paris. Located in the outskirts, the Cité des Sciences is also the largest science museum in Europe. The museum opened in 1986, and is recognisable for its large bioclimatic façade of glass. Inside the museum features a planetarium, IMAX theatre, a submarine and a range of leisure activities that combine the history of science and modern scientific issues with entertainment and activities. Here students focused on maths, space, environmental issues and even the human body can enjoy the exhibits before heading out to explore the parklands around the building.

Top Tips for School Trips Overseas

Sometimes the prospect of arranging sports or performing arts school trips overseas for younger students can be a rather daunting one. Here are some top tips that you may find will help things to go rather more smoothly.

1. Consider using specialists to help. It is perfectly possible to make most of the arrangements for your own school trips, but you may find it rather less traumatic if you engage an organisation with relevant experience to help. There are specialist companies available with expertise in things such as school sports tours.

2. Choose a multi-interest destination for school trips. Trips exist to great cities such as Berlin, Paris and Krakow, or to fascinating regions such as Catalonia and Lake Garda. Even the best behaved younger students may become bored if their surroundings do not give sufficient diversity of activity for them to have a break from their day to day coaching in the sports or performing arts.

3. Plan an activity-filled itinerary. Students with excessive amounts of time on their hands, due to gaps in the timetable, may start to make their own amusement and that may occasionally lead to behaviour issues. Of course, the itinerary cannot be so full as to be exhausting, and young people need some time to themselves, but it is important to generally keep the students occupied.

4. Use only recognised centres of excellence for student accommodation and coaching. Younger students are just as capable of recognising poor accommodation and lacklustre facilities as adults. Specialist companies may be able to show you a proven track record in the centre concerned and its facilities.

5. Arrange a variety of extra-curricular activities. Even if you choose a coaching centre that is close to a major city, simply arranging a series of visits to museums and art galleries may leave some students cold. So, try to vary the agenda you set for such excursions in order to cater for the variety of tastes there may well exist in your party.

6. Make sure that your tour leader is a recognised figure of respected authority. Remember that on-site coaching staff will not accept responsibility for the behaviour of students in the party - that must reside with the tour leader and his or her colleagues on the trip.

7. Plan your school trips travel itinerary carefully. Over-ambitious journeys, particularly by road, can be exhausting even though young students are typically resilient. It might be a pity if your first full day at destination is lost due to students being too exhausted to fully participate in the day's activities.

8. Adopt a policy, in advance, on mobile device usage. This is a perennially difficult situation, but texting or net-browsing students can be a significant disruption to coaching sessions and ancillary excursions to tourist destinations.

A few basic steps such as those above might help to make school trips that bit more rewarding for everyone - including tour leaders.

Choosing the All Important Location for a School Trip

If you are trying to organise a school trip to a continental European destination you may find some of the following locations useful when making your final, all important decision on where to take students.

Spain

Spanish culture is traditionally extremely well disposed towards children of almost all ages. This makes it a near ideal destination in many respects for any type of school trip. Many such trips head towards the north east coast of Spain around the region known as Catalonia. This is a fantastic area of beaches and interesting historical cities such as Tarragona. One significant advantage of Spain is that, at the time of writing, it is one of the European destinations where students' spending money is likely to go further than most othdrs.

At most times of the year the weather is about as guaranteed to be good as it ever can be anywhere. Of course, in the summer months it can also be very hot - something which needs to be taken into account.

Italy

Few people anywhere on Earth are as naturally charming as the Italians. The country has a magnificent culture and historically has been at the centre of European and world events for millennia making it ideal for students to visit. But it's not all sun baked streets and ancient ruins. For example, Lake Garda has stunning mountainous scenery and is also close to some great northern Italian cultural centres.

France

Along with the Republic of Ireland, France is the UK's closest neighbour. This country has almost every conceivable type of scenery and terrain imaginable, running from the beauties of the French Alps or the Pyrenees along the Spanish border, to the green luscious hills of the Auvergne and Normandy. Not only is a school trip here likely to be able to sample some great history and culture, but it is also a fantastic opportunity for students to improve their language skills.

The Republic of Ireland

You won't find people with a greater sense of fun than the Irish! Dublin is one of the world's great cities, but the country also has many others that are well worth a visit including places such as Cork and Galway. The friendliness and hospitality of the locals is legendary, though, of course, not even the most patriotic Irishman would claim that the weather is predictable or guaranteed.

Holland

The Netherlands is one of Europe's most tolerant societies and is often considered to be a model of a democratic and egalitarian state. Students will find an immense amount to do and see here, not just including the famous city of Amsterdam but also some of the other delights of this country like centres such as Leiden and Delft. One big advantage for students visiting this country is that English is widely spoken and there are strong social and historical bonds between the two countries.

This is just a small selection of some of the countries available to a typical school trip in today's world. The one thing that it should be possible to guarantee is that students won't find themselves bored for want of things to do in any of these or other similar destinations!

Keeping Students Focused on a School Trip

You may be considering a school trip with a focus on dramatic art or sports studies.

These are becoming increasingly popular, but the choice of location is also of vital importance if your students are to get the most out of the experience.

The locations

The school trip oriented towards sports tours or the dramatic arts is now an established reality and one that is increasingly familiar to education professionals. In theory, the only thing that one might imagine is worth concentrating on is the quality of the coaching available [though, of course, things such as accommodation and catering will also figure highly]. In practice, however, other factors come into play.

It is a simple fact of life that young students sometimes struggle to extend their concentration over lengthy periods of time. Doing the same thing day after day, however much they may enjoy it, can quickly become tedious for them and that might spell trouble for tour leaders and care providers.

That is why it might be advisable to think carefully about locations that are positioned in a rural isolation with little else of interest within easy travelling distance. Even if the facilities are world-class, students on a school trip need diversion. You can only get so much mileage out of asking them to keep contemplating the surrounding scenery, so having interesting things to do in the locality is critically important.

Destinations

For example, some study centres of this type are based in Catalonia. Part of Spain, this semi-autonomous region has several major city centres of tourist interest such as Barcelona, Tarragona and Gerona. In addition to those great cities, it also boasts a host of other cultural exhibits and it is difficult to imagine that some of them would not be of interest to many students.

Another illustration is offered by Holland. Not only is this very geographically convenient for access from the UK, it also has a vast range of attractions that can be used to give students a break from their coaching. Examples might include canal rides in Amsterdam, tours of the Anne Frank Museum, or visits to some of charming smaller Dutch towns with their surrounding windmills.

Some such tours can also be based in or around Paris. There is little more that can be said that has not already be documented a thousand times about the attractions of this wondrous city, such as the Eiffel tower, the Louvre and Montmartre.

The basic point is that trying to constrain a group of young people together in one location for an extended period of time isn't likely to yield the best results on any school trip focused on improving sporting performance or awareness of the dramatic arts.

Getting out and about is important and necessary in order to break up the monotony.

Looking at the centre of excellence itself is, naturally, important, but perhaps needs to be coupled with some broader thinking about the background location for any school trip.

Exploring Science on an Educational Trip to London

London has a rich history that dates back to the Roman settlements in 43 A.D. Since then it has been an epicentre for the arts, education, entertainment, commerce and the sciences. Over the centuries, as a leading city, London developed as a hub and it is no wonder that many of the scientific achievements and important names - such as Sir Isaac Newton, Alexander Fleming, Elias Ashmole (founder of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum), Joseph Lister and Charles Darwin - all called the city home at some point.

If you visit London on an educational trip to explore the scientific elements of the city, you can visit the places where these (and many other) famous scientists lived and worked. But taking time out to see the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in London is the best way to explore the scientific history of the city [and country] while visiting on an educational trip.

Natural History Museum

As one of the three large museums that face onto Cromwell Road, you cannot miss the stunning and imposing architecture of the Natural History Museum as you draw near. The founding collection for the museum was that which belonged to Sir Hans Sloane, whose significant artworks were purchased by the British government in the 18th century. The early collection was housed in Montegue House, until the current building was built by Alfred Waterhouse [in a Romanesque style]. The building was completed in 1880 and today is home to some 70 million items housed within the five main collections.

A visit to the Natural History Museum can easily take days, but on an educational trip time may be limited. By narrowing it down to the collections of Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Palaeontology and Zoology, you will have a better chance to see and study the things that interest your group the most. Without a doubt, the most famous exhibitions at the museum are of the dinosaur skeletons and casts, which sit nicely within the cathedral-like, ornate architecture. Particularly memorable is the large cast of the Diplodocus, which dominates the main hall.

The Science Museum

If you have had time to peruse the massive collection at the Natural History Museum and are still eager to make the most of the scientific element on an educational trip to London, head over to the Science Museum, located very near to the Natural History Museum.

Founded in 1857 by Bennet Woodcroft as a compilation of various other museums and collections, the Science Museum can now boast over 300,000 pieces, many of which are famous in the world of science and beyond. Some of the most important objects the museum holds are the oldest surviving steam locomotive, the first jet engine, a model of Crick and Watson's DNA strand, a floor of medical history, and documentation of the first typewriter. In addition to the exhibits, the museum has many interactive elements and areas that encourage students to get involved, as well as an IMAX 3D theatre showing documentaries.

Learning About the Past and Present on Educational Trips to Warwick

Located in the central part of the United Kingdom, Warwickshire is a land-locked shire with an abundance of historical interest - making educational trips to the area well worthwhile. Not only is the town of Stratford Upon Avon the birthplace of, arguably, one of the greatest English language writers of all time, William Shakespeare, but just a few miles outside of Stratford lies another bit of history in the form of Warwick Castle. Educational trips to the area will situate you in the ideal locale to visit the historical buildings, but while in the area do not neglect the modern history that is available as well. If you are interested in the history of transport, then a visit to the nearby Coventry Transport Museum is an absolute must.

Warwick Castle

The large and imposing medieval structure of Warwick Castle sits on the River Avon and strikes a stunning image in the countryside just a short distance away from Stratford Upon Avon. Educational trips to the castle will take students into the grounds to discover its history. It was built in 1068 by William the Conqueror and belonged to the Earl of Warwick; it was taken by the Henry of Anjou in 1153 and later by Henry II. Originally built as a wooden motte-and-bailey castle, in the 12th century it was rebuilt in stone. During the Hundred Years War, part of the façade was re-fortified and is now one of the best examples of military architecture from that era. The castle itself is surrounded by a dry moat on the northern side and there is no real protection from the river side. With two entrances, however, the castle and grounds were made easier to guard and protect. Over the castle's 950-year history, it has been owned by 36 different people, and at various points the crown itself. The grounds were first mentioned in 1534 and 17th century landscaping added to the look of the grounds, which were designed by the aptly named Lancelot Brown. Currently the castle is owned by the Tussauds Group and provides a host of historically relevant attractions and tours through the inside and grounds.

Coventry Transport Museum

Conveniently located in Coventry, due to its once being the centre of the United Kingdom's car industry, the Coventry Transport Museum (CTM) is a museum dedicated solely to the history of transport and boasts the world's largest collection of road transport. With over 300 cycle makers, 120 motorcycle makers and 130 car, commercial vehicle and other transport makers, educational trips to the CTM are a must for those with an interest in transport. The way the exhibits are arranged will take students through the past and into the present realm of motor transport, with some very exciting and famous exhibits. The museum is home to many Jaguars, Triumphs, Humber, Standards, and a few tanks, buses and even tractors. One of the most popular and well-known exhibits are the Thrust2 and ThrustSSC, which are the British cars that broke the land speed records in 1983 and 1997, respectively.

Discover Vibrant Vietnam on an Educational Tour

As complex and layered a country as any other, Vietnam has plenty of unique features to offer students on an educational tour, from its striking geography to its multifaceted history to its great literary tradition, and much more besides - all within a distinctive culture that will be new to many students. From Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, and throughout the towns and countryside in between, there is much to intrigue and inspire - read on for a taste.

War Remnants Museum

Students of history who have spent any time learning about Vietnam will know something of its time under French rule, and its subsequent conflict with the USA, but in the Western world this country's history is often studied in a Western context; as an educational tour of Vietnam will show, this is hardly even the tip of the iceberg. The monuments and museums of the country's chief city all open windows on different eras and shine light on certain details of the past, and as such are all worth a visit. For those who have studied the Vietnam War, one museum that stands out is the War Remnants Museum, which lets visitors deepen their understanding of that conflict and its legacy in Vietnamese terms. It contains displays of artefacts and information on various elements of the war, including military equipment, photographs, and information on the use and effects of napalm and Agent Orange - a sobering but illuminating place, and one of Ho Chi Minh City's most popular attractions.

Temple of Literature

Although it happened before many visitors were born, the Vietnam War is recent history, and is preceded by centuries of civilisation and change. For a taste of a vastly different era, educational tour groups may want to visit the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, a Confucian temple constructed in 1070 and home to the Imperial Academy - the first national university to be founded in Vietnam. This close connection between religion and scholarship is an important feature of Confucianism, and these ideas ban be explored alongside the physical buildings, gardens and courtyards of the temple.

Halong Bay

For those planning a geography-based educational tour to Vietnam, Halong Bay is not to be missed from the itinerary. The name of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, literally speaking, means 'Descending Dragon Bay', a hint at the fact that it has fascinated and enchanted all who have seen it since time immemorial. The often-misted bay is populated with thousands of looming islands and rocks of varying size, which have been formed over 500 million years to result in shapes that are not to be found anywhere else in the world. Many of the individual islands have particular legends attached to them, while several of them are home to caves displaying remnants of ancient civilisations, as well as being rich in rare and diverse flora and fauna.