A WEEK of free workshops for schools, funded by the Museum Libraries and Archives Council's Renaissance in the Regions project, took place at Hall i' th' Wood Museum.

Year 7 and 8 pupils from Sharples School, Canon Slade School, Withins School and Smithills School pupils all worked closely with staff from Bolton Museums, Art Gallery and Aquarium and John Crosslan, from the University of Manchester's Field Archaeology Unit.

The workshops were designed around the Citizenship curriculum and aimed to encourage the pupils to take part, form opinions and make judgements about the future of Hall i' th' Wood Museum and the broader role that museums and historic houses play in society.

They were also asked to consider if museums should exist and if they play an important role in modern society. All of the pupils involved felt that yes, museums should exist and that they played a vital role in contemporary society.