Since launching in April, the programme has engaged around 7,500 students and more than 500 teachers across over 40 schools, reflecting growing demand from schools in the UAE and abroad.
Developed to extend the museum’s education offering beyond its physical galleries, the Virtual Museum Sessions have become an ongoing part of the museum’s learning programme.
The programme combines live guidance from museum educators, recorded gallery content and follow-up activities, helping schools engage with the museum experience whether as a standalone learning experience or as a bridge to an in-person school visit.
“From the very beginning, our ambition has been to build a museum that feels as alive in the classroom as it does in Saadiyat Cultural District,” said Dr. Peter C. Kjærgaard, Director of Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. “Through the Virtual Museum Sessions, we are bringing 13.8 billion years of natural history directly to young learners, helping them see science as a living story connected to their world, their questions and their future.”
Each session is crafted to match the age, curiosity and curriculum needs of participating students, beginning with a live welcome from a museum educator before guiding classes on a virtual journey through 10 key objects that bring the story of the Universe and Earth to life.
Along the way, students travel from the origins of the universe and the formation of our planet to the evolution of life, human history and today’s rich biodiversity, with opportunities to ask questions, share observations and explore themes such as endangered and extinct animals, climate change, biodiversity and environmental stewardship.
Designed to complement in-person visits, the sessions offer schools a flexible way to connect with Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. For some schools, they serve as an introduction before visiting the museum. For others, particularly international schools or those unable to travel, they provide remote access to the museum’s educators, collections and storytelling.
The programme also extends learning beyond the screen through age-appropriate follow-up activities. Younger students, for example, respond creatively to the story of Stegotetrabelodon emiratus through letters and drawings that they can later bring to the museum, while older students explore environmental themes through activities that encourage observation, reflection and scientific thinking.
The sessions are delivered online and coordinated closely with teachers, with flexibility around session length, group size and curriculum focus. The programme has also been supported by the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi’s Education team, particularly in reaching Ministry of Education schools.
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