Construction of new Stonehenge learning centre begins
It's expected to open in September next year
Work on building a new learning centre at Stonehenge begins today.
The brand-new accessible facility will feature a STEM discovery lab and digital studio, a unique classroom in the shape of a hands-on Neolithic Hall, and an exciting new STEM in Heritage programme for school visits.
It's in response to the higher demand for STEM learning that English Heritage is seeing, which will allow students to explore topics of science, technology, engineering and maths in an accessible and engaging way.
English Heritage, who run the site, say it will allow more children to visit the ancient site, with the new development expected to be ready for the 2026/27 school year.
The project has been made possible thanks the support of donors such as Garfield Weston Foundation, Kusuma Trust, National Highways, Clore Duffield Foundation, Wolfson Foundation, Mr Rebhi Barqawi, The Syder Foundation, and many others.
The facility will be created using historically authentic methods and materials sourced locally, including thatch, coppiced timber and chalk daub.
The centre will be constructed by Stonehenge volunteers and students from Exeter and Bournemouth universities, who will al work under the guidance of archaeologist Luke Winter.
Local schools will have opportunities to participate, offering a rare hands-on learning experience. The resulting Kusuma Neolithic Hall will transport learners back in time as they gather around the hearth, handle replica tools and discover what everyday life was like 5,000 years ago.
Steve Bax, English Heritage’s Operations Director Stonehenge and West, said: “Around 48,000 children visit Stonehenge on free school trips every year, and a further 12,000 on our expert-led Discovery Visits. As a charity, one of our main purposes is to provide everyone with memorable learning experiences but, at Stonehenge, we are currently unable to meet the demand. Expanding our offering with the new dedicated Learning Centre will transform our ability to deliver incredible educational experiences for students and instil a lifelong love of learning in every single child.
“Over the past few years, we have seen a rocketing demand for multi-disciplinary educational experiences, where our heritage sites can be used to engage and inspire young people in subjects such as science and maths. At Stonehenge, students can trace the impact of human activity on the environment, learn how prehistoric engineers raised the stones, explore the relationship between the sun and Stonehenge and discover how geophysical surveys can uncover buried secrets. Our new facilities aim to make these STEM topics far more accessible to students who struggle to engage with them in a traditional classroom environment. We want them to come away asking themselves: if the Stonehenge builders could create something incredible thousands of years ago, without calculators and computers, why can’t I?”