History comes alive at Cooks' Cottage, with an interactive, fun and inspiring education program designed to complement school curriculum.
Students will experience the rich history of
Cooks' Cottage and learn the significance of this important heritage and cultural site. This program was developed in partnership with the History Teachers' Association of Victoria.
School groups can take part in a facilitated education program, or receive discounted entry when opting for a self-guided visit.
Learning modules
These modules are most suitable for primary school students. They are available Monday to Friday between 10am and 2pm (excluding public holidays).
Sessions run for 45 minutes and begin at 10am, 10.45am, 11.30am, 12.15pm and 1pm.
Each session is delivered by a trained staff member and consists of a short introduction plus two learning modules (from the below).
A minimum of 15 students are required (with a maximum of 40).
Schools can book more than one session to accommodate larger groups, or to experience all four learning modules.
Module 1: Captain Cook's treasure chest
This module encourages enquiry-based learning, stimulating discussion about artefacts connected to Captain Cook and an account of his first voyage to Australia using an interactive map.
Module 2: Travel back in time
Students explore Cooks' Cottage and the garden to find answers related to various eighteenth century characters, concluding in a race with an old-fashioned twist.
Module 3: Edible or poisonous?
Students take to the cottage garden, which is filled with herbs and vegetables, and use an interactive board to identify weird and wonderful recipes, remedies and concoctions from the eighteenth century.
Module 4: Let's play dress up
This fun-filled activity enhances students' knowledge about eighteenth-century fashion and lifestyle, pitting two teams against each other to dress mannequins in century-old style.
Guided tours
These tours are most suitable for secondary school and tertiary students. They are available Monday to Friday between 10am and 2pm (excluding public holidays).
Tours run for up to 45 minutes and start at 10am, 10.45am, 11.30am, 12.15pm and 1pm.
A minimum of 15 students are required (with a maximum of 40).
Tour 1: Cooks' Cottage tour
Take a trip into the past. This guided tour includes the history of Cooks' Cottage and how it came to be in Melbourne, explains what life was like in the 18th century, and shares the incredible voyages and life of Captain James Cook. Includes entry into Cooks' Cottage.
Tour 2: Fitzroy Garden heritage tour
Learn about the historic buildings and sculptures in the heritage-listed Fitzroy Gardens, including Cooks' Cottage, the Conservatory, the Fairies Tree and the Model Tudor Village. Stroll through the majestic avenues of English elms, discover native wildlife and soak up the beauty of the formal gardens. Includes entry into Cooks' Cottage.
Self-guided visits
Self-guided visits can be accommodated from Monday to Sunday between 9am and 4pm (last entry at 4.45pm).
A comprehensive fact sheet is provided to school groups visiting Cooks’ Cottage. This fact sheet can be returned to the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre at the end of the visit. A minimum of 8 students are required to be eligible for discounted entry (maximum 40).
Prices and bookings (from 1 July 2018)
| Visit type | Students | Teacher or supervising adult | Additional teacher or adult |
|---|
| Learning Modules (2) | $5.70 | 1 free per 20 students | $4.10
|
Learning Modules (4)
| $10.80
| 1 free per 20 students | $4.10
|
| Tour 1 | $5.70 | 1 free per 20 students | $4.10
|
Tour 2
| $8.20
| 1 free per 20 students | $4.10
|
| Self-guided visits | $2.70 | 1 free per 20 students | $4.10
|
All school tours and visits (including self-guided) must be booked and paid for at least seven days in advance, and are subject to availability.
Please note: students must be supervised at all times. At least one teacher or supervising adult is required per 20 students.