Year 7 History visit to the Hellenic Museum

On Thursday 30 November, 7.3 and 7.4 travelled into the Melbourne CBD to visit the Hellenic Museum. This excursion helped to support their current studies of Ancient Greece in History. 

The students were guided by museum staff through two interactive workshops: Daily Life in Ancient Greece and Primary Source Analysis using Greek Pottery. They deepened their historical skills and knowledge, while engaging with the collection of artefacts and artworks on display at the museum. 

Here are some highlights from the students: 

At the Hellenic Museum, we learned more than we expected, including the fact that the building itself was built somewhere between 1869 to 1872! And, that's not the only ancient thing we discovered, Greek pots and helmets were also items of wonder as we learned about ancient Greece. We were taught about different deaths and sicknesses in the civilization, as well as the techniques used in warfare! We came upon some interesting facts too, I never knew that the Greeks went to Egypt and that the land was seen as a great one with all sorts of pleasures like gold, and papyrus. It was great fun to identify the different meanings of a vase and decode any stories or messages hidden in it. It was a wonderful experience to go through the museum and wonder how it was in the day of ancient Greece. 

Steffan Sween (7.4)

Following one semester of History class, we visited the Hellenic Museum, situated in the City of Melbourne. Centered around the fascinating and unique Ancient Greek time period, the Hellenic Museum featured several artifacts, statues and art that gave insight into the evolution of Greek culture. Throughout the duration of the day, we were educated on topics such as daily life within Ancient Greece, illnesses, and the peculiar treatments the Greeks practiced upon their patients, warfare, and pottery. The teachers made the daylong session engaging through using interactive activities to delve deeper into the history of Ancient Greece. I personally most enjoyed both learning about the strange cures the Greeks used for sick citizens as well as decoding the hidden messages and stories behind the detailed illustrations painted on the pottery displayed. The excursion was truly enjoyed by all, and I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my knowledge about Ancient Greek society. I would like to thank the teachers working at the Hellenic Museum as they created a fun and interesting experience for the two classes. I would also like to thank our teachers for dedicating their time to organise and take us to the Hellenic Museum, it is greatly appreciated.

Ryan Raymond (7.4)

We were given the opportunity to visit the Hellenic Museum. We were amazed at what we could see. From the different pots, we could depict whether the pot was describing daily life or mythology. We learnt how the Greeks dealt with sickness and how they came up with their crazy cures! We all had a great time there and would love to learn more about Ancient Greece.

Joanna Girishmon (7.3)

Home Groups 7.3 and 7.4 had a fun time travelling by bus and singing most of the way to the city where we had the privilege of visiting the Hellenic Museum. On our arrival we were led into our classroom for the day. The first session we participated in was all about warfare and death and sickness; in this session we had the opportunity to view ancient Greek armour and a gravestone. After lunch, we began our second session; in this session we learnt all about ancient Greek pottery. We had the challenge of trying to decipher the ceramic pots used in ancient Greece. We very much enjoyed the time spent at the Hellenic Museum, deepening our understanding of what life was like in ancient Greece.

Amelia McLeod (7.3)

What a fantastic way to end to our semester studying the Ancient World in Year 7 History! A big thanks to Miss Shen, Mr Capon and Mrs Choo for their assistance on the day.

Carl Bird

Senior School Teacher