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Art along Walsall Canal

Walsall Basin

Walsall Basin, Gallery Square, Walsall, WS2 8LG

The Walsall Canal runs for seven miles from Ryders Green Junction to Walsall Town Wharf. The canal is an urban waterway revived. The Walsall Town Wharf has been re-developed, and now has an innovative new art gallery at the end of the canal arm. It provides moorings for boaters and access to the town's attractions, including the Leather Museum, Walsall Arboretum and the Jerome K Jerome Birthplace Museum.

Canal & River Trust are working in partnership with the New Walsall Art Gallery to provide an exciting, hands-on visit. Make the most of the school offer by combining our ‘Waterways, Wildlife & Wellbeing visit' with a tour around the art gallery.

Our school visits run from outside the New Walsall Art Gallery, taking in the sights and sounds of canal life. Discover the wildlife and heritage of these hidden places through our guided walks and workshops inside the art gallery.

Educational Visits to Walsall Basin

  • Workshops

    Pre-visit virtual workshops (KS1 & KS2)

    Our virtual pre-visit workshops are a great activity to set the scene before a waterside visit. Each workshop lasts 30 minutes for KS1 and 40 minutes for KS2.

    Water Safety

    Learn how to spot the hazards of being near water, what to do in an emergency and our SAFE message (Stay Away From the Edge).

    Introduction to Rivers and Canals

    An introductory workshop to give some context before a waterside visit. Learn the difference between canals and rivers and how they are used today.

    Guided Canal Walk

    The Walsall Canal provides a vital green and blue space for nature in the heart of an urban landscape. Understand the history and heritage, see the plant and animal life and understand the wellbeing benefits of spending time by water with our guided walk along the Walsall Canal and Basin.

    Build a Canal

    This session helps children understand how and why canals were built, how they changed Britain and how canals are different to rivers. It provides an interactive way of discussing local industry and how the arrival of the canals shaped the landscape.

    Load the Boat

    This workshop will help children develop a clearer understanding of the factors affecting whether something sinks or floats. Children take the challenge of loading a model boat with cargo, trying not to sink it!

  • Learning Resources

    Build a Canal

  • Facilities

    Dedicated classroom space inside the art gallery (for workshops)

    Toilets

    Outdoor picnic benches

    Bookable indoor lunch space (this will need to be booked with the art gallery)

    Free preliminary visits & website resources

    Coaches will need to drop off near the art gallery. The New Art Gallery and Canal Basin are situated in the heart of Walsall Town Centre at the top of Park Street, along the main High Street and within easy walking distance from both the train and bus stations.

    Information on how to get here: https://thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk/visit/

  • Price

    Visits to Walsall Basin and art gallery are FREE!