Almost everybody has a mobile phone, but do you know the history behind it? How did the mobile phone evolve from a heavy transportable brick to a small computer that fits inside your pocket?

Our lively and engaging STEM workshop will take you through the history of the last 40 years. We’ll explore the designs and designers that were responsible for some of the most iconic mobile phones and help children to better understand the technology that we all now take for granted.

Berkshire has been at the forefront of mobile phone technology, being the headquarters of Vodafone, Orbitel and Panasonic to name a few. During this workshop the children will gain a better understanding about this undervalued part of social history. They will also have the opportunity to discuss and consider the future of mobile phones.

Workshop objectives:

- To understand how mobile phones have evolved over time and the impact they have had.

- To develop a chronological understanding of the history of technology and how our local area has played a key part.

- To appreciate the importance of design and the role of key figures behind the technology.

- To ask and respond to questions about contrasts, connections and trends.

Curriculum Areas:

- History

- Design & Technology

- Geography

- Art & Design

- English

To find out more information about these KS1 and KS2 workshops please email our education team: hello@mobilephonemuseum.com

Note: We are currently piloting our education programme in the UK and hope to expand it further in future.

Since early history, humans have relied on technology to increase speed and ease of communication. But how did we evolve from smoke signals to smartphones?

This hands-on STEM workshop will take KS2 pupils through the history of communication, focusing on what impact the mobile phone has had on modern history. We’ll explore how devices have evolved and how their functionality has developed over the past 40 years.

During this workshop, children will handle artefacts, identifying basic features and explore why these handsets might have been innovative at the time of launch. They will also have the opportunity to discuss and consider future devices, as well as design their own.

Workshop Objectives

- To understand historical concepts such as continuity and change

- To develop a chronological understanding of communication and how technology has evolved over time

- To generate, develop, model and communicate ideas through discussion and annotated sketches

- To ask and respond to questions about contrasts, connections and trends

Curriculum areas:

- History

- Design & Technology

- Art & Design

- English

To find out more information about this KS2 workshop please email our education team: hello@mobilephonemuseum.com

Note: We are currently piloting our education programme in the UK and hope to expand it further in future.

The billions of mobile phones that have been manufactured over the last three decades means that there are huge environmental challenges associated with the product category.

This spans all aspects of the life cycle from their original manufacture, right through to how old mobile phones can be responsibly recycled at the end of their life.

We can provide insights into how mobile phones have become more sustainable over time. For example, we can share insights on how the raw materials and components used to produce them are responsibly sourced avoiding conflict minerals or unethically produced elements. Other aspects we can examine are how they are transported and packaged which can all add to the environmental footprint they create.

New trends such as the repairability and re-use of mobile phones can also be examined.

As one of the most prolific consumer electronic products of our generation, the need for a truly sustainable approach has never been more important.

The rich diversity of the Mobile Phone Museum collection allows us to fully examine the history of mobile phones from their inception in the early 1980s to present day.

We are able to bring the story to life through the use of vintage mobile phones that are owned by the museum, allowing children to see and touch some of these original devices. The size, weight and basic functions of the products are a source of wonderment to people who have grown up in the smartphone era.

We also have a wealth of knowledge around other historical dimensions, such as how mobile phones have impacted society, their role in shaping new trends, improving communication and more.