PHOTOS: Melrose Students Examine Ancient Civilizations From Their Classrooms

MELROSE, MA - Seventh-grade students at Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School did not have to travel very far for their field trip on Thursday, June 2. Students traveled down the hall to visit the “Museum in the Classroom,” a traveling museum of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts.

The event, co-sponsored by the Melrose Education Foundation and the MVMMS PTO, included a display of over 75 replications of artifacts, such as statues, pottery, armor, coins, and artwork. Students rotated through the museum’s displays and participated in a hands-on lecture about the evolution of armor and how geography affected the clothes people wore in ancient civilizations, a release said.
Museum in the Classroom is part of Historia Antiqua, a company founded by Doug and Kathy Ryan, who are both retired teachers. The artifacts were accumulated over many years, a release said. Mr. Ryan states that, “Most of the replicas have been accumulated during travel to the ancient sites.”
Students make notes on the exhibits, connecting the artifacts to their learning.

History Teacher Morgan Crooks thought that the museum was a “Fantastic opportunity. Students enjoyed it, especially the demonstrations with the clothing and armor. There was a wealth of artifacts that students wouldn’t normally get to see and experience.”

Seventh-grade student Camille agreed, “It’s cool to see replicas of things that we’ve been leaning about over the past year.”
Student and staff enthusiasm about the museum has already sparked conversations about how to make this annual event.