Ideas for humanism school trips

[Humanist Heritage]

The BHA have had a call from an RE teacher, who is planning to take his A-Level class on a school trip to London for the day and wanted to take them somewhere relevant to Atheism/Humanism. He wondered if they had any suggestions?

My first instinct would be a trip to Conway Hall (for a way into the history of humanist movement). Others with an indirect link are Natural History Museum (Darwin), Freud House, UCL or Ben Franklin's House.

Anyone else got ideas or experience?

[Alan H]

The BHA have had a call from an RE teacher, who is planning to take his A-Level class on a school trip to London for the day and wanted to take them somewhere relevant to Atheism/Humanism. He wondered if they had any suggestions?

My first instinct would be a trip to Conway Hall (for a way into the history of humanist movement). Others with an indirect link are Natural History Museum (Darwin), Freud House, UCL or Ben Franklin's House.

Anyone else got ideas or experience?

Not sure the Conway Hall would be a great inspiration for the students [---][/---] It is a very important in terms of Humanist history, but through their eyes, it may seem much like a church...

How about the Houses of Commons and Lords, explain how our democracy works and about Charles Bradlaugh?

Freud's House? Why there?

[Humanist Heritage]

I was thinking the Freud Museum because it's a proper museum and so would presumably make a decent day trip. Psychoanalysis has arguably played an important part in investigating and questioning the role of religion in society. For similar reasons I'd suggest looking at the NHM to learn about Darwin and how his ideas had an impact on religion.

I don't think the resemblance of Conway Hall to a church is a bad thing. I'd have thought it was a rather interesting point of discussion-exploring how ethical churches arose, thinking about why they largely died out etc.

Anyway if anyone has experience of running a trip we'd love to hear about it.

We'd also love to hear from anyone interested in helping us develop and deliver Humanist Heritage resources, events or projects, we have a network that people can join at http://humanistheritage.ning.com/

[Alan H]

I was thinking the Freud Museum because it's a proper museum and so would presumably make a decent day trip. Psychoanalysis has arguably played an important part in investigating and questioning the role of religion in society.

I though Freud theories had effectively been denounced as pseudo science?

The Skeptics Dictionary says:

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) is considered the father of psychoanalysis, which may be the granddaddy of all pseudoscientific psychotherapies, second only to Scientology as the champion purveyor of false and misleading claims about the mind, mental health, and mental illness. For example, in psychoanalysis schizophrenia and depression are not brain disorders, but narcissistic disorders. Autism and other brain disorders are not brain problems but mothering problems. These illnesses do not require pharmacological or behavioral treatment. They require only "talk" therapy. Similar positions are taken for anorexia nervosa and Tourette's syndrome (Hines 1990: 136). What is the scientific evidence for the psychoanalytic view of these mental illnesses and their proper treatment? There is none.

We have been round the Freud museum (it's not far from us) and found it very interesting.

I don't think the resemblance of Conway Hall to a church is a bad thing. I'd have thought it was a rather interesting point of discussion-exploring how ethical churches arose, thinking about why they largely died out etc.

On second thoughts, I think you're right. There is a lot to be learned from that history.

[Humanist Heritage]

Yes, you're probably right about Freudian theory but it's still part of the 'humanist story'. I went round the National Portrait Gallery today which I think could be a good way to teach humanist history

[Paolo]

Not sure if this is still of use for the situation that started the thread, but for future reference there is Down House in Bromley, Darwin's home and natural lab for much of his life. Then there's the Grant Museum in Bloomsbury (although they're shut until next Spring as they move their collections) - Robert Grant was an important influence on the young Darwin and the museum houses a very fine comparative morphology collection that their Head of Learning and Access, Jack Ashby, can really put in context for school visits.

[Humanist Heritage]

Thanks Paolo. I'd not heard of Grant before. Would you be able to write short (2-300 word) entries on Grant and the Museum for our site?

Hamish