Primary education
Learn to sail like real pirates

Primary school pupils love pirates. The pirates of the past included excellent sailors. In this activity, pupils follow clues as they discover the permanent exhibition in a way that is both fun and educational. Afterwards, they build a model of a pirate ship, learning the names of its component parts as they do so: hull, masts, sails, flags, bowsprit, port-holes, etc. They also learn a number of concepts which are important for navigation, including bow, stern, port and starboard.
Teachers are encouraged to work on some of the basic concepts involved in the classroom before the visit.
MORE INFORMATION
- Education stage: 1st and 2nd cycles of primary education (ages 6-10)
- Duration: 2h
- Times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00
- Organisation: at least 15 and at most 25 children per group. No more than 3 groups at a time (approx. 75 children).
- Price (including VAT): €3.5 per child with the group monitor admitted free of charge
- Bookings: 946 085 512
- Queries: didaktika@itsasmuseum.eus
* Itsasmuseum suggests that the topic of pirates be worked on beforehand in class and that children wear simple pirate fancy dress for the visit (hat, eye-patch, etc.).
Carola, the mighty crane

The crane known as Carola is a symbol of the old Euskalduna shipyard, where over 300 vessels were built. But why is it called Carola? This educational workshop for infant education pupils teaches them the origins of the name of this famous, mighty red crane that now stands guard over Itsasmuseum.
The activity starts with a trail of clues through the permanent exhibition of the museum and ends with handicrafts.
MORE INFORMATION
- Education stage: 1st and 2nd cycles of primary education (ages 6-10)
- Duration: 2h
- Times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00
- Organisation: at least 15 and at most 25 children per group. No more than 3 groups at a time (approx. 75 children).
- Price (including VAT): €3.5 per child with the group monitor admitted free of charge
- Bookings: 946 085 512
- Queries: didaktika@itsasmuseum.eus
* Itsasmuseum suggests that the topic of pirates be worked on beforehand in class and that children wear simple pirate fancy dress for the visit (hat, eye-patch, etc.).
Be a worker at the Port of Bilbao for a day

The Port of Bilbao is one of Europe’s most important Atlantic ports and the gateway for a great many products that form part of our daily lives. Indeed, Bilbao was a port before it was a city. However, today’s port is very different from the original facilities.
This activity provides schoolchildren with information on the port as they visit the museum’s permanent collection (Port Centre: port of Bilbao interpretation centre), in the form of clues that they are asked to follow. Afterwards, they build a scale model of a cargo ship (container vessel) or of the Auntz, a tug built at the Euskalduna shipyard in 1928 which is now on display in the dry dock outside as part of the permanent collection.
MORE INFORMATION
- Education stage: 1st and 2nd cycles of primary education (ages 6-10)
- Duration: 2h
- Times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00
- Organisation: at least 15 and at most 25 children per group. No more than 3 groups at a time (approx. 75 children).
- Price (including VAT): €3.5 per child with the group monitor admitted free of charge
- Bookings: 946 085 512
- Queries: didaktika@itsasmuseum.eus
* Itsasmuseum suggests that the topic of pirates be worked on beforehand in class and that children wear simple pirate fancy dress for the visit (hat, eye-patch, etc.).
I dreamt that the seas were clean

As part of the Agenda 21 environmental programme, we organise an “environmental fun event” in which children take part in team trials as they learn in depth about the problem of marine litter. For instance they learn that a new “continent” is forming in the Pacific Ocean as plastic and other waste accumulate on the sea. If this situation is not remedied, it is calculated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea.
Do you also dream of clean oceans and seas?
MORE INFORMATION
- Education stage: 1st and 2nd cycles of primary education (ages 6-10)
- Duration: 2h
- Times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00
- Organisation: at least 15 and at most 25 children per group. No more than 3 groups at a time (approx. 75 children).
- Price (including VAT): €3.5 per child with the group monitor admitted free of charge
- Bookings: 946 085 512
- Queries: didaktika@itsasmuseum.eus
* Itsasmuseum suggests that the topic of pirates be worked on beforehand in class and that children wear simple pirate fancy dress for the visit (hat, eye-patch, etc.).
Sailing knots

This workshop takes children into the fascinating world of the knots which sailors must learn to tie for everyday sailing operations.
Ropes and knots are used especially on sailing vessels, and sailors need to master knot-tying techniques before setting sail. Over the course of their careers, sailors are sure to face many unexpected situations, and the better they are at knots the more chance they have of coming through them successfully.
Here, children from the 3rd cycle of primary education (ages 10-12) learn to tie three sailing knots (the figure-eight knot, the reef knot and the bowline knot) and what they are used for. This helps them with coordination, manual dexterity and control.
The sailing knots workshop can be supplemented by a treasure hunt or a guided tour of the museum.
MORE INFORMATION
- Education stage:3rd cycle of primary education
- Duration: 2h
- Times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00
- Organisation: at least 15 and at most 25 children per group. No more than 3 groups at a time (approx. 75 children).
- Price (including VAT): €3.5 per child with the group monitor admitted free of charge
- Bookings: 946 085 512
- Queries: didaktika@itsasmuseum.eus
* Itsasmuseum suggests that the topic of pirates be worked on beforehand in class and that children wear simple pirate fancy dress for the visit (hat, eye-patch, etc.).
See Bilbao from the river

An activity designed jointly by Itsasmuseum and Bilbobentura to encourage visitors to enjoy some of the historical and architectural landmarks of Bilbao and see for themselves the huge changes that the city has undergone in recent years, from a different viewpoint. The tour begins at the museum and continues by canoe or SUP (stand-up-paddle) along the river or by bike along the bank.
* Available only from April to October
MORE INFORMATION
- Education stage: 1st and 2nd cycles of primary education (ages 6-10)
- Duration: 2h
- Times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00
- Organisation: A guided activity for groups of at least 15 people aged 10 and over who can swim. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Price (including VAT): €17 per person.
- Bookings: 946 085 512
- Queries: didaktika@itsasmuseum.eus
* Itsasmuseum suggests that the topic of pirates be worked on beforehand in class and that children wear simple pirate fancy dress for the visit (hat, eye-patch, etc.).
I Live in the River

More than 60 species of plants and animals currently live in the Bilbao river estuary.
The “I Live in the River” workshop discusses this ecosystem and its extraordinary recovery. The workshop begins by getting pupils to follow a number of clues, and ends with a handicraft exercise based on the sand goby, a tiny fish that lives in our river.
MORE INFORMATION
- Education stage: 1st and 2nd cycles of primary education (ages 6-10)
- Duration: 2h
- Times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 14:00
- Organisation: at least 15 and at most 25 children per group. No more than 3 groups at a time (approx. 75 children).
- Price (including VAT): €3.5 per child with the group monitor admitted free of charge
- Bookings: 946 085 512
- Queries: didaktika@itsasmuseum.eus
* Itsasmuseum suggests that the topic of pirates be worked on beforehand in class and that children wear simple pirate fancy dress for the visit (hat, eye-patch, etc.).
Guided tours and workshops
Infant and primary education pupils can get to know the permanent exhibition through a game where they solve a number of clues, followed by a handicrafts workshop. We also offer guided tours and workshops for secondary and upper secondary pupils.
Depending on the programme and weather conditions, some activities may be staged in our outdoor exhibition area.
Non-guided tours
On non-guided tours, seven dioramas created with Playmobil figures representing part of the contents of the permanent exhibition are available to children. This child-friendly resource is available at the museum’s learning centre, and encourages children to play as they learn.
Audio-guides
Free audio-guides are available to visitors at the Museum’s ticket office. If they prefer, visitors may also download the audio guide onto their smart phones. It is compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems.
Schools
GUIDED TOURS AND WORKSHOPS
GUIDED TOURS AND WORKSHOPS
Times
Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 – 14:00.
Approximate duration:
1’5 – 2 hours
Price
€3.5 per pupil (including VAT) with free admission for teachers
Number of pupils per group: at least 15 and at most 25.
No more than three groups at a time (around 75 people) may be admitted.
NON-GUIDED TOURS
Price
€2 per pupil (including VAT) with the group monitor admitted free of charge
Book now
Book now or ask for information on activities, tours and workshops.