From 12 until 13 of May, partners of the MUSED project met in Funchal, Madeira, at the invitation of Escola Básica e Secundária Dr. Horácio Bento de Gouveia.
The two-day meeting combined hands-on training with strategic discussions aimed at expanding the use of art, heritage and digital storytelling in European classrooms.

Learning through local heritage
Participants explored Madeira’s rich cultural landscape to experience best-practice examples of museum education:
• Monte Palace & Botanical Garden – reached via the iconic cable car ride from Mercado dos Lavradores, the visit showcased outdoor interpretation strategies that blend natural and artistic heritage.
• Madeira Whale Museum (MBM) – the Portuguese team led a workshop on “The Whale as a Symbol of Education”, highlighting inquiry-based learning tools for STEM subjects.
• Madeira Photo Museum – curator Marco Gonçalves shared how 19-century photographic archives are digitised for 21st-century audiences, inspiring partners to integrate archival material into their own lessons.
Guided tours of the Sacred Art Museum, Frederico de Freitas House Museum, Quinta das Cruzes Museum, Funchal Natural History Museum and the Santa Clara Monastery offered further insights into storytelling techniques, accessibility solutions and community outreach models.

Project work & dissemination
During working sessions at the host school, partners:
• Reviewed progress on the project’s intellectual outputs, including an online Project Guide that will curate innovative classroom activities based on museum resources.
• Agreed on dissemination strategies after the meeting was featured in the local Madeira press, expanding the project’s reach beyond the partner countries.

Looking ahead
Certificates of participation were awarded to all delegates, recognising their contribution to a highly productive and inspiring mobility. The consortium now turns its attention to the next transnational meeting in Hungary, where partners will present the Toolkit for creating a Virtual Museum that brings museums closer to teachers and students across Europe. Stay tuned for fresh updates and resources!