Many museums, galleries, and other heritage sector sites offer trails for visitors (including booked school groups and members of the public). Trails are a great way to help visitors of all stripes to structure a visit in an engaging way, and can be used to provide additional - or different - context, and to draw attention to particular themes.
One possible use of a trail activity is to encourage the use of mathematical skills to analyse whatever the trail guides them towards, or to highlight the role of mathematics in the objects and stories encountered where the exhibitions themselves may not have been designed with this in mind.
Prompted by a post in a TMiP chat group and a similar conversation on a GEM discussion list I thought I'd collate some of the examples and supporting resources in one place: I know that users of museums and galleries often seek out maths-related activities and events; and an increasing number of sector organisations are looking to develop their own, so I hope that this compilation might be useful for people in either camp.
Maths trails in action
These are maths trails out in the real world that I'm currently aware of, listed in alphabetical order of the organisation that offers them:
Edinburgh: The University of Edinburgh's Maths Outreach team created this digital interactive Discover Edinburgh's Mathematical History trail: browse from the comfort of your own home, or fire up your phone (assuming you've got a good data plan) and march across the streets of Edinburgh. (Google Maps link)
Museum on the Mound (Edinburgh): I'm told that The Money Maths at the Museum trail is popular with school groups, and that they occasionally bring it out for public use, e.g. during Maths Week Scotland. If you'd like them to offer a maths trail for general visitors, it wouldn't hurt to let them know. (Google Maps link)
National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh): The A World of Maths Trail is downloadable as a .pdf. It's targeted at teachers to use to print for their students and bring to enrich a school trip to the site, but there's absolutely nothing to stop anyone else using it, and the teachers notes available from that page are useful outside that demographic too. (Google Maps link)
The Science Museum (London): Their Maths Activity Trail is a downloadable .pdf that aims to support visitors as they work their way through the Winton Mathematics Gallery and Science City 1550 – 1800: The Linbury Gallery. It's aimed at teachers, but as its offered as a free public download there's nothing to stop anyone making the most of it. (Google Maps Link)
Scotland (various locations plus location-independent resources): Each year an increasing number of museums and galleries offer mathematical activities including trails for Maths Week Scotland, which usually takes place towards the end of September. The Maths Week Scotland website lists activity packs and learning resources for schools (freely and openly accessible regardless of whether you represent a school or not); a community learning resource; family activities to do at home; and events offered by a host of museums, galleries, and other organisations across Scotland. Many of the events listed are exclusively offered during Maths Week Scotland, so do make sure you get in touch with your local sites and let them know that you'd like the option to experience maths in museums during the other 51 weeks of the year too!
York Minster: Their Maths Quest trail is available either as a .pdf downloaded from their website, or their Learning Resources page (which lists this along with trails on other themes) says that you can 'collect them at the Welcome Desk when you arrive.' (Google Maps link)
Your local museum or gallery: If your favourite local site isn't listed here and you'd like it to be, then get in touch with them and let them know that you want their help to explore the maths in their stories, objects and exhibitions. When I ask people who work for a museum or gallery why they don't offer resources to help visitors engage with the mathematics that's just out of site, they usually tell me it's because nobody asks them to...
So ask them to!
- Does your organisation offer a maths trail that you think should be featured here?
- Is anything listed here out of date (e.g. a link is broken or a site no longer offers a listed trail)?
Resources for people interested in creating their own maths trails
University of Bath Cryptography Challenge case study (from Maths Engagement Case Studies): https://katiesteckles.co.uk/casestudies/CS_Bath-Crypto-Competition.html
Math in the City: Designing a Math Trail for High School Students (chapter 4 of Handbook of Mathematical Science Communication): https://ionicasmeets.com/Publicaties/1887_3567511-2023-Bossema-Zwetsloot-Smeets_Book_chapter_Math_trail.pdf
- Do you know about an excellent resource aimed at helping people to create maths trails that isn't listed here?
- Are any of these resources no longer available (e.g. a link is broken)?
