Then and Now: Colonial Melbourne at Como House
Como House is an important Melbourne icon and a wonderful introduction to the lives of people from the past.
Como offers a glimpse into the privileged lifestyle of former owners, the Armytage family, who lived there for nearly a century.
The Armytages became famous amongst Melbourne high society and equally famous for their many elegant dances, dinners and receptions. Those elegant dining and reception rooms are still furnished with Armytage family heirlooms and even the servant’s areas, kitchen and laundry have been preserved.
Our costumed servants will introduce students to the complex social world of a well-to-do family and their servants in the 19th Century.
About the Program
Join our costumed educators, and step back in time to learn about life in the 1800s. This full-day program is jam packed with engaging tasks that will have students taking on the role of children of the mid-1800s; playing, working and exploring in four hands-on activities.
Explore the beautiful Como House as guests of the Armytage family, waltzing through the ballroom, discovering differences in daily life, investigating past toilets, and learning some 1800s etiquette.
Step into the shoes of one of Como’s 13 servants in a series of activities that will see students discover the impacts of changing technologies on people’s home and work lives from the 1800s to today.
Get ready to work together as detectives and help solve the mystery of the Broken Doll, hunting for clues in Como House’s beautiful pleasure garden.
Uncover the changing nature of children’s pastimes with a series of outdoor games from the 1800s like croquet, quoits and skipping that will get you moving.
Curriculum Links
| Subject | Strand | Sub-strand | Content descriptions | Students will… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| History | Historical knowledge and understanding | Personal histories | differences in family structures and roles and how these have changed or remained the same over time | Uncover the societal pressures faced by families in the past, and how the life of the Armytage family differs from families today. |
| VC2HH2K02 | ||||
| differences and similarities between students’ daily lives and how these have changed or remained the same over time | Discover what life was like for some children in the past; the games they played and the social pressures faced, and realise some similarities as well as some differences. | |||
| VC2HH2K03 | ||||
| Community histories | the history of a local historical site of social, cultural or spiritual significance and how it has changed over time | Learn about the social significance of Como House and how it has changed since the 1800s. | ||
| VC2HH2K05 | ||||
| the consequences of changing technologies on people’s lives at home, and the ways they worked, travelled and communicated in the past | Get their hands dirty, using 1800s domestic technologies to discover how they affected daily life and the differences to today. | |||
| VC2HH2K06 | ||||
| Historical Concepts and Skills | Continuity and Change | identify examples of continuity and change by comparing the past and present | Compare lives in the 1800s to lives in the present day. | |
| VC2HH2S05 | ||||
| Causes and Consequences | identify the causes and consequences of changes | Discuss how the invention of new domestic technologies had an influence on daily life. | ||
| VC2HH2S06 | ||||
| Personal and Social Capability | Social Awareness and Management | Collaboration | simple skills required for collaboration with peers | Work together to solve a mystery during the Broken Doll activity. |
| VC2CPFO03 | ||||
| broader skills required for collaboration with peers and ways to monitor contributions to group tasks | ||||
| VC2CP2O04 |
Program Details
Monday – Friday during school terms.
4 hours, 10:00am-2:00pm
Minimum 20, maximum 60 students per day
Teacher/carer:student ratio: 1:10
Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.
Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
$17 per student.
Click here to access the Task Risk Assessment document.
Como’s ground floor is wheelchair accessible, as are the grounds. Please advise our bookings team if you require accessible entrance.
To book, complete the Online Booking Form. For enquiries, email [email protected] or phone (03) 9656 9889.
Discover the Program
Dance in the Ballroom
Learn about life in colonial Melbourne through the Armytage family, the toys and artifacts children owned and the clothes they wore. You may even be invited to a Ballroom Dance.
Find out how people worked
Exploring the original kitchen and laundry, students are introduced to the life of a servant at Como. They undertake some of the simpler tasks such as washing clothes, and the challenging “which room rang?” activity.
Explore the Gardens and solve a mystery
An outdoor self led trail activity.
Students search for clues to solve the mystery of who broke Laura’s doll at her birthday party. This game of deduction lets students explore the grounds with a map whilst challenging their critical thinking, logic and problem-solving skills as well as their reading and map comprehension.
Nineteenth Century Sports & Games
An outdoor self-led activity.
Students try their hand at croquet, quoits, skittles and other games on the lawn.
Explore the House
Learn about life in colonial Melbourne, through the Armytage family, the toys and artefacts the children owned and the clothes they wore. You may even be invited to a ballroom dance.
Como House Education Programs
Williams Rd &, Lechlade Ave
South Yarra VIC 3141
“The Como House educational program is absolutely terrific. The students were engaged in the activities the entire time and had lots of stories to share at the end of the day. The activities were engaging and fun and they provided excellent educational benefits for students. It was great to provide students with a lived experience of life in the past.”
Related Programs
-
3D Interactive Court Room
Try visiting the interactive Court Room to get an idea of how a court works.
-
Crime and Punishment
Uncover past punishments in this tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol. Discuss corporal punishments such as the cane and the infamous cat-o-nine-tails; solitary confinement, and capital punishment.
-
Crime and Punishment
Join your guide for a tour of the notorious H Division to learn about the “prison within a prison” which housed the most dangerous inmates at Pentridge from the 1950s through to the 1980s.