I am searching for innovative and creative methods for engaging children and youngsters with museums histories. Anyone aware of new initiatives or projects?
You might have come across this group already, but if not they are quite active and have various useful resources on their website: http://kidsinmuseums.org.uk/
Dear Gehan,
I find your search more captivating since I have taught art history for some years in some educational institutions in Ghana. Teaching students about the historical foundations of museums and public buildings can be a challenge. However, I have utilized videos, documentaries, and pictures of the mouth-watering antiques and works of art as well as field trip sections to local museums and public places with interesting historical backgrounds to deepen and arouse the curiosity of students.
Sometimes, picking an interesting piece of work and narrating with much enthusiasm, the historical functions of it to a certain influential person, and/or an ethnic society would boost the interest and arouse their interest in the teaching and learning activities of museology in educational institutions.
As an anthropologist and art historian who is passionate about the historical development of people and places especially their material culture that gives the people place identity, I would urge you on my sister to try these proactive strategies.
I know you share my sentiments that it is in the history of the past that we can understand the present and face the future with the greatest preparedness. Continually tell the students this in your class and they would fall in love with the museum history lessons and probably take it up as a field of study at the higher level of learning. All the best my sister.
Thanks.
Dickson Adom
Dear Gihan,
Please, you can find immeasurable assistance if you read my article on effective strategies for teaching art history. Thanks.
Dickson Adom
Edutopia.org has quite a few articles on K-12 kids and museums, something might spark your interest. Here is one below I loved reading about...
As far as the history of museums themselves (or itself), I suppose it would depend on their age range in what they would be receptive to.
Best to you.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/when-your-school-is-a-museum-beth-hawkins
I have been an archaeologist since 1953 mainly excavating sites then taking children to them-I found that the physical side-walking or climbing to reach the site then explaining the site in termS of " your great grandmother/father did this or that HERE" AROUSED INTEREST--but without a personal link to the site there was not much interest-Same thing with museum artefacts-Good Luck from REV
a lot of work has been done on a similar topic by Swansea University's Wellcome Egypt centre. It might be worth while contacting Syd Howells for more info
Cairns Regional Gallery offers the following programs: https://www.cairnsartgallery.com.au/whats-on/programs-events
Hi Gehan,
http://www.thejournal.ie/heritage-sites-free-children-3467539-Jun2017/
this may be of interest to you,
kind regards,
Olivia.