activity backpacks for museums
DESCRIPTION
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Engaging Families
What are they?Backpacks of activities designed around a
museum or an exhibitIntended to engage children with collectionsTypes of Activities
Hands on ObservatoryMemory Visual/art
V&A Magic Glasses Backpack
Photo from V&A Website
Benefits Engaging
Children with museum exhibitsFamilies
“Museums can be very one dimensional - … it can be quite difficult for a child to be absorbed….. if you've found ways like in these activity bags to make the actual artefacts [..] come to life, then [children] will remember them.” - mother at the V&A
ObjectivesPromote an active learning experience for
children & their parentsDesigned to engage the museum displaysBring Families into the museumContents will ignite children’s creativity and
inquisitivenessIncrease time spent in the exhibitsProvide positive museum experience that
will encourage future visits – a relationship with the museum
United StatesOriginal idea started in the late 1990s in
the U.S. Colorado and MassachusettesBaltimore, Maryland
“The idea behind the packs is to promote active learning, involving children and parents with art,”
“… they stayed at many of the exhibits longer than they had at any of our previous museum [visits]”
United KingdomFirst used at the Victoria and Albert Museum
in London, in early 2000s. A staff member had seen the backpacks in a
visit to the U.S. After the success of the Backpack
programme at the V&A, many more institutions throughout the UK have begun to implement their own Backpacks.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
A Museum of Decorative Arts
Award winning backpack programme
Focus on museum exhibits which are not immediately interesting to children
Using a Backpack at the V&A
Photo from V&A Website
V&A - 6 different Backpack themes
Fancy Furnishings – 18th century British furniture
Emperor’s Party – 16th century IndiaChinese Treasures – Chinese Decorative Art Metal Detector – Decorative IronworkAntique Detective – Victorian Decorative ArtsMagic Glasses – Decorative Glass
Fancy Furnishings InstructionsActivities include
Period Music and period Manners“personality pots” (personification)Finding animals in period furnitureFinding things in period patterns Design your own 18th century room
Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford “Cabinet of Curiosities” style museum is an
artefact in and of itself.Backpack programme was winner of the 2005
Guardian Newspaper Family Friendly Museum AwardJudged by children
Fashion Museum, Bath Backpack programme implemented in
September of 2007Handbags exhibit backpack
Silhouette matching gameFabric pattern matching gameHandbag fabric dominoesChildren’s story book on themeDescribe the bag activity
Handbag on display at Fashion Museum of BathPhoto Fashion Museum website
Fashion Museum ResultsChildren’s and parents’ Comments One child liked finding the patterns, “It was
like solving a mystery”
“…like[s] things to look up and investigate.
Appreciated, “Anything that focuses them on the detail.”
Fort Frances Museum Discover History BackpacksFort Frances Museum
Small town museum Small budget
Backpacks are an attempt to generate more community engagement with the museum
Entice more visitors and increase time spent in exhibitions.
5 ThemesFur TradeLoggingFirst NationsPioneerCommunity
Fur Trade Instruction Booklet5 Activities
Silhouette matching game
Dress upGuess the object
bagsChildren’s bookMemory
Silhouette Matching Game
Dress Up
Children’s Book
Guess the Object
Memory
Fort Frances Test LaunchResponses:
“Enables us to go at our own pace and learn more than on a quick tour”
“Lots of chances for involvement.”
“Handling cards…[show] you items you may not notice otherwise”
“Good way to examine the display closely”
Engaging families on a budget
Activity Backpacks do not require a large budget
Do not necessarily require backpacks, activity ‘kits’ can be held in various holders
Budget determines the presentation, but not necessarily the content or the efficacy
Trial & Error
Instructional guides are key component
Instruction should be a clear and concise as possible
Labeling very necessary and should be very clear
Key points Should be free of additional charge
Many large museums require a deposit or another form of security
Does not directly generate revenue, but intended to entice repeat visits by local visitors
Activities should designed to reach different age groups