Hands On! International
European Museum Academy
Association of Children’s Museums
A European Museum Expertise Foundation
2013 CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AWARD
THE JUDGES’ REPORT
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CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AWARD 2013
CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD
Permanent space designed for children up to the age of 14 years
Age-appropriate exhibitions and programmes based on the cognitive, social and emotional development of children
Permanent staff/ management
Dedicated budget
Interactive learning experiences and exhibit strategies engaging as many senses as possible
Informal learning
Identity – putting children at the centre
Excellence that can be acknowledged by children
Children as a competent audience
Aesthetic qualities
Innovative approach
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INTRODUCTION The Children’s Museum Award has been established by the European Museum Academy and Hands On! International for the recognition of excellence in the specific sector of international children’s museums. For the 2013 Award applications were welcomed from children’s museums and from education, children and youth departments in museums and science museums, both long-established and recently opened. EMA is a non-profit Foundation established to reflect museums at the international level, to promote research on museography and museology as a high cultural activity, to provide constructive criticism and promote discussion on new exhibitions and museums, and to diffuse museological knowledge and ideas among members of the profession. It aims to promote the conception and development of new as well as of traditional museums as tools of social change. EMA co-operates with Hands On! International for this Award. EMA members of the Judging Panel of the Award are also active members of the Academy in a number of roles. www.europeanmuseumacademy.eu Hands On! International (HO!I), the Association of Children’s Museums, is an international professional organisation representing and advocating for its non-profit member institutions. It actively stimulates the creation and development of children’s museums (including science centres, large collections based institutions serving young visitors) and more space for cultural and educational activities for children and young people. HO!I supports the important role of children’s museums as centres where play inspires creativity, informal and lifelong learning. www.hands-on-international.net
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THE JUDGES’ REPORT
This is the second year of the Children’s Museum Award, and the organisers have been very pleased to receive entries from outside Europe, as well as within the continent. The panel of judges considered carefully all the material submitted by the candidates, and considered a list of 15 confirmed candidates. Special attention was paid to the ways in which a candidate is likely to change the course of museum thinking or museum practice in these respects, nationally and internationally, and imaginative interpretation and presentation was marked highly. In Austria, the SPIELZEUG MUSEUM in Salzburg is housed in a 14th-century complex in the city centre. The building containing the museum was completely renovated in 2011 to bring it up to modern technical standards. During this period the opportunity was taken to rethink the presentation of the museum collections of mainly 19th-century toys, which was much loved by visitors. After discussions on how to find ways of linking historical objects with stories and history, one innovation which has taken place is to build a modern dolls’ house, with every window showing either historical objects or an open space which visitors can arrange themselves. Information on objects is concealed behind small doors in the house. Combined with questionnaires for different ages which lead visitors through the house, and programmes for schools, the museum feels that this approach makes young people feel comfortable in cultural surroundings. MANITOBA CHILDREN’S MUSEUM in Canada was established in 1988, and has now replaced its six original exhibitions with 12 modular exhibitions occupying the same footprint. An integrated storyline and design narratives link the exhibitions, which put children at the centre and avoid experiences that encourage children to imitate adult behaviour. Adults are viewed as partners in play rather than as teachers. Wherever possible reliance on technology is minimised and texts kept to a minimum, enabling young visitors to use their imagination and create their own experiences. Emphasis is placed on exhibits relating to biology and the environment, and an infant/toddler area provides appropriate developmental experiences in a miniature version of the main museum. An outreach programme ensures participation by children and their families, no matter what their financial situation. Germany has provided three candidates this year, the first being the MACHmit! MUSEUM FÜR KINDER in Berlin. For the past 10 years the museum has been in a former two-storey Elias Church. The centrepiece of the museum is the Climbing Box (‘KletterRegal’), a vertical labyrinth consisting of two seven-metre-high towers connected by small bridges. Interaction between children and parents is encouraged, making a visit a shared experience for families. Children are allowed to participate in the planning and realisation of temporary exhibitions on socially relevant topics. They have the chance to develop knowledge and values at their own pace, wherever they happen to be in their intellectual, physical and creative development. For example, the Memory Museum temporary exhibition explained to visitors why museums exist, how important collections are, and what can be seen by careful observation and research. Underprivileged and disabled visitors are catered for and there are neighbourhood orientated activities. MATHEMATIKUM in Giessen describes itself as the first mathematical science centre in the world, and aims to use interactive exhibits to show mathematical phenomena. Topics include geometry, calculus, stochastics and so on. Visitors can solve puzzles and take part in experiments. Labels are restricted to ‘what to do’. An increasing number of younger children visited Mathematikum and it became clear that some of the exhibits were too big for them, so Mini-Mathematikum was established, with exhibits specially designed for 4-8 year4
olds. Groups can book the space for two-hour sessions, at which an explainer introduces the group and helps them when necessary. In the afternoons, at weekend and public holidays Mini-Mathematikum is open to all visitors, including many families. Older children are free to visit the main museum, leaving their younger siblings to enjoy their own section. Hamburg is the home of KINDEROLYMP at Altonaer Museum. Within the main museum is the city’s first permanent museum department for children. Opened in 2006, the exhibitions are specially designed for 5-10 year-olds. The subject matter reflects that of the museum’s permanent collections, but from a child’s point of view, enabling a complex story to be told from two perspectives. Children are encouraged to use the interactive exhibits and to move about freely. The establishment of this department has had a powerful effect of redefining the Altonaer Museum itself, and the curators have learned a great deal by looking at the collections through children’s eyes. In the adult part of the museum there is now a stronger emphasis on non-scientific language and hands-on experiences. THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Jordan in Amman is the only children’s museum of its kind in the Middle East, combining learning and entertainment for children and families. Through its programmes it aims to deepen children’s understanding of cultural aspects of citizenship, as well as their rights in, and responsibilities towards their communities. Inclusiveness is also an important aspect of the museum’s work, and it has increased its outreach activities by setting up a Mobile Museum to include children from underserved communities. Museum professionals and educators are assisted by volunteers. Through various programmes children are exposed to the world around them, focusing on appreciating the differences between communities and celebrating diversity. The museum has partnerships with the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education. The first of five museums from The Netherlands is ARCHEON, ROMAN VILLA RIJSWIJK at Alphen aan den Rijn. This is an Archaeological Open Air Museum, with 43 buildings reconstructed on the basis of archaeological finds and historical building research. The houses, farms and huts are home to Archaeo-interpreters, dressed in clothing of the time. The Roman Villa Rijswijk shows original finds from prehistory, the Roman period and the Middle Ages, together with films and touch-screens. The museum offers a view of daily life in the Netherlands at these three periods, and all aspects of housekeeping, hunting, farming, crafts and trades are demonstrated. Family groups are encouraged to join in with more than 30 historical activities. There is no division in activities between adults and children, and the experience, with the help of the Archaeo-interpreters, gives children a new view of their own history. At Assen the provincial DRENT’S ACHIEF’s mission statement says that ‘it brings cultural heritage closer to the people, lets them perceive their environment with different eyes and makes them conscious of their own traces of the past’. The archive is the first in the Netherlands to publish an educational policy, and has developed Operatie Sigismund, an experimental learning environment for children, a representation of an archive, combining games, narrative elements and learning goals in a separate space within its building. The programme, for primary schoolchildren aged 10-12, enables them to discover more about their region by listening to stories and by exploring documents in the collections. A combination of computer-based and physical interactions leads pupils towards the solution of a mystery outlined in the story. Children also work in groups of three on conservation activities. The BEELD EN GELUID EXPERIENCE at Hilversum is the audiovisual archive of the Netherlands, a state-of-the-art media attraction with 12 interactive themed pavilions and 15 Dutch celebrities available as virtual guides accompanying visitors through past, present and future media. In 2012 the Klokhuis pavilion was opened specifically for 7-12 year-olds, the organisation working closely with the makers of the television programme, Het Klokhuis. For 5
25 years this youth show has been screened every working day on the public network, informing children about world events. In the pavilion there is a humorous mixture of fact and fiction. Children are asked how they think they will live and eat 25 years from now. They can say what they want to be when they grow up and who they want to be friends with for life. The Beeld en Geluid Experience uses radio and television as it is a medium which is constantly changing and renewing itself. THE MARITIME MUSEUM ROTTERDAM aims to make a broad audience aware of the role of the maritime world in everyone’s daily lives. For the youngest target group of 4-10 yearolds this is achieved through the ‘Professor Splash’ programme. Launched over 20 years ago, a completely renewed fourth version was opened in 2011, with children invited to join discussions on its concept and design, a layout of a mixture of cartoons and reality. The Professor’s character is brought to life and children can take part in exciting adventures in a port and meet his multi-cultural friends. The Professor’s collection of rare items from all over the world introduces children to museum objects and the concept of collecting. Three times a year temporary exhibitions relating to the adventures in the programme are arranged and there are also workshops. The exhibition has passed the test of the NSGK, a Dutch organisation for handicapped children. The fifth Dutch museum is in Utrecht, where the DICK BRUNA HOUSE contains the work of the Utrecht artist and designer. It is displayed in part of the Centraal Museum, showing the diversity of Bruna’s work, which ranges from the world-famous Miffy to his book covers and poster designs. Two different groups are targeted – adults and children aged 2-5. Adults appreciate the humorous twist of the displays and at children’s height they find information about Miffy and how she has changed over the years. Annual exhibitions are arranged with a theme related to the main museum’s collections – fashion, design, modern art, history – where children can play and work with their parents. The Dick Bruna House wants to inspire other museums to find ways to connect with younger visitors by being creative with their collections. Other events include an opera for kindergarten groups in school; a read aloud marathon; and an annual Summer of Dick Bruna with all kinds of activities. Matica Srpska is the oldest Serbian cultural, literature and scientific society, and the GALLERY OF MATICA SRPSKA contains a rich collection of 16th-21st century national art. It sees itself as a centre for lifelong learning and a place of social inclusion, an active member of the local community. The main goal of its educational activities for children is to make them familiar with the art and cultural heritage of the country in an interesting way. The Gallery has year-long educational programmes, thanks to co-operation with educational institutions and a volunteer network. In a Children’s Room they learn through games and compare works of art. Education is continued in kindergartens and schools where, with the help of their teachers, children summarise their impressions and produce their own views of works of art. In 2012 the first Children’s Guide through the Gallery was produced, with hands-on activities and games. In Sweden Skansen in Stockholm was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius and is the world’s first open-air museum. It illustrates the countryside from the 18th century onwards, the old farming society brought to life with fully-furnished buildings and farmsteads, domestic and wild animals, as well as traditional customs and crafts. Skansen has four distinct elements – a zoo, entertainment park, gardens and countryside, and cultural heritage. Housed in a new wooden building which is ecologically sound, LILL-SKANSEN – the Children’s Skansen – is a place for small animals and small people, giving them a sense of wonder and curiosity, in the hope that a visit will influence how they relate to animals for the rest of their lives. Groups of children learn through play how to care for and protect these animals and are encouraged to pat and embrace domestic species. This new venture is open throughout the year, while Skansen’s buildings are normally closed during the winter season.
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The NATURMUSEUM in Frauenfeld, Switzerland was established in 1859 and focuses its exhibitions on the habitats, plants, animals and natural history of Canton Thurgau. The museum considers that in the modern globalised world it is increasingly important to be aware of one’s local identity and for visitors to learn more about the place in which they live. Of modest size and with a small staff, the museum concentrates particularly on three categories of visitor - families with children aged 6-12; school classes with special opening hours; teachers and teaching students, who can choose between 7-10 training sessions on different themes, organised in collaboration with Thurgau University of Teacher Education. After renovations between 2004 and 2010, the new exhibitions are child-friendly with low height of cases, the absence of glass showcases where possible, and colourful designs. More than 100 educational activities are offered every year for the three target groups. Philadelphia, USA is the home of the PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM, whose exhibitions and programmes provide children with hands-on introductory learning experiences to the arts, sciences and humanities through play. Every effort is made to make its facilities, programmes and services accessible to all children and their families, irrespective of socioeconomic background and level of ability. The target group is children aged 1-7, the museum pointing out that the brain develops more rapidly in early childhood than at any other time. Programmes go beyond conventional subject and include financial literacy and a healthy lifestyle initiative, aiming to make these complex subjects engaging and comprehensible to a young audience. The theatre is a key component of the museum’s activities and year-round daily performances provide a number of original and highly interactive shows.
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SPECIAL COMMENDATION
Drents Archief – Operatie Sigismund The division between museums and archives has become less clear-cut in recent years and the decision of the provincial archive at Assen to establish a permanent space within its building to show children the functions of an archive and what its problems are is a huge step in narrowing the gap between the two. The setting up of Operation Sigismund in co-operation with the Waag Society to create an experimental learning environment for children is an inspired move to emphasise the importance of the collection, conservation and preservation of historical material to young children. The archive has taken the basement rooms of its building as a clearly defined physical story space for in which a variety of learning experiences can develop. By using an entertaining story whereby children have to protect an important private collection against all kinds of dangers (damp, fire and ink corrosion) and solve the mystery of the nobleman, Sigismund van Heiden Reinestein, the archive has provided the basis of understanding the value of an archive at an early age, connecting them to their local heritage in an exciting way. The combination of game and narrative elements with learning goals, together with a theatrical setting encourages children to make their own journey through the adventure: an educational design underlying the actions and assignments, interaction with tangible objects, goal-oriented interaction and a clear outcome of the learning process. An important criterion for the jury was the idea of creating innovative learning experiences authentic and playful at the same time – in a field which is not dedicated to educational work at first sight. In highlighting this work the judges hope that the unusual but very effective method used by Drents Archief will encourage other archives to follow its example.
Drents Archief (Director: Douwe Huizing)
Brink 4 401 HS Assen The Netherlands tel +31 592 313523
[email protected]; www.drentsarchief.nl
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THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AWARD WINNER 2013
Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, USA
Founded by Montessori educator Portia Sperr with the mission of enriching the lives of children by creating learning opportunities through play, the museum is very much a part of the Philadelphia region’s arts and culture community. With 79 full-time employees and 91 part-timers it is able to provide a full programme of exhibitions and programmes for all ages and abilities, with generous opening hours. The museum is particularly proud of its theatre programmes, which often provide children with their first experience of the performing arts. Audiences are encouraged to participate in the shows, which are specially written and adapted by in-house theatre staff and are inspired by myths, modern and classic children’s books, and original stories. Recently the museum has been expanding its ideas of what a children’s museum can and should do, especially in its community. Play Without Boundaries, for example, benefits families of children with physical, intellectual and sensory disabilities and has led to new partnerships being formed. Community outreach work is a firm commitment and has contributed greatly to the educational needs of the locality, leading to a rise in the local kindergarten registration rate of 10%. The judges said: The commitment of the Please Touch Museum to children aged 1-7 is particularly remarkable. All too often the capacity of very young children to absorb information and experiences is overlooked by museums. The theatre programme is particularly useful in this regard and learning by participation and play means that the memory retains more information than mere passive observation. The Pinch and Penny theatre show where children are introduced to the concepts of earning, saving and sharing, through a humorous puppet show is an example of widening the boundaries of more conventional subjects. Praise is also due to the activities which take place outside the walls of the museum, reaching far into the local community, every effort being made to include children in families in all situations.
Please Touch Museum (President/CEO: Laura Foster) 4231 Avenue of the Republic Philadelphia PA 19131 USA Tel +1 215 581 3160 Fax +1 215 581 3183
[email protected] www.pleasetouchmuseum.org
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THE TROPHY
The trophy is a bronze statue of Miffy, the world-famous children’s character, created by Dick Bruna. The sculptor is Marc Bruna, Dick Bruna’s’s son. This (only existing) statue is a scale model of the original statue that is located in Utrecht, the home town of Dick Bruna in The Netherlands. The statue was donated to the city by the Soroptimist Club of Utrecht, in the 1990s. Miffy was created over 55 years ago and yet still appeals to children all over the world – the Miffy books are now translated in more than 50 languages. As a character, Miffy embodies the principles of creativity, fantasy, openness (she looks at you), positiveness, freedom of thinking and child friendliness. Her profile as familiar, friendly character that children worldwide recognise and love, was underlined in 2004 when New York City chose Miffy as their Family Tourist Ambassador in a bid to attract tourists’ families back to the city, post 9/11.
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APPENDIX ONE: THE LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR THE 2013 AWARD
Austria
Salzburg: Spielzeug Museum
Canada
Winnipeg: Manitoba Children’s Museum
Germany
Berlin: MACHmit! Museum für Kinder Giessen: Mathematikum Giessen e.K. Hamburg: KINDEROLYMP at Altonaer Museum
Jordan
Amman: Children’s Museum Jordan
The Netherlands
Alphen aan den Rijn: Archeon, Roman Villa Rijswijk Assen: Drents Archief - Operatie Sigismund Hilversum: Beeld en Geluid Experience Rotterdam: Maritiem Museum Rotterdam Utrecht: Dick Bruna Huis, Centraal Museum
Serbia
Novi Sad: Gallery of Matica Srpska
Sweden
Stockholm: Lill-Skansen
Switzerland
Frauenfeld: Naturmuseum Thurgau
USA
Philadelphia: Please Touch Museum
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APPENDIX TWO: THE PANEL OF JUDGES
Camila González Gou is curator at the Museu Frederic Marès in Barcelona, following terms of office at the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat, the Centre Gestor de Museus and the Museu Reial Monestir de Pedralbes in the city. A founder member of the Associació Catalana d’Arqueologia, she was Chairperson of the ICOM Spanish National Committee (1990-98) and Treasurer of the ICOM General Executive (2001-2004). A National Correspondent for the European Museum forum, she is now a member of the European Museum Academy. A professor in courses of Museology Studies in Madrid, Barcelona, Tenerife and Girona Universities, she has written articles and publications on museum education and legislation, and has a particular interest in cultural tourism and museums as educational tools. [EMA]
Claudia Haas trained as an art historian and archaeologist and in the early 1990s she worked on the development of ZOOM Kindermuseum, a children's museum in the Museums Quarter of Vienna, developing the institution from a temporary exhibition space to an organization with a staff of 70 employees, welcoming 120,000 visitors per year and defining the mission, content and program of the museum. She is now a member of the museum’s Board. Since 2003 she has been working as a museum consultant specializing in planning visitor-friendly museums to attract culturally diverse audiences. Claudia Haas also works as a consultant for museum education for UNESCO, as well as teaching and holding seminars at international museum conferences. [HO!I]
Arno van Berge Henegouwen (Leiden, 1948) is curator at the Museon in The Hague. After his biology studies at Leiden University Arno’s first job was director and curator of the Natural History Museum in Tilburg. Later he became head of the Natural History Department of the educational museum of The Hague, Museon. Since 1990 he has written plans for several exhibitions, museums and visitor centres in Holland and Germany. Museonder, the first underground museum in the world developed for the National Park De Hoge Veluwe, was one of the highlights. It was followed by a new visitor centre in the same National Park. He was asked to write the plan for an exhibition about plants in Botanica in Bremen’s Rhododendronpark, Germany. He initiated international exhibitions in The Hague 12
such as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, now in its 21st year. From 2001 he completed the new permanent exhibition in the Museon, Your World, My World which opened in 2006. As an author he has written several popular science books and children’s books on topics including marine biology, evolution and biodiversity. As a scientist he has published on aquatic insects and dung beetles. In his spare time he is an ardent nature photographer. He is a Board member of the European Museum Academy. [EMA]
Gail Dexter Lord is a Co-President of Lord Cultural Resources Planning and Management Inc., which she co-founded with her husband Barry Lord in 1981. With a network of offices in Toronto, New York, Paris, Beijing, Beirut and Mumbai, Lord Cultural Resources is now the largest cultural planning firm in the world, having completed over 1,900 cultural planning and management projects in 50 countries and on six continents. With over 40 years’ experience in the arts and cultural sector, Gail is committed to assisting institutions, communities, and their leaders develop their cultural resources, including children’s museums. Gail has co-authored six museum planning manuals that are being successfully used in university museum studies programs. [HO!I]
Elisabeth Menasse-Wiesbauer Born 1954, studied history, psychology and philosophy at the University of Salzburg. PhD in history, researcher and lecturer in the fields of history of childhood and history of science at the Universities of Klagenfurt and Vienna. 1997-2002 coordinator of the research-programme ‘Xenophobia’ in the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science. Since 2003 director of ZOOM Children’s Museum in Vienna. From 20032011 board member of the European Children’s Museums Association Hands on Europe. [HO!I]
Margherita Sani has a degree in Literature and Philosophy (University of Bologna) and an MA in Museums and Galleries Administration (City University, London). She works in Italy at the Istituto Beni Culturali of the Region Emilia-Romagna, where she is in charge of international projects – in particular on museum education, lifelong learning and intercultural dialogue – and organises international training events in the museological field. She is currently co-ordinating the EU funded Network ‘LEM – The Learning Museum’ and has led several other European projects, many of which have been identified as best practice. Since 2008 she has been on the executive board of NEMO (Network of European 13
Museum Organisations). She has edited various publications on museum education and lifelong learning, intercultural dialogue and quality in museum work. [EMA]
Andreja Rihter has strongly supported cultural heritage projects and activities at the national, regional and international level - as the Minister of Culture in Slovenia (2000-04) and former director of the Museum of Recent History Celje, and through other positions in national and European cultural organizations, including the European Museum Forum (national correspondent); the Museums Association of Slovenia (president, 1998-2001); the Museology School of Celje, Slovenia (initiator and Head); ICOM-ICTOP (board member (2007-, vice-chair 2010-); the Forum of Slavic Cultures (Founding member and initiator, 2002-, president 2002 -05)). More recently, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Cultural Heritage, 2010–2012); the European Museum Academy (president,2009-); Hands On! International (vice-president, 2009-2011) and Member of Parliament of Slovenia (2008-2011). [EMA]
Hermann Schäfer, PhD. Professor of Economic and Social History, Freiburg University. Founding President of the Foundation Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Bonn. He was General Director for Culture and Media in the Chancellor’s Office, Berlin and Vice-Minister for Culture and Media (2006-07) and a former Vice-President of the UNESCO-Commission Germany (2003-08). Since 2007 he has been the EMA member on the board and in the executive committee of EUROPEANA, the European digital library. Author of publications on economic and social history, on museum issues, culture, policy and museum management and practice. Now an independent consultant, he lives in Cologne/Bonn. [EMA]
Nurit Shilo-Cohen has been with the Israel Museum in Jerusalem for the past 40 years. She was an art curator, senior curator for museum education, chief curator and director of the Ruth youth wing and curator of children's book illustrations. Nurit is the author of many articles and books including ‘The Big Book of Illustrators’. She chaired the jury of the Israel Museum's Ben Yitzhak Award for the Illustration of a Children's Book. She holds a degree in art history and Jewish philosophy and a degree in biology, both from the
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Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Nurit is a board member of Hands On! International. Nurit is now a museum consultant residing in Jerusalem and Singapore. [HO!I]
Petra Zwaka is currently the Head of Cultural Affairs in Berlin-Tempelhof Schöneberg and the Director of two regional history museums and memorial sites. She has spent more than 25 years working in the museum and cultural sector in Berlin, and has created numerous interactive history exhibitions and projects, ranging on topics from local history to cultural history, the culture of remembrance and the history of migration. She is the author of several books and articles on local history and cultural education. In 1994 Petra funded the Jugend Museum in Berlin (Youth Museum) as an integral part of the regional history museum. She is an advocate for the benefits of exploring history with children and young people through methods of experiential and interactive learning strategies. Since 1991 she has been Director of the regional Schöneberg Museum in Berlin. She is curator of several exhibitions and author of articles and books. Petra has been involved with the worldwide Children’s Museums’ Association, Hands On! International since 2005 and until recently she was an active part of the Board. She developed and managed the 6th Children’s Museums’ Conference in Berlin in 2007. www.jugendmuseum.de [HO!I]
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