Children's Museums and Technology

The next issue of Hand to Hand, the quarterly publication of the Association
of Yoputh Museums, will be devoted to the subject of children's museums and
technology. Working with technology specialist Brad Larson of The Children's
Museum in Boston, we are planning articles which will focus on the
following subtopics:

USES OF TECHNOLOGY IN EXHIBITS & PROGRAMS
1. A statement on best practices & recommendations for appropriate use of
technology for young children and families in Museums. How do good uses of
technology encourage adult/child interaction in an exhibit? How can you
design exhibits/programs to foster adult computer literacy? How
can you avoid the "glazed-eyed button-pushing" phenomenon?
2. Helping children's museums become more savvy in their use of electronic
media.
3. Technology vs. "real" experiences - what's the right balance? Do
children's museum visitors want more technology or less? How does the pace of
the museum experience change when technological components are added? Will
technological
advances make the real visit obsolete?

USES OF TECHNOLOGY IN BRINGING THE MUSEUM INTO THE COMMUNITY. . . OR THE
COMMUNITY INTO THE MUSEUM
1. New ways to deliver a museum experience outside its walls-new technologies
bring the museum right into homes, schools, and other museums.
2. Web sites! All the rage! What's in a good web site? How many children's
museums have them and what have they done for children's museums? How do you
create one and how will it help your museum?

INNOVATIVE USES OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE MUSEUM OPERATIONS
1. We all know about the Internet but how about the extranet-a process in
which businesses open their internal web sites to each other to exchange
information faster? How can children's museums benefit from this practice?
2. In-house listserves which link staff within the museum to foster better
communication among departments.
3. Direct links from among all children's museums which allow
institutions-small, medium and large-to work collaboratively on all kinds of
projects from exhibits to accounting systems.

MISCELLANEOUS
1. A list of the most helpful museum computer information sources
2. Nuts and bolts
   A. The trackball vs. the mouse controversy
   B. Security systems - how to keep your visitors in the exhibits and not in
your personal files
   C. Wear and tear - technological components cost a lot - what is a
reasonable life expectancy for your system and its many well-used pieces?

Is there any particular angle on these topics you'd like to be sure is
covered?  Please post suggestions on this list.  And anyone wishing to submit
articles for consideration or other information should contact editor Mary
Maher by August 1.

Phone: (804) 295-7603
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