A couple of gems I recall from a former life:-
After doing an education session with a primary school group on minerals, one youngster sidled up conspiratorially and asked in hushed tones "have you got any kryptonite?"
In the early days of animatronic dinosaurs (1990s) when they roared and moved in a jerky and unconvincing fashion my own 4 year old asked earnestly "Daddy, what do they do with all the poo?" I briefly considered launching into an explanation about coprolites, but simply said "Dunno!" when I realised that conceptually we weren't on the same page.
A great topic, good luck with the Blog!
Cheers
Andrew
Andrew Simpson
Director, Museum Studies Program
Department of Environment and Geography
Faculty of Science
Macquarie University NSW 2109
ph (61 2) 98508183
fax (61 2) 98509671
email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.els.mq.edu.au/museumstudies
"The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment"
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>>> Cindy Boyer <[log in to unmask]> 25/03/2010 1:02 am >>>
The sun is shining, and I am sure I should probably be working on some
grant.
Instead, I am planning a blog or an article about what we hear kids say
on museum tours.
I'm hoping to create it from responses within my staff - but just in
case (and because this can be fun!) - do you have any to share?
My two most memorable are these:
Our Stone-Tolan House Museum site was a tavern and farmhouse at the
beginning of the 19th century. At the end of a tour we frequently ask
4th grade students if they would like to try living in the Stones' time
- and why or why not. As you can imagine, we get a lot of "no computers
or TVs or bathrooms!" But one young man said "I would like to live in
their time - because what kids did then really mattered to the family.
They had real responsibilities."
A group of 2nd grade parochial school kids were in the orientation
center for Stone Tolan, looking at a family tree of the Stones,
including their 9 children. This usually leads to a discussion on how a
large family was useful on a farm, because of all the work to be done.
The docent asked "Why do you think they had so many children?" An
adorable girl said very calmly "Because they had a lot of sex."
What do you have?
And please let me know, if I use your experience in my blog may I
identify you or your site - or would you prefer to keep it anonymous
(what happens on Museum-L....)
Cindy Boyer
Director of Museums and Education
The Landmark Society of Western New York
133 S. Fitzhugh St.
Rochester NY 14608
(585) 546-7029 ext. 12
[log in to unmask]
Fax: (585) 546-4788
The Landmark Society: Revitalizing Yesterday, Protecting Today, and
Planning for Tomorrow
www.landmarksociety.org <http://www.landmarksociety.org/>
Confessions of a Preservationist: The Landmark Society blog
<http://landmarksocietywny.blogspot.com/>
Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12149056258> / MySpace
<http://www.myspace.com/landmarksociety>
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Amy Mincher
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 6:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Summer Internship in Beautiful Vermont
Collections Management Internship
A wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in farming and American
history, The President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth,
VT is offering a collections internship this summer.
The Coolidge Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark and is
regarded as one of the best preserved presidential sites in the nation.
The site contains 25 buildings and 560 acres. Many of the objects in
the collection belonged to the Coolidge family and date from the late
18th to early 20th centuries.
Interns will focus on cataloging late 19th/early 20th century
agricultural tools and equipment using PastPerfect software. Although
the emphasis will be on enhancing the collection database, the position
allows flexibility for individual projects and interests. The internship
will last between four and ten weeks. Although there is no stipend,
free on-site housing with kitchen facilities is provided. Remote rural
location requires intern to have own transportation.
Qualifications: Interest and knowledge of American history. Should
either be enrolled in or a recent graduate of an
undergraduate or graduate program emphasizing history, museum studies,
sustainable agriculture, natural resources, or related field.
For more information about the Historic Site, please visit our website:
http://www.historicvermont.org/coolidge/
<http://www.historicvermont.org/coolidge/> or find the museum on Open
Museum (www.openmuseum.org <http://www.openmuseum.org> ).
Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and list of three
references to:
Amy Mincher
Collections Manager, President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site
Morrill Mountain Consulting
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
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