And the same goes for seniors - speak with them and not at them. If we didn't have our senior visitors and supporters (and I mean $$$ supporters), we'd have been gone long ago, and we've been around for close to 130 years. And unless you're Benjamin Button, this audience is always being replenished. Candace Perry _____ From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lizzy Martin Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 2:18 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Children in Museums In regards to helping educate parents on how to engage their children in the museum, I believe museum staff are more effective than static information (panels, signs, videos, pamphlets, etc.). My experience is that many adults don't have time, or interest, in looking at such signs and videos because, a) their child keeps walking away and the parent has to follow, and b) they don't want to stop for information that can be construed as patronizing. Museum staff, however, know which objects interest a 6 year-old, the cool stories behind each object, and the ways to engage audiences, so can act as a model for parents to imitate. Instead of telling a child to stop running, the staff member can show the parent how to positively engage the child, saying something like, "Whoa! Running!? You just flew by one of the coolest objects in our museum! I bet you didn't know......" and ending with "...so no more running, you'll miss all the cool stuff." Or, "How old are you? 6! Well then I think you should check out X room...you're going to love it!" This is to Liz Mauer's comment earlier, we should speak 'with' families (adults and children) instead of 'at' them. If we simply tell them to be quiet, or slow down, etc., we risk implying that they, both child and adult, don't know how to act at our institution, almost ostracizing them. Instead, we should help them by modeling how to actively engage with the exhibit material. -- Lizzy Martin Exhibition Developer Children's Museum of Manhattan On 7/7/11 10:29 AM, "Bill Obrochta" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > To All, > > This is an interesting thread. It seems to me that one of the things that > museums don't do well--even children's museums--is educate parents about how > they can engage their children in the museum. Parents know that taking > children to museums is good because they will learn, but they don't know the > why or how. As museum educators, we all know which objects appeal to children > and we all know how to help children engage with those objects. We also > understand something about developmental learning and know that engaging a > six-year-old is different from engaging a twelve-year-old. (Although a lot of > museums don't do this well--try taking a group of high school students to a > museum whose school visitation consist almost exclusively of 4th graders.) > > Does anyone do any kind of orientation for parents--either a video or > brochure. We have chaperone guides which largely stress the don'ts, but has > one of you developed something that says to parents "here's an example of the > kinds of things you can ask your six-year-old as you look at this > painting"--this type of thing? > > Bill > > William B. Obrochta > Manager of Educational Services > Virginia Historical Society > P. O. Box 7311 > Richmond, VA 23221-0311 > Phone: 804-342-9651 > Fax: 804-355-2399 > www.vahistorical.org > > P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf > Of Cindy Boyer > Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 9:57 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Children in Museums > > I agree about the generality of the comments of "getting something out of it." > > When I see a child disengaged in a museum setting, I try to fight the urge to > engage the child in the environment. Sometimes I don't succeed, and find > myself first exchanging a pleasantry with the parent - something affirming > like "they sure have a lot of energy at that age, don't they?" then share > something with the child like "I can't believe how many animal pictures there > are in this room! How many did you count?" > > Encountering school groups is another issue. I very much appreciated seeing on > a museum website "Tuesday through Fridays in May there are many school groups > touring between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm. You may wish to plan the time of your > visit accordingly." > > Interesting thoughts about museums being more accepting/accessible to > families; and does that equal being tolerant to dangerous behavior (dangerous > to the collections, dangerous to the child)? > > There was a mention of a "quiet zone" I would love to see an art museum offer > a "quiet night" - a special night where visitors are invited to meditate and > relax with the artwork. No cell phones. No guided tours. No talking. An > evening of refuge. > > I too, have issues with some adult behaviors in museum settings. I especially > can't stand the increasingly common use of obscenity in young adult > conversation, especially (euphemistically speaking) the "F-bombs." > > I don't want to hijack this thread, but what do you think is acceptable > behavior in a museum setting? To me, it is whatever does not interfere with > other visitors enjoyment and appreciation of the exhibit. > > 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 > Confessions of a Preservationist: The Landmark Society blog Facebook / MySpace > > -----Original Message----- > From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf > Of Jennifer Snyder - Packwood House Museum > Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 9:40 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Children in Museums > > I couldn't agree with Johanna more. I usually find that the children are > better behaved than adults - I have never had to remind a child more than once > not to touch museum objects, and I've never had to ask a child not to sit or > lean on museum furniture, either. (I cannot, however, say the same for > adults!) > > And, as others have stated, when a child IS unruly, it usually all comes down > to the fact that the parent is not parenting properly or has brought them into > a situation that is beyond their interest or attention span. > > Jennifer Snyder > Assistant to the Executive Director > Packwood House Museum > 15 North Water Street > Lewisburg, PA 17837 > 570-524-0323 > www.packwoodhousemuseum.com > > > > > >> -------Original Message------- >> From: Johanna Goldfeld <[log in to unmask]> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Children in Museums >> Sent: Jul 07 '11 08:26 >> >> >> I'd also point out that I often find ADULTS behavior (usually, very >> loud talking) to be more disruptive than any children in the room. So, >> let's not make kids the scapegoat. I surmise that early exposure to >> the museum environment sometimes instills an appreciation for art, >> culture, and history as well as an understanding of proper decorum >> that is useful later in life. >> > > ========================================================= > Important Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ > . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a > one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the > message should read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff > Museum-L" (without the quotes). > > ========================================================= > Important Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ > . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a > one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the > message should read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff > Museum-L" (without the quotes). > > ========================================================= > Important Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ > . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a > one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the > message should read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff > Museum-L" (without the quotes). > _____ To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L <http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1> &A=1 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).