On Thu, 5 Jan 1995, Joshua Heuman wrote:
 
> A question from a curious undergraduate:
>
> Museum attendances are decreasing?  If so, would it not make sense to perhaps
> compromise the intellectual atmosphere of museums to run educational programs
> for children with a focus on fun, excitement and creativity as opposed to
> more serious 'lecture-style' presentations which the kids get in school?
>
> Two American surveys from the 1970s (Americans and the Arts, 1973 and
> Americans and the Arts II, 1975) both found a correlation between childhood
> exposure to museums and frequent participation at cultural events when adult.
> If educational programs in museums would be more fun, perhaps more children
> would develop a fondness toward museums.  When adults, they would more likely
> visit a museum if given the opportunity, and when they have their own
> children, they would be more likely to introduce their children to museums.
>
> I'm not suggesting that museums become amusement parks like the Disney theme
> parks, or lower themselves to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles level,
> however...something more fun and exciting...after all, it is hard to compete
> with Nintendo and Sega!
>
> Joshua Heuman
> [log in to unmask]
>
If I may make a suggestion, try to pick up the children programmation of
a few museums in town. The ROM, the AGO, the McMichael Gallery are obvious
choices, but even smaller institutions that offer "only" traditional tours
are doing really exciting stuff. Boring? Ask to tag along on a tour or
program; you'll see a lot of smiling faces. Boy I wish I was a kid again!
 
Elise Brunet
Curator
The Law Society of Upper Canada Archives