Beyond Glitter and Glue: Crafting Meaningful Museum Education Programs
Have you ever found yourself knee-deep in glitter and glue, wondering if there's more to museum education programs than just keeping kids busy?
Museum education should be fun… of course it should be! It is seriously fun! Which means that is also serious. As educators in the public space, we have an ethical obligation to create programs that are engaging intellectually and personally!
But one thing that I see more often than I wish – and one thing that I’ve been guilty of as well – is throwing an activity, or more often a craft, into a program without a well-thought reason why.
In order to level up our museum programs, let’s dive deep into the heart of museum education, exploring how we can transform our programs from mere distractions into powerful, mission-aligned storytelling tools and make every craft count.
(By the way, if you’d rather listen than read, you can check out the podcast episode where I talk all about this topic—and confess to a ridiculous crafting fail—here!)
Connecting to Your Museum's Core Mission
First things first, let's talk about the heartbeat of your museum—the core mission. This isn't just a fancy statement slapped on your website. It should be the guiding star for everything you do, especially in education. It's possible (and crucial) to align even the simplest crafting activity with this mission. Imagine a craft that's not just cute but deeply connects kids and families with your museum's themes. Magical, right?
Every activity, and that includes crafts, that your visitors engage in should bring them right back around to the very purpose your museum exists in the first place. AND these activities should all connect in real and tangible ways to the main themes and objectives of your program.
Remember, objectives is not a pseudonym for “curriculum connections.” Objectives are the main things you want people to learn, feel, and experience after spending time at your site.
Crafting for Impact
So let's talk about why crafting just to craft belongs in the museum education departments of the past. Back in the 1970s, the burgeoning professionalisation of museum educators was well under way. Educators were embracing all kinds of crazy ideas, from puppets to music to flashing lights and everything in between! None of these ideas are bad, but when they are happening just “because,” they become ideologically separated from the good intentions of education.
No wonder a curator at the time felt like museums were “going to hell on a psychedelic choo-choo!” (By the way, this is my favorite museum quote of all time)*
And while there is nothing wrong with fun for the sake of fun, if your program is aimed at holistic visitor engagement, then you can’t waste a single second of the program time on meaningless activities! Playful activities, including crafts, can loose their way when they are not firmly tied to significant “so what” concept and this can damage your ultimate education aims.
The So-What Component
Every activity in your program should have a clear answer to the “so what” question. Your staff should be able to clearly articulate the answers to:
Why are we doing this?
How does it connect to our mission, the narrative theme of the program, or the desired visitor experience? (Bonus points if it can connect to all three!)
The “so what” might have a strong educational component. Or it might be that the kids just need a brain break and place to run after being quiet on a long tour. The reasons behind the activities can vary, but they must have a reason. Otherwise, you are wasting precious program time!
If an activity doesn't have a specific purpose, it might be time to rethink its place in your program.
The days of crafting for craft's sake are behind us. As museum educators, we have the power to transform simple activities into profound educational experiences. By aligning our crafts and programs with our museum's core mission, we not only enhance visitor engagement but also ensure that our work has a lasting impact.
So, let's pledge to make every craft, every tour, and every program count towards something meaningful.
Here's to crafting with a cause!
Let's inspire each other with ideas that go beyond glitter and glue, crafting educational experiences that truly resonate. And if you're looking for more tips and tricks on elevating your museum education programs, make sure you sign up below.
Together, we can make museum education sparkle (with purpose)!
