Empowering Young Children in Art Museums: Letting Them Take the Lead

Abstract

Young children bring a wide repertoire of visitor behaviours to traditional art museums, using their minds, senses, and bodies to respond to and interpret artworks. When given opportunities for self-expression, choice, and control during an art museum visit, children are empowered in this environment. Allowing children to take a leading role as tour guides for their peers or adult partners is one way to engender such empowerment. This kind of experience shows them they have a valuable contribution to make and allows them to learn actively from artworks, through self-directed inquiry. This article outlines a number of art museum programs that have encouraged children as guides during school and family visits, and discusses the benefits of these programs — for both the children and their adult companions. The author also notes the importance of a supportive, responsive adult, who can extend children's conversations to introduce the language and concepts of the visual arts during child-led tours.

Museums as avenues of learning for children: a decade of research

“…Art museums/galleries are often seen as imposing places that keep a myriad of valuable artworks and objects and that are intolerant for any kind of child-centred exploration (Weier 2004). With ''ever-present security guards, overwhelming architecture, stillness, quietness, and artworks displayed at adult height'' (Weier 2004, p. 106), latent messages project that children are not welcome.…”

“…For example, Mallos (2012) describes how gallery members collaborated with more than 100 local and international contemporary artists to develop and take part in various exhibitions, installations and workshops for families. Weier (2004) however, suggests that, by allowing children to take the lead (i.e. act as a tour guide for parents or peers), art museums can provide opportunities for self-expression, choice and control during visits.…”

“…act as a tour guide for parents or peers), art museums can provide opportunities for self-expression, choice and control during visits. Weier (2004), also noted that, by allowing young children the opportunity to be tour guides, they can access art on their own level and terms, in contrast to learning an expected set of meanings or accepting another's interpretation of an artwork as the only possibility. Once children experience a sense of accessibility, enjoyment and motivation when viewing and discussing artworks on their own terms, they are more likely to be ready to have their conversations extended to include visual arts concepts.…”

“…By emphasising the role of the adults and peers in guiding children's learning and their interactions, Weier (2004) represented the child-adults/peers interactivity area of our framework. The advantage of allowing children to take the lead in museum learning was also supported by the research of Falk and Dierking (2000) who found that children are more motivated when having choice and control over their museum encounters.…”

“…The advantage of allowing children to take the lead in museum learning was also supported by the research of Falk and Dierking (2000) who found that children are more motivated when having choice and control over their museum encounters. Weier (2004) also underlined the importance of having a supportive and responsive adult (i.e. curator, artist, parent) during child-led tours build on children's conversations and introduce the language and concepts of the visual arts or the materials used.…”