National Museums Liverpool is launching an exciting new project where children get to imagine they are the curators of their very own collection of special objects and artworks.
My Home is My Museum is a project for four to 11 year-olds that will encourage children to learn about what museums and galleries do on a day-to-day basis. They will be inspired to think about how to bring an exhibition together by curating a display featuring their own treasured ‘objects’ or incredible works of art.
Children will be asked to put together a list of up to 10 items or artistic creations that represent their life and the important people in it.
They will need to write a short description about the objects or artworks, why they were chosen and the exhibition as a whole, before designing an eye-catching poster and uploading a ‘promotional’ video to social media saying why it would be a must-see exhibition!
A well-loved teddy bear, holiday souvenirs, pictures of family, toy car collections or special outfits are just a few of the things children might want to include in their collection of objects. Or, instead of objects, the exhibition could be a gallery of their own artworks showing off their creative flair. Children will not have to ‘stage’ their ‘exhibition’ in their promotional video, but may want to show a couple of items or artworks to help them talk about it and promote it to the world! They can create a solo project or get the whole family involved.
When National Museums Liverpool’s venues reopen, the best videos will be shortlisted and a few lucky children will get to have their exhibitions featured in a special digital exhibition online. They will also get to spend an afternoon with a top curator who will share all their tips about putting together a blockbuster exhibition, along with a behind the scenes tour of World Museum or the Walker Art Gallery.
Director of National Museums Liverpool, Laura Pye said:
“While we’re sad that our museums and galleries aren’t open to the public at the moment, we want to make sure that we’re still connected with our younger visitors and inspire them as they learn from home.
“This project is a fun and wonderfully personal way for children to understand what museums are for. They’re not just for preserving rare objects and fine paintings; they’re also there to tell stories about who we are and where we’ve come from and to inspire conversations about where we’re going. And if we can help parents keep children occupied during the current time, we’re very happy to help!”
Amalie Hughes from Toddler Fun Learning is mum to Josh, Poppy and Molly who have helped kick the project off with the first video submission. Amalie said:
“This was a really fun and thought provoking project to do with the kids. It sparked lots of great memories and lead to thoughtful conversations (some quite emotional) whilst we were discussing the importance of their objects and why they chose them.
“We love inspiring the kids to make their own films. I think the filming part of the project is a great way to boost their confidence when speaking in front of others. We look forward to seeing some of the other exhibitions and videos.”
For more information visit https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/my-home-my-museum
