Museums and Education: Purpose, Pedagogy, Performance

Museum Meanings

by Eilean Hooper-Greenhill

First Published in 2007. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Genres: Museums

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 21, 2007

Reviews

[Jennifer Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly-written and findings are backed up with studies from both teachers and pupils.

[Candy Wood]

Hooper-Greenhill draws on major research studies in Britain to show how museums and galleries can enhance children’s learning, especially on school visits. The studies were based more in regional museums than in national, London ones, and it’s clear that many of those offer more opportunities for physical activity: for example, one museum in a former workhouse involved actors presenting different viewpoints and activities that would encourage pupils to think about what the experience of the Victorian workhouse would have been. The absence of negative comment from the questionnaires and interviews creates an overwhelmingly positive tone: only one child is reported to have found his museum visit “boaring.” Still, it’s a bit depressing to find the language of assessment and learning outcomes in a book about museum education. The last chapter reviews some history and suggests that postmodern museums need to become more interactive and more culturally inclusive if they are to continue to promote learning for all.