Buzzingmuseums
Youngsters learn that with the right approach, museums can rhyme with fun
Despite her childish looks, eight-year-old Meng Ziyu isn’t like other girls her age - infatuated with Barbie dolls or the latest Disney film. What she really gets a kick out of is visiting a museum with her mother on weekends.
Pointing at a painting at Tsinghua University Art Museum in Beijing, the young connoisseur appreciates the nuances in French artist Pierre Soulages’ masterpieces.
“Soulages is so imaginative,” said Meng. “Though the painting is abstract, I can understand it because the docent explained to us how and why he created this kind of painting. It gives me a lot of inspiration.”
Traditionally, museums in China are austere places where collections of artifacts are displayed for public viewing through exhibits. But their potential as platforms for educating the young public is increasingly being recognized, thanks to companies like Xinyang Shenghuo. The Beijing-based business organizes custom-made educational museum visits for schoolchildren, including Meng.
“Children should have free and full access to cultural life from birth,” said Pu Hong, founder of Xinyang Shenghuo, whose name literally means “a life of fresh air.”
Museums capture the essence of human civilization and are perfect places for children with a bottomless thirst for knowledge. Museums can not only quench that thirst, but also stimulate interests and inspire children for their future life, said Pu. at Xinyang Shenghuo, a lot of time and thought to find out how to engage children and families in joyful discovery experiences in museums.
“For children, the guide should be more interesting and focus on storytelling. I need to use communication and games to catch their attention. And they appreciate humor,” said Huang.
Every time a valuable exhibit comes to Beijing, Pu and his team make a detailed introduction to parents and encourage them to participate with their kids. They charge $29 on average per head, including custom-made guiding services and ticket fee.