Anne-Charlotte PasseraWhen I was a 10 year-old kid and lived in England, my father would take me to visit a museum. It felt like it was every Sunday. Of course, it was usually raining when it was ‘museum’ day. What a drag! I negotiated that in exchange for what I considered to be torture, we would eat in McDonalds. Hello HAPPY MEAL!
I hated going to museums with my dad as a kid. Really. That’s probably one reason why I dislike (hate is a little too strong) Sundays.
But that too shall pass.
I doubt that I’m the only one who disliked going to museums as a kid, right? However, I grew up and I recognized how beneficial all these hours spent in the museums were to me.
To give you an idea, I’ve put a list together in this article of some of the benefits visiting museums will bring to your kids.
Family bonding
First of all, going to the museums with kids is perfect if you want to have some family time, away from a screen. Do turn off your phone when inside a museum.
Going to the museums as a family can be a shared learning experience. Don’t worry and don’t be afraid if you can’t answer all the questions your kids might have while visiting the museums. It’s all about the learning process, and it doesn’t matter how old you are, there is always something new to learn.
Skills
By visiting museums, kids develop higher critical and creative thinking skills.
Start taking he or she to museums at a young age. Early exposure fosters curiosity in children and exposes them to new concepts and ideas (in older children).
It also boosts language because they will learn how to identify new words, thus making them life long learners.
Activities
Some museums have created a sort of scavenger hunt throughout exhibitions that older kids can partake in. It was the case at the Glenbow Museum, in Calgary, and it was FREE. This is the perfect activity, especially if your child has a short attention span.
If the museum doesn’t offer one, you could create one on your own before heading to it. That’s if you have the time, and already know your way around the museum. Check this site for ideas.
There are companies that create scavenger hunts in museums, but it comes with a cost. Sometimes, the prices can be ridiculous.
Most often than not, museums offer special family activities that are FREE. That can be great if you want to break things up a bit during your visit. Just check the museum’s website before your visit.
What is art?
Have your kids bring drawing pads and sketch something that they find appealing.
Engage with them when you are looking at artwork. Ask them questions like:
- What title would you give this work and why?; or
- If this artwork could talk what would it say?
This usually creates a fun and engaging conversation. You’ll be surprised at what kids can come up with!
When I went to see the Expo of Turner in Paris when Junior was 4 years old, he tells me: ‘I can’t see’. So I pick him up and he says it again. People laughed. Well of course he couldn’t see, because one, we were too close to the painting, but Turner’s style is ‘blurry’!
Another great strategy for families visiting museums with young kids is to have them sit in front of the work of art. It helps to ground them and to focus. They won’t be running around or touching anything that way.
Audio guide
Finally, if an audio guide is available, do take it for your child. Listening to someone tell a story in your ear while looking at the exhibition might interest your kids a lot more than you think.
When Junior was 6, we went with my father to see the expo on Mummies at the Institut du Monde Arabe, in Paris. We got the audio guide for him and he was fascinated by the expo. We ended up staying there for almost 2 hours. At the time, my dad had developed a deep interest in Egyptology and it was perfect because Junior had a whole load of questions thanks to the audioguide.
Planning your visit
In order to make the most of the museums, you need to do a little bit of planning.
Usually, museums aren’t free, so check their website if they have special rates on certain days. However, kids are usually free.
In London and New York, a lot of the museums are FREE. In France, if you are unemployed or are on welfare, you can visit museums for free. I mean, it’s not because you are not working or have been dealt a raw deal in life that you can’t have culture. Am I right?
When museums are FREE, it makes visiting with kids a whole lot easier. If he or she doesn’t like the visit, you can just leave and try again some other time. You won’t feel bad leaving early because you didn’t spend your hard earned money on the visit.
Accessibility
If you have to pay to visit the museums though, here are a couple of things to find out beforehand to get your moneys worth.
Find out if it is stroller and wheelchair accessible. If strollers aren’t allowed, use a baby carrier instead. It’s less a hassle to walk around with one anyways than a stroller.
Finally, you might want to check if there are lockers or a coat check in the museum. Sometimes they are free and sometimes they are not. You might want to consider paying the fee if you are visiting during winter and don’t want to be bothered with your family’s winter coats. Kids need to be as comfortable as possible when they are visiting museums.
How long should you stay?
Since kids have short attention spans, when you start, you may want to start introducing kids to museums to bite size visits.
Plan to spend up to an hour only in the museum, if you are with young kids. It can be longer pending on their maturity and interest. You can cut up the visit by taking rest breaks. Just don’t try to rush through the museum and see it all. Take your time. That’s why researching the museum beforehand and knowing what you’d like to visit will help things go smoother.
Finally, make sure to pack some dry food for them. Visiting museums with kids on an empty belly will make them very HANGRY. You can’t eat in museums, but you could always go to the bathroom and give them some snacks if there are no other available options.
What to do after visiting a museum with kids
Depending at what time during the day you visit, you might need to take into consideration feeding the beasts. Sometimes, museums have a cafeteria or restaurant. It’s usually a little overly priced, but at least the money goes to the museum.
Otherwise you could research places to eat nearby, see if some of them do take out so that you could eat in a park or bring your own picnic.
Going to a park after visiting museums is perfect for kids because they’ll be able to blow off some steam and let loose. I mean, they can only behave properly for short amounts of time right?
Museums around the world
Granted I haven’t seen them all, but here is a list of museums that I’ve been to with and without kids that are worth visiting.
United States
Learn the history about the creations of the islands of Hawaii, the fauna and flora. They have a great interactive part of volcanoes! This is best to visit first in order to appreciate the rest of your trip there.
Depending on your interest, you can spend from as little as two hours to the entire day, which we did. It was a lot of fun so to speak and really interesting.
The Metropolitan, New York
The Met is FREE to visit. I especially like the Egyptian wing.
American Museum Natural History, New York
Kids love bones! It’s a great place to teach kids about the animals of the world.
Please Touch Museum, Pennsylvania
It’s all in the name. This is a museum meant for kids where they are encouraged to touch everything!
National Museum of American History, Washington D.C.
Personally, I loved this museum. It’s a great way to learn about American history and the exhibitions are really well done. I particularly liked to see the dresses of the first ladies. Nearby there is also the Space Museum if you are into that.
Europe
Mme Tussaud, England
This was my favourite museum to visit in London. Yes, I made my dad take me there more than once. The chamber of torture was my favourite part.
Tower of London, England
The display of the Queens jewels is mesmerizing and you get to walk around an old prison.
Musée d’Orsay, France
It’s housed in an old train station and has a wonderful display of Impressionist art. If you are in Paris with kids, I highly recommend that you put this museum at the top of your list. In fact, here are 7 things you can do with kids in Paris.
National Museum of Natural History, France
The gallery of evolution is impressive and is what makes it so popular with kids.
Skogar Museum, Iceland
It’s mostly an outdoor museum and showcases different types of Icelandic houses. It’s located close to a waterfall which makes visiting both an exciting visit.
Russia
The Hermitage
The facade is gorgeous and the museum showcases jewelry from the Tsar era along with Faberge eggs.
Canada
Located 20 minutes outside Calgary, this is a really fun outdoor museum. You will feel like you are walking on the set of the Little House on the Prairie.
Royal Tyrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta
If dinosaurs are your thing, you won’t want to pass up your chance of visiting this world-renown museum.
Upper Canada Village, Ontario
This place is similar to the one in Alberta but located less than 2 hours away from Montreal. Dogs are allowed there!
Musée des Civilizations, Québec
They have a kid-size museum inside. It encourages and supports parent and child interaction. The autochtone exhibit can also be of great interest to kids.
Visiting museums with kids is a great way for them to learn and develop new skills. Also, it will create a great interaction between you and your kids. With their inability to read and no knowledge of the subject, they will look up to you for guidance.
Visiting museums can also be of great resource when you are planning a trip abroad with kids.
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