News

Kids Takeover Day at the Manx Museum

Ballacottier students
If you visit the Manx Museum on Friday 22nd November, you’re in for a big surprise! You’ll find children doing jobs and fulfilling all the roles that adults usually undertake at the Manx Museum – including creating an exhibition in an empty gallery during a live exhibition challenge!

Year 5 pupils from Ballacottier Primary School have been working with Manx National Heritage for the past eight weeks to learn about museums, inspirational collections and how to create eye-catching exhibitions.

During ‘Kids Takeover Day’ students will work in project teams to research, design, interpret and install their exhibition named ‘B-HISTORIC’ with the guidance of our professional staff. Part of the challenge will be for students to promote their exhibition via Manx National Heritage’s social media sites, liaise with the press and chat to visitors about their work. They will also be co-ordinating the exhibition grand opening at 2pm and staging activities to celebrate their theme throughout the day.

‘Kids Takeover Day’ is an annual event where museums across Britain are taken over by children and teenagers. The national initiative is organised by the independent charity Kids in Museums, whose aim is to help place children and teenagers at the heart of the museums.

Manx National Heritage first took part in 2012, working with St Thomas’ Primary School Year 5/6 class. A group of Year 6 students from the school will be returning this year to lend support on the gallery floor, lead guided tours and assist with exhibition event.

Trainee exhibition curator Meisie from Year 5 Ballacottier School commented:

I’ve had an unforgettable time planning the Kids Takeover Day. I cannot wait to see our mish-mash of inspirational ideas turned into an exhibition!”

Classmates Lucy and Clarice added:
We really enjoyed our visits to the Manx Museum when we got to explore the galleries and placed a rosette on our favourite objects. It has been fantastic thinking about our exhibition theme and deciding how to share our ideas with visitors.”

Katie King, Manx National Heritage Community Engagement Officer, explained further:
At Manx National Heritage we’re passionate about including young people in our work. Each year we offer valuable work experience and voluntary placements for students keen to pursue a career in the heritage sector. We also deliver educational workshops aimed at inspiring young people to engage with their heritage and culture. 

Everyone at the Manx Museum was delighted with the success of Takeover Day 2012. We decided this year to try something different, and it has been fantastic fun working with Ballacottier’s students in a live exhibition creation challenge! They have just four hours to plan, research, design and curate their exhibition inspired by their experiences at the Manx Museum.

The pupils have had some brilliant ideas and are really looking forward to making the day exciting for visitors, we really hope as many people as possible will come and enjoy the children’s hard work.”

Ballacottier Year 5 class teacher Anne Morris went on to say:
This has been a wonderful experience for our children. They have gained a real insight into how the museum works and have started to think like young historians.”

‘Kids Takeover Day’ takes place at the Manx Museum on Friday 22nd November and admission is free. Ballacottier’s ‘B-HISTORIC’ exhibition will officially open at 2pm and members of the public are invited to attend. In addition St Thomas’ pupils will be leading gallery tours for visitors between 10am – 12noon and 1pm – 3pm. ‘B-HISTORIC’ will run until Saturday 30th November at the Manx Museum. For more information about the event please contact Katie on (01624 648035) or seewww.manxnationalheritage.im. For more information about Kids in Museums see http://kidsinmuseums.org.uk.

ENDS
For further information, please contact:,
Katie King
Tel: 01624 648035