In the post "First Time at the Hermitage" I promised to talk about what to consider when planning a museum visit. For new readers, a bit of context: I am an active mom who works in the museum field and regularly visits museums. I almost always go to museums with my children. Our older child Sasha is 4 years and 8 months old, and our younger son Maksim turned one in February. Grandmothers usually travel with us. In this blog I write about family visits to museums.
So, what do I pay attention to when planning a museum visit?
Composition of our group, interests and priorities of each participant
Yes, even if it's just the two of us — me and the child — it's necessary to set priorities. These questions help me:
• Why is it important for me to go to this particular museum?
• Whose interest is the priority today?
• Do I want to see/read something myself, or will a general impression be enough?
• What experience would I like the child to have?
• Is there a cafe/places to rest in the museum?
• What is near the museum? It's great if there's a playground or a place to walk.
The key question, in my view, is: who is the priority? If a parent goes to a museum alone with a child or children, the priority will most likely be the kids. That's why it's so important for parents not to have overly high expectations 😊. We have an agreement with our older son: if he gets bored or uninterested, he tells me right away (this applies not only to museums but also to theaters, concerts, any cultural leisure), and we decide together what to do. There have been times when we left immediately, and there have been times when I let Sasha watch a cartoon on a smartphone (muted or with headphones) while I finished viewing the exhibition.
Distance to the museum and route specifics
You need to balance the journey to the place with the impressions you'll get, naturally taking into account the age and capabilities of all group members. I remember the Pimenov exhibition at the New Tretyakov. Sasha and I traveled for over an hour each way, and we spent 15 minutes at the exhibition. Yes, 15 minutes! And then another hour and a half to get back. Was it worth it? Yes, because that time my priority was my own mood and desire to see the exhibition. Were we tired? Again, yes, but I evaluate the experience positively. I was able to see paintings I wanted to see in person, and Sasha could look at cars and umbrellas that interested him at that moment (he was 2 years old by then).
If the child's interests are the priority, you should allow time to rest after the trip (and here a cafe or playground can be very handy) and consider the logistics inside the building. Of course, there is a difference between the huge Hermitage and a small memorial museum.
A photo for mom
How it really was)))
What to do in the museum?
I orient myself to the children's interests and to what is happening in our life at the moment, showing that a museum is a place you can come to in many different situations. Going to a museum is normal and great. For example, at ages 2–3 Sasha was interested in images of familiar objects and scenes (the aforementioned cars, as well as animals, flowers, nature). When Sasha got older, we started going to natural history museums with interactive exhibits. I also treat any museum visit as an opportunity to gain experience being in a public place with its own rules and limits. Some museums allow loud talking and even running (when the space permits). Other museums require very quiet and careful behavior. Sasha, at almost 5, understands that museums are different and now asks me whether things can be touched or only looked at.
What opportunities may be available in museums?
I'll say right away: the possibilities vary a lot. Some places may have labels and texts for children, while others offer only organized classic tours for assembled children's groups. We haven't attended group tours much, as they're usually offered for children aged 4+, and a couple of times we've gone to master classes. Sasha isn't a big fan of such activities, so for now we prefer to visit museums on our own. I'm also thinking about organizing a birthday at a museum someday. We had an experience at the Museum of Cosmonautics for our group, but the program couldn't be adapted, so mostly the adults listened. We'll talk more about programs in future posts.
How to preserve memories of museum visits?
In the Benois Wing, Russian Museum
I try to photograph the children and take photos with them. Sasha increasingly wants to photograph me or an interesting exhibit himself. In the museum shop we usually buy a magnet with a picture of the building or an exhibit that we liked/remembered. We put the souvenir magnets on the refrigerator, and the little ones interact with them regularly, which gives an opportunity to recall trips. We also regularly look through photos from past trips.
In the next post we'll talk about which internet resources help plan a museum visit.
