News
Wednesday, 09 February 2011
Museums’ local schools project longlisted for national award
Pitt Rivers Museum and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History have been longlisted for the Clore Award for Museum Learning for their work with children from local primary schools.
“Orchard Meadow regards your 'Making Museums' project as one of the jewels in the crown offered to Year 6.” Grace Slater, Deputy-head teacher Orchard Meadow Primary School.
‘Making Museums’ is an innovative project that uses object-based learning to encourage every child to succeed in a positive learning environment. The children track what happens to a museum object, from acquisition to display, before finally making a museum in their own classroom.
“The Making Museums project has developed from real teamwork between museum educators, teachers, curators, conservators, volunteers and a lot of children. Being long-listed for the Clore Learning Award is a real boost to our museums, and a credit to MLA’s Renaissance funding stream which supports us” Andrew McLellan, Head of Education, Pitt Rivers Museum.
This sustainable project began in 2003 and has grown over the past few years. In 2009 and 2010 nearly 1200 year six children from 11 primary schools in Blackbird Leys, Greater Leys, Rose Hill, Littlemore, Cowley, Barton, Woodfarm and Headington took part in the project.
Ten museums across the UK have been long listed for the inaugural £10,000 Clore Award for Museum Learning. The award is aimed at championing excellence in museum learning and is run in parallel with the Art Fund Prize. The award recognises quality, impact and innovation in using museums and galleries for learning activities and initiatives.
