Some tentative suggestions for a children's museum

Abstract

The need for a Children's Museum or, at least, for some sort of Museum-School Service has been felt for some time in education circles in Malta. At a time when stress is put on environmental studies and extra-curricula activities the setting up of such a service has become increasingly important. This report contains suggestions for a Children's Museum devoted primarily to Maltese Archaeology, History and Folklore. Museums are usually planned for an adult public and, therefore, often lack appeal to children. The conventional arrangement of show-case after show-case with methodically arranged, carefully labelled exhibits is meaningless to children. These need a special type of museum where show-cases are reduced to a minimum and the display is organized in a way that will stimulate interest and excite imagination. It is a basic principle in education that memory depends on the kind of material to be remembered; the more meaningful the material the more easily is it assimilated.