Where the wild things are: ten years of Kids in Museums 5 Feb 2013

Where the Wild Things Are: ten years of Kids in Museums

Kids in Museums was founded in 2003 by journalist Dea Birkett, shortly after she and her children were thrown out of the Royal Academy exhibition Aztecs, because her two year old had been loudly and delightedly exclaiming ‘Monster! Monster!’ at one of the exhibits.

The Royal Academy had a rapid policy rethink, and now welcomes children of all ages to its exhibitions. It has gone further with a raft of programmes for children from deprived backgrounds, including Kids Company. In January it hosted a reception to mark the tenth anniversary of Kids in Museums, and it has just announced free entry for all children under twelve.

Kids in Museums has also produced an anniversary manifesto, compiled entirely from museum visitors comments.  It ranges from the importance of providing healthy café food, to ways of managing over-excitement or helping out shy parents.  Read the manifesto here.  Kids in Museums, Guardian, Museums Association