Education and Learning

The past ten years has seen a revolution in museum education. Museums have placed learning at the core of their service to the public and have developed extensive learning programmes, establishing their role as vital centres of knowledge in the community alongside schools and universities. Looking forward, we need to ensure that museums and galleries remain at the heart of children’s learning and development and continue to innovate to reach out to all young people in their communities.

Learning to Live: Museums, young people and education

This publication was commissioned by the National Museum Directors’ Conference in partnership with the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr). It brings together leading figures from the worlds of culture and education to explore what more museums and educators, working with policymakers and delivery bodies such as schools, can and should be doing, both within and beyond the classroom, to inspire learning and creativity among all young people.

Recommendations
To ensure museums and galleries can realise their potential and make a difference in children and young peoples’ lives, the book recommends:

Giving children and young people equal status with adults within museums, including them in decision making and display development
Develop a Charter of Cultural Rights for Children
Make learning a core priority for museum leadership
Create a shared DCMS and DCSF ministerial position to provide joint leadership on cultural learning
Museums to help shape the curriculum through involvement with the QCA
The establishment of a link between schools and museums, at the local level, through Children’s Services departments
For museums, with the support of government, to reach out to all young people, including those hardest to reach.

Learning to Live: Museums, Young People and Education was launched at an event at the National Portrait Gallery in London on 13 May 2009. The event was chaired by Channel 4's Jon Snow with speakers including Baroness Estelle Morris, Tate Director Sir Nicholas Serota, Dea Birkett, Director of Kids in Museums, Virginia Tandy, Director of Culture at Manchester City Council and David Anderson, Director of Learning and Interpretation at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Download recordings of the panel discussions at the event from the ippr website.