Speech on How The New Generation is Forgetting The value of Muesseums and libraries PLSS ANSWER!!
Answers
Explanation:
In recent years, a lot of emphasis has been placed on ensuring young people are not only welcomed but actually encouraged into UK museums and cultural institutions. Almost every venue now has, or is developing, a family scheme with children their main target.
But what about teenagers – a group that could have benefited the most from free museum entry. In reality, they're the ones who have received the least attention.
Although museums were free, schools and parents didn't quite know what to do at first with this new resource – only now, thanks to charities like Kids in Museums, are we starting to find the right formula. But are we still missing an opportunity to reach the cross-section of young people aged between 13 and 19?
I recently took part in Takeover Day 2011, where cultural organisations allow children to take over their establishments. Dropping in on two of my local venues in Shropshire and Wolverhampton, I asked college and sixth-form students if they would have visited had their teachers not 'forced' them. Sadly, the majority said 'no' and their reasons were that they felt they were 'too thick', 'too poor' or the experience just wasn't for them.
Marketing seemed to be a major factor: this age group didn't know about the activities specifically targeted at them or, worse, didn't even know the museum or gallery existed.
So what can be done to get teenagers visiting museums independently? How can we make them feel museums are for them? Here are some ideas I picked up from talking to teens