Young children's interactions in art museums: Exploring engagement

How do young children engage with works of art in a museum environment? This study documents the experiences and behaviour of children aged 6-9 years in three Queensland art museums. In each case, three interactive components were investigated for their value in promoting young children's engagement with art: child-centred programs, novel exhibition designs and responsive social interaction.\ud \ud Recently art museums have invested heavily in the design of innovative interactive exhibition programs to enhance young children's experiences of art. While child-centred programming and novel exhibition designs contribute to children's enjoyment on their art museum visits, this study reveals that it is responsive social interaction, specifically children's interactions with adults, that determines the quality of their aesthetic encounters.\ud \ud Through photographic evidence, the study documents children's emotional reactions to art. The personal nature of these experiences is highlighted in children's interviews and drawings about their museum interactions. Such findings raise questions about the current views of aesthetic development which underestimate young children's capabilities for engaging with works of art. Photographic evidence used in this study clearly documents young children's emotional reactions to works of art.\ud \ud The social dimension is the most salient factor in young children's ability to interpret the museum environment and its exhibits in personally meaningful ways. This has implications for the design, installation and programming of exhibition programs for young children in art museums. The research reveals that greater collaboration between early childhood professionals and museum staff (educators and designers) significantly enhances young children's encounters with art. Information about children's responses to interactives enables designers and education staff to design effective innovations to empower young children to understand, appreciate and engage with art