To ask if you visit museums?

[Aloezebra]

Slightly shamelessly doing a bit of anecdotal “research” for my degree but also just generally interesting in people’s opinions because it’s a topic I love!

Do you go to museums/galleries? If yes, why and if no why not?

Also do are you more likely to go if there’s some sort of activity for your kids to do?

Yes & yes

Yes.
N/A.

All of the time, yes. Definitely more likely to go when there’s activities available.

Yes, I do. I like it for educational purposes. We also always go to museums on holiday. When DS arrives and gets bigger I imagine we will take him too!

Yes and yes.

Yes and yes.
What's your degree?

Yes and yes.

Yes I do and n/a on kids activities.

Yes because I find them interesting and so does my child.

Yes. Always have. Always will. Pre kids, with kids, now that kids have left home.

its a postgraduate degree in museum studies! I absolutely adore it

If you do go and do activities with your kids what’s the best thing you’ve done? And the worst (if applicable)?

I go because I love history (history graduate). I have passed this love onto my kids, one of whom is also a history graduate! 😄

Yes and yes for me too.

Oh, and children's activities on offer are a positive factor

Yes I like museums and galleries, particularly the free ones in London. Great way to learn stuff, absorb ideas and see art you wouldn’t encounter elsewhere. I don’t have kids so can’t comment on that part.

I love museums. I don't have kids, but I only like museums on my own anyway. I hate being in a guided tour, or going around exhibits with other people. If I'm with other people I will wander off on my own. I like to daydream and take it all in at my own pace.

Yes, I do go. When kids were little I would often look out for activities as that engaged them more, but they're older than that now.

Luckily both mine have always been quite into history.

Snap! I did a history degree first so I’ve always loved and visited museums which makes it hard for me sometimes to put myself in the shoes of someone who doesn’t visit or enjoy them

Thought so! Excellent choice. Do you know about GEM, Group for Education in Museums? They've a mailing list which might be useful. Sorry that was off topic 😃

Best: open ended, take as much or as little time as your family wants, encourages exploration.
Worst: condescending, this is the right answer/approach

Very often

In last month I've been to 5 museums and 2 galleries

No young children

I have a history degree. I don't enjoy museums at all. Even those aligned with my interests (Imperial War being one)

But I'll take my child, he might enjoy them. The rest of my family do!

I did enjoy a planetarium in the Smithsonian (if that's spelt right!) in DC though.

@Aloezebra i know what you mean. I think it’s best to retain a deep suspicion of anyone who doesn’t love a museum 😬

Yes. Depends on what you mean by “activities” - I might be more likely to go on a specific day or time if there is a children’s activity on, but it is the exhibition itself that is the appeal for me.

I would separate out the stuff like Science Museum Wonderlab from “normal” museums like NHM, BM, V&A etc that may have a short talk aimed at children once a day, or some leaflets for them to colour in/tick off. The Science Museum is something I go to for DS, the British Museum is something I go to for myself and the activities stop him from whining while I look around.

Yes and yes.

The best activities for my kids work out to be either full on permanent interactive installation-y type stuff or storytelling. I think both have a really broad appeal. Although having said that our favourite galleries are the Hepworth in Wakefield and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, because big-ass sculptures are pretty awe-inspiring.