Abstract
City public spaces, including museums, should be inclusive for all, regardless of age, gender, or ability. However, children, as a disadvantaged group, are often overlooked in public spaces, limiting their right to participate in cultural and social life fully. As one of the most frequently visited public spaces, museums provide an essential context for exploring how children can participate and engage in such environments. This study examines children’s preferences in museums and whether gender plays a role in shaping these preferences. One-to-one online interviews (30 children) were conducted using a mixed-methods approach. The interviews explored their last museum experiences, general perceptions, and museum visit preferences. A focus group (10 children) was formed to validate the data further, where children drew their dream museum environment. Findings indicate that children know museums as places for displaying objects and prefer visiting historical museums with their families on weekends. While school trips are common for children to visit museums, they prefer family leisure visits. There was no significant relationship between gender and museum preferences. Although children are familiar with traditional hands-off experiences, there is a desire for multisensory engagement during exhibitions. This study highlights the importance of incorporating children’s perspectives and experiences into museum design. Actively involving children in designing museums can improve their engagement and overall experience. These findings may contribute to the literature on children’s participation in museums and provide insights for museum professionals. Further research is encouraged to increase the understanding of children’s museum participation by directly listening to their voices.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Children, Child-inclusivity, Inclusive Design, Museum Experience
