In community centres, galleries and museums in the North and North-West of Tasmania, the Limitless Learning program brings together staff from participating institutions and young people from local schools to jointly construct activities for future visitors that are child-friendly and spark the curiosity of families.
Four organisations have now launched new learning experiences, including Burnie Regional Museum, Devonport Regional Gallery, Launceston Tramway Museum and the Low Head Pilot Station Maritime Museum.
At the Low Head Pilot Station, volunteers and children co-designed a pirate map activity for the museum.
“It’s really good to see things from the children’s perspective,” remarked one of the volunteers, Jill Holland.
Launceston Tramway Museum volunteers also spoke highly of the opportunity.
"We want to work with children, but we don't know how to. I think this could be a breakthrough program,” said Terry Bramich.
“I would encourage any organisation who are thinking about doing it to participate, as in my time over the last seven years not much has changed here, but this has been amazing… the children have come up with so many things by themselves that we were thinking about doing,” said Janet Death.
Together, staff and young people created an activity that allows families to build their own model tram network track when they visit the museum, along with a challenge called ‘Look Closely.’
The Collections Curator at the Tramway Museum, Logan Krushka, advised that since the launch of these activities late last year, they have seen a significant uptake in the number of people taking part in the challenge, so much so that they have run out of printed instructions every 48 hours.
“It was such a large number that we ran out around one week back from Christmas. I have gone to Officeworks multiple times this month to have more printed… The feedback about the activities from visitors has been very positive,” said Logan.
Children and families in partnership with Burnie Regional Museum and Devonport Regional Gallery co-created a time travel inspired activity and a boredom-busting guide with ideas for engaging with the artworks.
“We hope future visitors will bring their families and enjoy what the Devonport Regional Gallery has to offer. Now there is a catalogue (flyers), we all helped co-create, children and families have so many ideas and new things to experience in the Gallery,” reflected one of the parents, Katrina.
A staff member at Devonport Regional Gallery, Bernadette, added that the process had completely transformed parents' relationship with, and confidence, in galleries and museums.
The program’s Educational Co-Designer, Justin Smith, said the launch of these activities was a fantastic celebration of the thinking and connection students, families and volunteers made with the organisations.
“Throughout the project students displayed initiative, creativity, commitment, and everyone commented upon their excellent manners and dispositions,” commented Justin.
The project is funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund, Jetty Foundation and Cuthill Family Foundation, and delivered by the Peter Underwood Centre. In conjunction with Children’s University Tasmania it is quietly reshaping the educational landscape by giving kids a say in how they participate in informal learning.