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12 July 2019

Flagship cultural project used to illustrate best practice for council-run museums

‘My Primary School is at the Museum’ now features in a new resource for councils across England

My Primary School is at the Museum image
My Primary is School is at the Museum at Tate Liverpool

My Primary School is at the Museum, one of King’s College London’s flagship cultural projects, features as a case study in Making the most of your museums: a handbook for councillors. This is an innovative new guide produced by the Local Government Association and Arts Council England.

My Primary School is at the Museum tested what the learning, social and cultural benefits were for primary school children and their families when a significant portion of learning takes place in a museum setting. The project also demonstrated the multiple benefits of this approach for museums.

The new publication gives advice to the hundreds of council-run and council supported museums in England on ways to be successful in the current socio-economic climate. The advice includes best operating models, partnership advice and insights into how museums can contribute to wider local priorities such as bringing communities together.

My Primary School is used as an example of how museums might support and develop skills and learning amongst school children by relocating classrooms into a museum setting. The case study highlights the positive impact the three pilot schemes in Liverpool, South Tyneside and Swansea had on students’ confidence and social skills. Read more about these pilots on the project webpage.

The recent Mendoza Review of the museum sector recognised that although the industry is generally in good health, public museums are struggling. This new handbook is a powerful tool to empower councils with the knowledge and tools needed to respond to existing challenges and to help their museums thrive.

Download your copy of Making the most of your museums: a handbook for councillors

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