【Book Description】
Museum Design with, by, and for Children approaches museums through the lens of design, rethinking the role and rights of children within museum spaces and offering fresh, insightful perspectives for contemporary museum theory and practice. The book argues that museums should not merely be spaces designed for children, but public environments in which children are seen, heard, and meaningfully involved in their creation.
As museums around the world contend with architectural constraints, limited resources, and diverse local contexts, the challenge of making children feel welcome, invited, and genuinely included has become increasingly urgent. Through real-world examples from different countries, this book presents a range of inspiring design strategies that demonstrate how museums can uphold long-term commitments to children through space, process, and methodology.
The book explores children’s participation in museum design across multiple scales—from small experimental initiatives to large-scale spatial planning—illustrating how children can exercise their human rights, develop agency, build a sense of belonging, and become active members of museum communities. These participatory processes not only influence the form and function of museums, but also profoundly shape children’s own learning experiences and cultural identities.
Drawing on case studies from Argentina, Australia, England, Italy, Mexico, and Paraguay, the book integrates key theoretical frameworks including the Reggio Emilia Approach, constructivism, designerly learning, laboratory-style design, and critical perspectives on education and childhood. It critically examines the extent to which museum design processes are truly child-centered, and how children’s material culture can be translated into and reflected within museum design outcomes.
Viewing museum design as a collaborative process involving multiple stakeholders, the author addresses concrete design considerations such as color, light, form, space, scale, and building materials, emphasizing that design is not merely an end result but a practice that fosters dialogue, collaboration, and shared understanding.
Museum Design with, by, and for Children is a thoughtful and practice-oriented work that combines theoretical depth with real-world insight. It is an essential resource for museum professionals, educators, designers, researchers, and students who are interested in empowering children as respected participants with rights within museum environments.
【Details】
Author: Clare Murray
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2025
Size: 23 × 15 cm
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 106 pages