translated from the Czech language, author: Martin Dobeš

It is nothing new at all. Museum education has been a hot topic for many years. The discussion revolves around moving from the approach of "And here in the display case, you can see the oldest Christian illuminated print from our region..." to an interactive approach where you engage visitors using the "I ask" method. It's about providing them with memorable contexts, appealing to their senses including hearing and smell, making them laugh, or simply offering an experience they won't easily forget.

In a nutshell, the aim of the study visit we organized in collaboration with the National Center for Cultural Education and Art in Utrecht in May was to understand this "level." We embarked on this journey in two Dutch cities - Amsterdam and Utrecht. The delegation consisted of a group of professionals dedicated to museum education from various Czech museums and galleries.

Netherlands is widely regarded as a country that has consistently excelled in the field of museum education. Some might attribute this success to the country's wealth and financial resources. However, our stay and immersion into the inner workings of the system within nine diverse cultural institutions revealed that the main reason behind their achievements is primarily the vision embraced by the individuals working with it day in and day out.

Now, let's hear from the Czech participants of the study trip:

"From firsthand experience: we are at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam - a museum housing hundreds of paintings by the renowned Dutch artist, visited by 2 million people annually," says Kamila Valoušková from the Museum of the Valašsko Region. "We are welcomed by lecturer Mohamed (also known as Batman), who introduces himself and his connection to the museum (a volunteer, artist, and creator of creative projects for the museum). Our attention is drawn to the first painting. 'At what age do you think Vincent started painting?' We speculate, estimate the extent of his work, assess its time demands, and ultimately Mohamed fills in the result. My mind involuntarily fixates on information about the artist's age and the scope of his work. We move to another room and pause at Van Gogh's painting 'The Potato Eaters.' 'Do you think the figures in the painting are based on live models?' We evaluate the distorted and impoverished faces on the canvas, explore and discover walls covered with studies of heads. Yes, it's them - dozens of preparatory drawings. My brain is delighted with my own discovery and captures the artist's creative process. In the next room, Mohamed asks how many paintings Vincent probably sold in his lifetime. Through context provided by other exhibited works, we uncover the artist's life story."

Kamila vividly portrayed the "I ask" method, which Dutch cultural educators extensively employ. Here's another example of how it works:

"A similar approach was evident during our previous visit, for instance, to the Katharijne Convent, a museum of religious art within the St. Catherine's Monastery in Utrecht. The tour didn't start with the words 'Here you will find the oldest illuminated book...' but with a question: 'What kind of book do you like?' Through a series of questions, we arrived at the favorite book of the novices in the local convent - which happens to be that 'oldest illuminated book.' Similarly, we acquainted ourselves with the exhibition of liturgical objects: we identified a monstrance that had been stolen and later recovered after a year. After analyzing it (from a purely practical thief's perspective), we had recommendations for far more valuable pieces (now truly historical and artistic)."

Alžběta Vitvarová from the Regional Museum and Gallery in Jičín adds her observation about individually tailored visitor care and the ability to target individual needs. "You will especially appreciate easily accessible basic information, to quickly get to the museum if needed. And when you are near the museum, a consistent visual identity guides you in the right direction. There's no need to be overly creative in this regard. Clear information without unnecessary frills prevails!"

Martina Malá from the Kroměříž Museum points out how the Dutch have tackled the aforementioned pursuit of experiential museum education. "A crucial part of museum education is engaging the senses. Touching, smelling - these are common methods used by Czech museums too. In the Netherlands, their context surprised me. Naturally, you can't touch an exhibit that's, say, 500 years old. But for visitors, that tactile experience is incredibly attractive. In the Netherlands, they've managed this by providing gloves to visitors during educational programs, allowing them to touch such items. Another example - at the local Volksbuurtmuseu, depicting the lives of the impoverished, visitors can experience the scents of various objects commonly used back then, like a worker's cap. A single whiff replaces a ten-minute explanation of the living conditions."

Another intriguing method we had the opportunity to see in practice is the "In Zoomers" approach. Martina adds, "And how to present artworks that you simply can't touch? I was very impressed with the use of inzoomers. What's that? An inzoomer is essentially an A3-sized card that showcases a selected artwork or object up close. Depending on whether the cards say 'See more' or 'Learn more,' additional information is provided on the edges that either highlight interesting details of the work (See more), or offer supplementary information about its creation, historical context, etc. (Learn more). In this case, I see a great opportunity for inspiration for our Kroměříž Museum, which, among other things, is entrusted with the management of works by the notable artist and native of Kroměříž, Max Švabinský. The inzoomer card is simple, visually appealing, and has significantly higher informational potential than a traditional label."

In the introduction, I spoke about vision as a fundamental determinant of success in (not only) museum education. Monika Mikulášková from the Museum of Brno Region shares this perspective:

"Encounters with quality practices abroad often lead to the question: 'Could this work here?' Most domestic museums operate based on a certain vision, an idea that defines what the museum should be, where its role lies. This vision isn't always materialized into an actual mission statement as a cornerstone document, but often serves as a guiding principle to some extent. Connecting daily practice with a higher vision, which naturally needs regular revision, is in my opinion not only possible but absolutely essential. The exposure to the activities of two seemingly distinct Dutch cultural institutions holds an important message for us in this context: Stop. Let's go back to the beginning. Why are we here? What is our goal? And how does our vision reflect in what we present to the public?"

The House of Foreign Cooperation in the EPALE project regularly organizes thematic study stays for educators with the aim of enhancing the transfer of good practice and providing interested parties with new methods and partnerships from other European countries. In the past, we have organized stays for migrant educators or librarians.

Martin Dobeš, organizer, EPALE expert