For the past couple of years the Community Engagement Team at National Museums Scotland has been working on an exciting project called Museum2Go2. It is a project partly funded by the Robertson Trust and partly funded by National Museums Scotland and its aim is to inspire school pupils with our fabulous collections at the National Museum of Scotland. This is the follow up to the enormously successful Museum2go project where several primary school groups created their own resource boxes inspired by our collections.
This time round, we have been focusing on secondary school pupils and the new galleries that will be opening up at the National Museum of Scotland in 2016. Phase one looked at the new Science and Technology galleries, and after a successful pilot (see here) we were joined by two groups of pupils, from Dunfermline High School, Fife, and Braeview Academy, Dundee.
The pupils were tasked with the challenge of creating their own science shows inspired by our collection, and we began the project by inviting them to the National Museum of Scotland to have a look around. Here they met up with Science Made Simple, a company specialising in science engagement, and Emily Dodd, a freelance writer and science communicator.
Then, the hard work began as the pupils had to research their demos, come up with a concept for their science show and write a script! Pupils at Dunfermline High School wrote The Energizer Show featuring David, an explorer who has lost his way and needs to find his way home using science. Pupils at Braeview Academy wrote The Super Science Sleepover, in which the Joker has stolen the super powers of all the superheroes and they need to use science to get them back.
All their hard work paid off in the summer of 2014, when both shows were performed to a large audience in the Grand Gallery of the National Museum of Scotland. For most of the students, getting up and performing in front of a large audience was the most challenging part of the process but also the most enjoyable and rewarding. Many pupils told us that their confidence had improved and that they felt a great sense of achievement having completed the project.
The pupils have recently been back to the museum to visit and help us evaluate our new science kit, which will be used with school groups over the next year. Find out more about their project by watching the video below.
Museum2Go2 from National Museums Scotland on Vimeo.
Phase 2 of Museum2Go2 is focusing on Art and Design and we have been working with the jewellers at O-Pin and pupils at Falkirk High School and Kirkland High School, Fife. Pupils have been designing and creating their own jewellery pieces inspired by our collections which they will be showcasing at the National Museum of Scotland in June. Look out for further details nearer the time on our website.