E610 - Play & Museum Interpretation

Museums have come a long way from our stuffy tradition of cases filled with objects and their accompanying labels in overbearingly cold rooms. When it comes to museum interpretation today, museums are emphasizing meaningful engagement, connection, sharing, and creating opportunities for participation and dialogue, as we interpret history to our visitors – whether in-person or online. And over the last few years, increasing literature has emerged around the values and opportunities of a play-based approach to learning. Museums can be places of both play and learning – for both children and adults. On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, we chat with St. Catharines Museum Visitor Services Coordinator Adrian Petry to talk about the role and interpretive value of play in museums, and to take a closer-look at the inspiration and thinking behind some of St. Catharines Museum’s play-based programs.