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ART MUSEUMS ARE ALIVE WITH LEARNING

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A student exercises her powers of observation. Photo be Wits Art Museum
A student exercises her powers of observation. Photo be Wits Art Museum

HAVE you thought about taking your child to visit an art museum? Art museums can be places where important learning and discovery happens, through direct engagement with original works of art.  Learning in an art museum can also assist learning outside of the museum, equipping young people with transferable skills which they can apply in other areas of school, work and future life.

Wits Art Museum (WAM) in Braamfontein, which is free for all, has welcomed over 145 000 visitors in the past five years, with more than 25 000 of these being schoolchildren. For many school learners, visiting WAM is their first-ever experience of a museum. WAM is a perfect space for exposing your child to new experiences and opportunities for reflection, where they can encounter real artworks in person from across the African continent.

In particular, learning “close observation” skills in a museum environment has been shown to positively impact student learning. This is when a learner is encouraged to take time to slowly and carefully observe an object (such as beadwork, a wooden mask, a painting or sculpture) in a self-conscious and critical manner. At WAM, children are often encouraged to look closely at artworks, and then respond to them in multiple ways, such as drawing, writing and participating in group discussions. Through this they develop essential skills of critical thinking, creativity, communication and working together that are crucial for success in the 21st Century.

“Learning is improved through collective experiences - in other words, learners learn better in groups.” says Lesley Cohen, Curator at WAM. “When we share our ideas, others help us think in novel ways, helping us to clarify our own ideas.” 

Supporting learners’ success in life beyond just their formal schooling means that we must recognise the important role of art museums and visual literacy activities in South African education. So next time you are wondering about activities for your child, think about a free visit to a museum!

WAM runs free public education programmes and is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

For more info, visit WAM’s Facebook page or its events schedule.

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