Kids in Museums, Family Friendly Museum Award, 2022.

We were shortlisted by Kids in Museums for their Family Friendly Museum Award, in the medium museum category in 2022. 

We were thrilled to be shortlisted as there were over 800 nominations. 

Kids in Museums then shortlisted sixteen museums for their commitment to providing a great family experience, and we made the final shortlist of four in our award category. 

                                            

(Above image shows Learning Co-ordinators Amy Baird (left) and Fran Gibbin (right) collecting Discovery Museum's shortlist certificate)

"The shortlisting panel were impressed by the really thorough thoughtful family nominations the museum received. There is clearly a lot of local affection for the museum. It seems to have a strong offer for all generations and there were lots of nominations about family groups having fun there together. We liked the good facilities and access offer including a Changing Places toilet. It was good to hear about a well trained front of house team, pocket money toys in the shop, children’s menus in the café and a picnic area. We were also pleased to hear about how the museum was trying to tell stories of marginalised groups in the local area." 

- Alison Bowyer, Executive Director, Kids in Museums, 2022.

The Family Friendly Museum Award, is the only museum award to be judged entirely by families. Over the years, we have used Kids in Museums manifesto to inform our family friendly journey so to be shortlisted made us very proud. 

You can view the Kids in Museums manifesto here.

The manifesto is a great tool to help museums, of all sizes, reflect on what they offer visitors. It is good way to affirm some of the steps you may already be taking and to help with new ideas of what you could do in the future.

Here are some of things we do at Discovery Museum;

Be welcoming – The museum is free, although donations are welcomed. We have a designated welcome desk where museum staff are always on hand to welcome visitors to the museum, offer directions and to thank visitors on their way out.  We also have a number of objects around the museum which visitors are encouraged to touch and feel. This is a good way of making some of the collections more accessible. 

Make it easy and comfortable - The museum has a large cafe which offers highchairs, child-menus and table service upon on request. We are also part of the Refill scheme, visitors can ask the café to refill their water bottles, no purchase necessary. Breast feeding is welcome throughout the museum, although we have a semi-private screened breast feeding for anyone who may want more privacy. We have seating in every gallery. Baby changing facilities are available in both the men and women’s toilets. Additionally, we have a 'Changing Places' toilet. We have a designated buggy park and storage lockers are available for £1 non-returnable. We also have a designated children's gallery for under 5's which is currently under going redevelopment.  

Remember families come in all shapes and sizes – a large proportion of our visitors are families and we have a very interesting and varied collection which we believe makes family visits diverse and enjoyable. We have a well-established under 5’s 'Tiny Sparks' programme and offer a range of holiday events and activities throughout the year. We have a mailing list and website which is kept up to date with the newest information. Our events and activities are low cost which helps us to continue to be accessible to as many people as possible. We also offer free trails with objects hidden around the museum for visitors to find, this encourages family learning. 

Be accessible to all – the museum is proud to offer free entry. We are fully accessible with ramps, two lifts, and 'Changing Places' Toilet. On weekends and during holidays we offer a designated packed lunch area. We are always more than happy to receive feedback and further suggestions of what we can do improve. 

Communicate well – We have a comprehensive and well informed website as well as a strong presence on social media platforms; Facebook, twitter and Instagram. 

Work together – We value the importance of engaging with children for displays and exhibitions. We aim to incorporate children’s voices, art work and displays into our temporary exhibitions. And with our permanent galleries we enjoy working on special projects encouraging children to take ownership of the museum and its collections.

To find out more about how we try to a Family Friendly museum please contact the learning team via the email: learning@discoverymuseum.org.uk