Kids in Museums

Kids in Museums is a classic story of good emerging out of bad. Founded in 2003 under the auspices of the Guardian when writer Dea Birkett’s young son was thrown out of the Royal Academy for being too noisy, Kids in Museums now leads in promoting family-friendly policies and attitudes throughout Britain.

Chair Liz Mackenzie (right) and Director Dea Birkett at the Great Museum Debate

The Kids in Museums Manifesto, along with the Guardian’s Family Friendly Museum Award have been incredibly successful ways of encouraging and guiding museums and galleries across the country to make family visits engaging and enjoyable.

Now, Kids in Museums has grown up. We’ve become an independent charity. With a dedicated and growing Board of Trustees and an exciting range of events, partnerships and initiatives planned for the next three years, Kids in Museums gives families visiting museums and galleries across Britain a dynamic and powerful voice.

Here’s a brief rundown of our history so far…

2010
1 April - The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry, wins fifth Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.
14 January - Launch of 2010 Kids in Museums Manifesto at the British Museum.

2009
October - Record number of nominations for fifth Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.
5 February - Kids in Museums Manifesto launched at the Royal Academy London. The Manifesto becomes an annual document.

2008
9 September - Second Great Museum Debate with National Museums Liverpool on ‘Museum I’d Like’.
May - Weston Park Museum, Sheffield, wins fourth Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.

2007
July - Kids in Museums website launched.
17 May - First Kids in Museums / National Museums Liverpool Great Museum Debate at Merseyside Maritime Museum.
May - Second Kids in Museums Manifesto is launched.

2006
September - Kids in Museums becomes an independent charity managed by a Board of Trustees.
July - Falmouth Art Gallery wins third Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.

2005
July - Pitt Rivers Museum and Oxford University Museum of Natural History are joint winners of second Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award.

2004
February - Killhope North of England Lead Mining Museum wins first Guardian Family Friendly Award.

2003
September - The Guardian Family Friendly Museum Award is introduced with a logo designed by Quentin Blake. It’s the first museum award in Britain to be judged by families and children.
July - The Guardian Kids in Museums Campaign is launched. A 20-point Kids in Museums Manifesto is compiled from visitor comments.
15 March - Dea Birkett reports her family’s expulsion in her column in the Guardian newspaper. Hundreds of families write in to say they’re fed up with feeling unwelcome in Britain’s museums and galleries.
11 March - The two-year old son of writer Dea Birkett shouts ‘Monster!’ at a statue of Eagle Man at the Royal Academy, London - and gets thrown out.

Kids in Museums logo and banner illustrations all © Quentin Blake.

Registered charity number 1123658