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Summer "Ho-Hum" or Summer Fun: Try Making the Most of MuseumsBy KRISTEN STERNBERG | NIE Educational Consultant For some young people, summer is a time to just relax and do nothing, but for others it's a time to experiment, explore and experience a new and different slice of life. If you are looking for something new to do this summer—or anytime at all—consider making the most of museums by sampling some in your own community. You might be surprised at the variety of museums almost under your nose!
The underlined words on this page contain links to a rich sampling of newspaper articles, museum sites and other information. Whether you're visiting "virtually" or in person, today's museums can be pretty exciting. No matter where your interests lie—from art to zoology (that's the study of animals), from dinosaurs to space exploration—museums hold fascinating treasures to suit all tastes. From battle weapons to musical instruments, from cave paintings to photographs, it's likely there's museum space devoted to it. Some museums are ancient, historical sites and some only exist in the modern, virtual world—on the Internet! Science museums offer exhibits about the physical world. Imagine walking through a giant-sized, "beating" human heart, generating your own electricity or discovering a cure for a disease. Science is all around us, and there are plenty of fun opportunities to learn more about it. History museums help people understand the past. At certain history museums kids might, for instance, explore how cave people lived, tour a warship or examine the bones of a saber-toothed tiger! Historical buildings—homes of some important people, lighthouses, etc. are also sometimes preserved as museums. There are museums devoted to air, land and sea, and there are "living" museums where events from history are reenacted, for example, or where theatrical works are performed. Art museums show ancient and modern paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and more. Music, theater, sewing and architecture, to mention just a few, are all considered arts, too. Cultural exhibits honor the rich heritage and diverse backgrounds of people around the world. Museums are places where you are bound to learn, explore and grow. Also like schools, many area museums offer classes—summer camps—for kids of all ages. They come in all kinds, shapes and sizes, and in all combinations of subjects. What types of museums, exhibits and related activities does your community offer? Check out the newspaper activities and web links below. Like museums, they're designed for fun and learning—and they may even help to get you hooked on the subject! Try these interesting activities using The Daytona Beach News-Journal1. At some museums, visitors find artifacts (items of historical importance) that were once a part of popular culture. You might be surprised at how much of the world around you may one day become a subject of a museum exhibit. Which objects do you think are important enough to our culture to be considered artifacts in the future? Grab some scissors, open a current issue of The News-Journal and clip from 15 - 20 objects you believe may someday be historically important. Create your own museum "exhibit" by designing a poster using your clippings. Add explanations as appropriate, and hang on a wall or refrigerator. Invite friends or family to "view" your "exhibit." (Sunshine State Standards: SS.A.1.2.1, FL.A.2.2.3)
2. Check The News-Journal's Go-Do section or Master Calendar, or visit www.nieworld.com and click on the Oh! Zone, for lots of fun ideas about museums to visit. Plan an outing to one or more museums with family or friends. (Sunshine State Standards: SS.A.2.2.5, SS.A.3.2.2) 3. Some museums are devoted to photography. Over a period of time, skim The News-Journal for photos. Select one or two you feel may be historically-or artistically-important in the future. Take note of whom the photographer is. Do you see any patterns or styles? Start a scrapbook of photo clippings, adding to it from time to time. Share your scrapbook with friends or family members. (Sunshine State Standards: SS.A.1.2.1, VA.D.1.2.3) 4. How many different kinds of museums can you find, using The News-Journal as your source of information? Look at museum listings in a current issue of The News-Journal (Hint: Weekend editions usually have extensive listings.) Try to put each museum into a category-for example, art museums, history museums, etc. Locate them on a road map and keep it handy so you can plan visits to them with friends and/or family. (Sunshine State Standards: SS.A.2.2.5, SS.A.3.2.2, SS.A.6.2.4, VA.E.1.2.1, FL.B.1.2.3) 5. In addition to visiting museums, what else is there to do in your community? Check the Master Calendar, the Go-Do section of your News-Journal or visit the Oh! Zone at nieworld.com. You're sure to find lots of fun and interesting places to go and things to do. (Sunshine State Standards: SS.A.6.2.4) A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org/. Check out these links to learn moreOne interesting museum not mentioned in the above paragraphs is The Newseum, a museum devoted to newspapers and news. www.newseum.org
In Central Florida, local museums like those on the short list that follows, abound. Be sure to check The Daytona Beach News-Journal for information about such museums as: Plan to spend a lot of time exploring this site, a gateway to some of the world's best, online museums. http://www.museumstuff.com/ The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world, which may contain additional news stories about this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries. The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published July 29, 2002. |
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