Children's voices: what do young children say about museums in Hong Kong?

Few studies of young children's learning have been undertaken in the context of Asian museums. Museums are neither a popular part of social life for Hong Kong families nor a typical learning venue for kindergartens. This paper presents information about young children's experiences of Hong Kong museums obtained through an exploratory study. Two groups of Hong Kong kindergarten children (aged four to six) made multiple visits to the same museum over the course of the school year. Children were interviewed after their visits about their feelings and experiences. A phenomenographic research framework was used to identify three conceptions of museums articulated by the children: (i) museums are spaces for objects; (ii) museums are venues for interaction; and (iii) museums are places that accommodate different people's interests and needs. These children's voices add to ongoing conversations about strengthening connections between museums and young children.