WHAT ARE MUSEUM MAGNET SCHOOLS?

Current museum education trends include a move toward more community-focused activities. This has meant that museums are involved to a greater degree with their clients in the community – particularly schools.

Museums have in the past entered into unique and mutually beneficial partnerships with local schools. These partnerships have overseen the development of educational programs for classrooms and museums.

In the USA in the early 1990s the SI needed to improve its services to local schools and two were identified to become Museum Magnet Schools. The teachers at these two schools began a three-year professional development program in object-based learning and museum processes. Since 1995 students have conducted their learning through a museum filter, using objects and museums to develop units of study that fit within national curriculum standards and cover state syllabuses.

Museum Magnet Schools in Queensland

In March 2000 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Queensland State Government and the Smithsonian Institution for several joint ventures. One of these was to develop a Museum Magnet Schools model in a number of Queensland schools. A Steering Committee with representatives from EQ, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, QM and SI oversees the Museum Magnet Schools project in Queensland. Four schools were selected and completed a three-year pilot phase. The project is now exploring ways to develop school/musum collaborations beyond the pilot schools.