Dealing with problems

Staff conflict

It is essential that you keep everyone else in the museum informed of what you are doing since education and family learning activities are bound to affect the space and time frame in which other museum functions have to fit.

The best way to avoid problems is to keep everyone informed of your plans as they develop but also to consult in advance to ensure that conflicts do not arise. Weekly meetings are useful since discussions are open to everyone and often people unconnected with the planning process see issues that you have not noticed.

It is important to plant education firmly at the centre of museum planning so that maximum use can be made of the facilities. For example, curators should be aware that the way they display things can either be conducive to or problematic for education purposes.

* Consult with other staff about your plans and their concerns and requirements
* Build into your plans activities or displays which are already in place
* Make other members of staff part of the planning process
* Have regular staff meetings during the development process
* Make sure everyone understands what you are doing and why
* Discuss how other activities benefit from education eg making extra funds and resources available
* Take other views into account and be seen to make concessions where appropriate – education is only one function of the museum

Public conflict

Even the most well-behaved children make a lot of noise if they are all discussing things and moving through spaces at the same time. This can be disconcerting to other members of the public, especially the elderly. Those with hearing or sight difficulties can also find it difficult to deal with noise and movement caused by excited children on a school trip. Small museums may well have problems accommodating schools and general visitors at the same time because of the sheer volume of traffic.

For museums that are not open to the public every day, it can be a useful plan to open for school visits on other days where conflict between the public and pupils cannot occur. Alternatively, quieter days of the week can be offered to schools for visits. This can also work for family activities.

Being aware of the possibility of complaints will help you deal with them more effectively if they happen. Having a formal Education Policy in place helps because you can refer to the need to accommodate school pupils and how you attempt to do it in a way that minimises problems.

* Try to plan activities which suit your location
* Take into account the type of visitors you normally have
* Find times for school or family activities which are generally quieter
* Have a well-defined education policy which explains what you do and why
* Always listen to complaints carefully – the complainant may tell you something you have not thought of and that can be acted upon

Home | Site Map