Learning, Engagement and Museums Workshop next steps…

Rebecca Horton, International Training Programme Assistant

Over the last month the ITP team have been finalising the Report and producing Toolkits to compliment and continue the work started during the Learning, Engagement and Museums workshop held in Armenia from 24^th-29^th October 2016.

The Report will formalise the aims, objectives and outcomes of the conference and the Toolkits will help to ensure the workshop will result in productive outcomes.

Since the workshop participants have been sharing their experience and thoughts about the event…

Nathalie el Alam (ITP 2012), National Museum of Beriut, Lebanon

‘Listening to the case studies was very useful; they were full of information and ideas that will certainly be useful to me in the future. The diversity of the speakers and their work enriched the programme; it provided me with a global view of the different kinds of activities that are held for all age groups in museums from different countries.

I was amazed by the passion of the experts present in the workshop and I greatly appreciated their readiness to help and share their own knowledge, giving me great ideas that I would like to apply in the future. I was surprised by the large number of museums present in Armenia and by the learning and engaging activities present in those museums. The learning officers in these museums are very enthusiastic and they are doing great activities with the resources they have.’

Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir (ITP 2015),  Science and Technology Museum, Middle East Technical University, Turkey

‘My past and present work over the last two decades have led to a number of reasons and invitations as well as a strong desire to visit Armenia.  Yet it never happened. The reasons are complicated, but I knew in my heart that if I were ever to go to Armenia, I had to wait for the perfect opportunity.

That opportunity presented itself at the Learning, Engagement and Museums Workshop co-organized by my ITP alumni friends in Armenia, Museum and Education Center, the British Museum and Manchester Art Gallery. I had the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of colleagues from Great Britain, Germany, Armenia, India, and Egypt to share experiences and ideas.

The interactive format of the workshop was instrumental in creating an environment of active discussion. Dynamic intellectual exchange amongst us continued throughout our four days in Armenia, extending well into our breaks, dinners, and excursions.’

Davit Poghosyan (ITP 2015), Armenian State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovyan, Armenia

‘It was interesting for me to find so many common issues for museum professionals from different countries. It was important for me to develop a BM ITP platform for Armenian museum specialists and to involve them in some of activities of this powerful international museum community.

Sometimes museum professionals are too concentrated on their daily work, but during this workshop the atmosphere was different. All participants were ready to share some universal and common ideas and find flexible solutions for each museum.’

Hayk Mkrtchyan (ITP 2014), Museum Education Center, Armenia

‘It made me happy to see the International Training Program with all its attractiveness and beauty, cascaded in Armenia: one of my primary missions since 2014. Thank you to the British Museum and Manchester Art Gallery and ALL who made this great event possible in Armenia!’

Those who attended and/or participated in the conference were asked to complete a survey about their experience to help inform any future ITP activities. A final evaluation report will be written up and made available.

We look forward to presenting the Report, Toolkits and Evaluation to you in due course!