BACKGROUND TO MK Y2Y CONSULTATION

Millennium Kids (MK) is working with the Western Australian Museum and the Commissioner for Children and Young People to offer young people an opportunity to have a say about how the Museum presents it’s exhibitions and collections through an innovative series of workshops and training activities. It’s all part of a new initiative to consult with young people about the future directions of the Western Australian Museum.

Millennium Kids will be scouring the region for inspiring people with stories to tell or exhibit to inspire young people in the lead up to the workshops.

The MK Team have already consulted with a number of people who have some fabulous exhibition concepts around the things that inspire them about the local region.

On the 1 April a team of thirty interested young people will be trained as facilitators who will lead the one day workshop on 2 June with one hundred young delegates.

Photographs of Albany Times Past - IMAGES COURTESY ALBANY HISTORY COLLECTION, ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Monday, August 17, 2009

Welcome to Country - by Glenda Williams

Welcome to Country Speech given at xhIBIT alBANY Exhibition Launch 8th August 2009

Today we stand here on Manange ground, this is part of our boodja this we call kallynup; meaning place of fire.

Looking around us we see many different things that has given our children the opportunities to look into the future.

Where one day they will have the opportunities to do these things if they require through their studies.

These children of today are our next generation, so while we can still be their support to encourage them to go further.

Already they are seeing into the future as you only have to walk around to see.

Where energy is concerned we have our windmill turning each day.

Where now we are seeing that trees are need more so that our planet can still provide for us.

Where are wildlife will no become existence.

Where now we have a diverse country and working together as on will only make this country strong.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Congratulations your Exhibition

Millennium Kids would like to thank all the participants for taking part in xhIBIT alBANY. The final exhibitions were amazing and there was a lot of work that went into their creation. This could not have happened without all of the support the students received from their schools, teachers, parents and of course the WA Museum Curators.


Below is a sample of the xhIBIT alBANY Exhibition 2009.


Congratulations on an outstanding exhibition - you should all be so proud.

Thanks,

Millennium Kids Inc.



Thursday, August 6, 2009

Kids Launch their Exhibition at the WA Museum - Albany!

The WA Museum - Albany is launching a new exhibition on 8 August, featuring themes and objects selected and created entirely by young people.

xHIBIT aLBANY is the culmination of a joint project between the Commissioner for Children and Young People, the Western Australian Museum and Millennium Kids aimed at giving young people the opportunity to have a say about how they think museums should present exhibitions.

More than a hundred children and young people from the Great Southern region were asked to create a museum exhibition around an idea, issue, story or object that inspired them.

The resulting exhibition, xHIBIT aLBANY, is a colourful and inspirational display featuring themes and objects selected by young people and created with the help of Museum exhibition designers.

Commissioner for Children and Young People Michelle Scott said the innovative project was an effective tool to help young people to get involved with their local community and to have their views heard.

“I am pleased to see the success of this project which shows to the whole community the importance of listening to young people and involving them in decisions that affect them. Young people have a lot to say what they want in their local community and involving them in projects such as this begins an important dialogue with them which benefits everyone.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Western Australian Museum Diana Jones said consulting with young people and gathering their views on how exhibitions should be presented was greatly beneficial to the Museum’s planning for the future.

“We initiated this project as a way of engaging with young people and to really listen to their ideas about exhibitions. The Museum has gained immense value through this project and is very excited to now be able to offer the local community the opportunity to be able to view the children’s ideas and inspirations themselves. We are thrilled to see how much the children have taken to the project and how excited they are about exhibiting their displays in the Museum. “

Millennium Kids Inc Program Director Catrina-Luz Aniere said working with the children in the Great Southern have been an enriching experience.

“The children have had such fabulous ideas and have been so excited about working with the Museum and creating their own exhibition. Millennium Kids is pleased to have been a part of this project and to have assisted in creating the forums to allow the children to have their say.”

The exhibition opens on 8 August and runs until 27 September.

On 8 August, the Museum will also launch another exhibition for children called Toys: Science at Play

Toys: Science at Play, a travelling exhibition developed by Scitech, features a huge range of colourful toy displays and hands-on activities. Come and discover engaging exhibits including dolls, pinball, kaleidoscopes and more.

To celebrate the launch of xHIBIT aLBANY and Toys: Science at Play, the Museum is providing a family fun challenge for the whole community from 1.00pm – 4.00pm. The family fun afternoon will feature
• Demonstrations of popular computer games
• Private collectors’ toy’s displays, brought out especially for the day
• Toys made from recycled materials from all around the world and you can try the recycled toys challenge with great prizes
• The chance to make your own old-fashioned toys such as a jack-in-the-box
• Family challenges, see if you can walk on stilts and try your hand at hoops and sticks or old fashioned games like egg and spoon
• Puppet shows
• Mini-animation workshops with Great Southern Factor Inc.


WHERE: Western Australian Museum – Albany. Residency Road, Albany

WHEN: August 8, 2009

TIME: Open Day 1.00 – 4.00pm
Launch of xHBIT aLBANY 1.30pm

AGES: All ages
COST: Free
No bookings necessary