In 2015 some of our Young Creatives worked on a project with Kids in Museums. The teenagers who took part shot and starred in their own film to tell museums 'How I See It'.

Three groups of young people – from the Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village (Guildford), The Lightbox and the River and Rowing Museum (Henley-on-Thames) – ‘swapped’ museums to film what they want from a museum visit.

Will Museums pass the teen test?

They assessed the welcome, judged the displays, and examined the interpretation. There wasn't an artefact or artwork that wasn't teen-tested. The aim of the film was to find out what works well and suggest changes to make museums more appealing for teenage visitors. The result is 'How I See It' – a DVD of what a museum visit looks like to them, and how it can work best.

Eve, aged 15, a young filmmaker from The Lightbox, says, ‘The film will give museums a better understanding of what they might need to improve on, and how we see their museums through our own eyes. I hope that it will interest more young people to come, because the museums will understand how we think and then maybe take that on board.’

Emily, aged 13, a young filmmaker from River and Rowing Museum, says, ‘I want to be involved because I think it’s important and exciting, and I think it’s important that people should make museums more child friendly.’

Who’s on team Our Take?

The teenagers worked with the charity Kids in Museums, the participating museums’ staff, and professional filmmakers over the summer holidays. The project was funded by Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots Programme and managed by the charity Kids in Museums.

Further details about the film project can be found on the Our Take Film website.

Watch the film:

• Read the teenagers first impressions of The Lightbox
• Find out more about Kids in Museums and track the progress of the How I See It project 
• See details of upcoming Young Creatives Projects

Images © Kids in Museums