£5.00 Space for Learning: A Handbook for Education Spaces in Museums, Heritage Sites and Discovery Centres Published by: Space for Learning: A Handbook for Education Spaces in Museums, Heritage Sites and Discovery Centres ‘I would like a larger, dedicated space which was accessible, light, bright, visible and suitable for all kinds of work.’ Education Officer, Tyne & Wear Museums Contents Page Foreword 2 Introduction 3 Topics: 1. Activities to Consider 8 2. The Development Process 10 3. Working with Architects 11 4. Location & Dimensions of the Space 12 5. Planning for the Future 14 6. New Technologies 15 7. Fittings, Furniture & Equipment 16 8. Services 18 9. Costs 19 10. Storage & Display 20 11. Usage, Management & Maintenance 22 Case Studies: 1. @Bristol 24 2. Bagshaw Museum 26 3. Bishops Wood Environmental Centre 28 4. Bolton Museum & Art Gallery 30 5. Dyrham Park 32 6. The Horniman Museum 34 7. The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Design and the City 36 8. The River & Rowing Museum 38 9. Techniquest Science Discovery Centre 40 10. Ulster Folk & Transport Museum 42 11. The Women’s Library, London Metropolitan University 44 Where to Find Out More & Suppliers 46 Keyword Index 47 Favourite Spaces 48 Acknowledgements 49 1 Foreword There are hundreds of education This handbook aims to take the In researching this handbook, we spaces within museums, historic haphazardness out of the development struggled to find exemplar spaces to buildings, heritage sites and discovery of these spaces. It aims to inform, highlight best practice. We very much centres across the UK. Many more educate, advise and support staff, hope that in five years time, a similar are planned in the context of an ever- policy-makers, funders, architects and survey will reveal a very different picture. increasing emphasis on these sites as designers and to enable them to create But that’s up to you. It will certainly help cultural learning resources. Many have high-quality, desirable spaces for that this guidance is being published been – or will be – funded by some of learners of all ages, whatever their by a number of funders of learning the organisations listed below, yet few budgets. In the course of this handbook, spaces; a grant applicant would be are built, furnished or developed with we document many of the errors made unwise to ignore this handbook in any clear guidance to hand. Many are in creating learning spaces – and we submitting a bid for a learning space. inadequate and unsatisfactory – in occasionally apportion blame – but Between us, we can make a difference. terms of their dimensions, their location we do so only to highlight the potential or their fixtures and fittings. Few pitfalls and to lead readers towards realise their full potential as learning creative solutions. We hope that environments, with some succeeding education staff, project teams and only through the ingenuity and architects will be able to use this enthusiasm of the site’s education handbook to guide their thinking – team. Success is often mixed: rarely on both an individual and a collective comprehensive. But this needn’t basis – and to ensure that the best always be the case. possible spaces can be created, whatever the particular set of circumstances or resources. 2 Introduction Space for Learning is a collaborative Many sites have inadequate and Cultural sites need to see themselves This handbook documents and gives research project, involving a unsatisfactory learning spaces. They as a whole learning space, where practical guidance on best practice in partnership between key organisations are too small, or in the wrong place, education takes place in the collection the design, construction, rethinking, concerned with education in the arts, poorly fitted-out, or with inappropriate galleries and exhibition areas as well refurbishing, resourcing and cultural, environmental and heritage equipment. They are too dark, or too as in designated learning spaces. But management of learning spaces – sectors: Arts Council England, Arts cold. Too many spaces fail to realise without dedicated spaces, education large or small, old or new – across a Council of Northern Ireland and the the potential of the learning will always be at a disadvantage and range of cultural sites. We particularly Scottish Arts Council, the Clore opportunities that the site can offer; prone to marginalisation with no clear want to encourage those working in Duffield Foundation, the Commission and too many senior management reference point for users or staff. less than ideal learning spaces. Our for Architecture and the Built teams fail to appreciate the central role research highlights many inspirational ‘… every part of the Museum is used Environment (CABE) and the Design that education should play in the site’s and thoughtful solutions to rethinking – plus the education room … we Commission for Wales (DCFW), the vision, work and future development. and managing spaces where consider and use the galleries as Department for Culture, Media and resources are limited and locations far The location, design and build quality education space.’ Principal Curator, Sport (DCMS) and the Department from ideal. of learning spaces in museum, Worthing Museum & Art Gallery for Education and Skills (DfES), the discovery, environmental and heritage Objectives and principles Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the ‘The Education Centre … exists to sites reflect the general lack of status Our main objective is to facilitate the Museums, Libraries and Archives support the educational work done on of education as a discipline within such creation of high-quality, flexible and Council (MLA, formerly Resource). site and led by the teachers. It aims to sites in the UK. Too often, education sustainable learning spaces for the encourage an understanding of the These organisations came together is regarded as a marketing tool rather future. This guidance aims to inform, site itself, which is the real education because of their mutual concerns than a core service. Too often, educate, advise and support not only centre.’ Regional Education Officer, about, and ambitions for, education education is used as leverage to obtain staff, but also policy-makers and South East Region, English Heritage and for learning spaces in the additional funding for developments funders, architects and designers. institutions and sites for which they are rather than being seen as intrinsic to It is not surprising that the UK has so The Space for Learning research responsible or which they fund and the site’s overall purpose. And too few centres of excellence in these developed from the two-year Space for make use of. We recognise the value of often, the head of education is not a types of learning space. Many Art project devised, managed and working together as funders, advisers member of a site’s management team, education staff say they do not have funded by the Clore Duffield Foundation and users, and of the enhanced power so is therefore on the margins of the access to proper guidance and support as part of its Artworks programme. of guidance that is jointly endorsed decision-making process. in devising, negotiating, analysing and That project looked specifically by such bodies. managing learning spaces. They want ‘We are acutely aware that the spaces at art education spaces in galleries to know what is possible, what they Space for Learning has also been we are funding must be well-managed and schools. can aspire to, what is available, and produced in consultation with and well-programmed. We therefore what they can afford. For Space for Learning we have adopted hundreds of educators working within take a critical interest in the relevant six guiding principles (each of which museums, archives and libraries, staffing structures. We have learned Creating a successful, dedicated is discussed below in more detail): historic houses and buildings, heritage from experience that the spaces we learning space helps both to raise the sites (industrial, archaeological and fund will never realise their full potential status of education across the site as • value learning from experience natural), architecture and science for learning unless the head of a whole, and to make education users • cater for learners of all ages centres, children’s museums and education or learning is given a high feel valued by the organisation. Before discovery centres across the UK. level of authority in the relevant all else, sites must have an education • provide guidance relevant to all types decision-making process, and is policy in order even to attempt the of spaces The diverse nature of the institutions empowered to build the team creation of a learning space. They must and sites with which we are concerned • create success, whatever the budget necessary to deliver the enhanced know in advance what they want the in this handbook means that, for programmes expected from the new space for, and they must know the • embrace the wider learning simplicity and readability, we refer to space.’ Sally Bacon, Executive learners for whom they intend to provide. environment them generically as ‘sites’. Director, The Clore Duffield Foundation • support the environmental sustainability of spaces ‘… every part of the Museum is used – 2 plus the education room … we consider and use the galleries as education space.’ Principal Curator, Worthing Museum & Art Gallery 1 1 Bolton Museum & Art Gallery 2 The River & Rowing Museum 3 From the start, we determined that the Learners of all ages These changes also require us to Success, whatever your budget research should be consultative and In this handbook we talk of learning re-evaluate the nature of learning in We have talked to people across a cover the whole of the UK. The partner and the learning space. In the context museums, heritage and other sites. wide range of sites in order to provide organisations have also felt strongly of an ever-increasing emphasis on Such a process can help to raise the a comprehensive picture of the that the guidance should be thoroughly sites as cultural learning resources, the status of education and learning within possibilities.