MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 266, 9 November 1928, Page 11

MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN.

* The power for good that the new Auckland Museum can do amongst the children of our State schools was very clearly explained by Mr. Gilbert Archey, curator, to the members of the Lyceum Club at a luncheon talk yesterday. He was briefly introduced by the president, Mrs. W. H. Parkes. A museum had three chief functions the speaker said. The first Was the collecting and preserving of artistic, scientific, historic and valuable objects. The next was to make use of these collections, for the benefit of humanity, by definite scientific research, and in the third to make use of this collective knowledge for the benefit of the general adult population, but especially for the use of the children, who were more susceptible than adults to new avenues of learning. It was intended to have special display cases within the comprehension of the children. It was also hoped to arrange a series of special lectures for children, at which a specialist would talk tb the children on his own subject. One difficulty was transport, but if the children could not come to the museum, he -hoped to Bend, at least some of the museum, to the children. A definite system of loans, such as is used very successfully in England and America, would be arranged. They would consist of native birds, fishes, shells, insects, groups of Maoris engaged in their ancient daily life, and, also the history of our own country show in in small model groups, specially designed for the use of the teachers. Many schools had lanterns, but had difficulty in getting slides. The Museum, w ii Id supply Mides on any subject to be taught. It was hoped to make the Auckland Museum equally valuable to the community by the education of the. adults and especially by intersting the children. Hfly. Archey was thanked for his instructive addxpii.