Children’s Museum Design Based on Children’s Sensitive Period Theory

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify and value the definition and educational value of children’s museums, and analyze how children’s sensitive period theory are used in the design of children’s museums. This study selects the Hong Kong Children’s Discovery Museum as a case study. Through in-depth interviews with the manager of this children’s museum, on-site visits and participation in the exhibits and projects in the museum, and then using comparative study method to compare it with children’s museums in other countries, the results show that the design of the Hong Kong Children’s Discovery Museum is similar to other children’s museums, and its exhibits and projects make good use of the children’s sensitive period theory. But it is not mature enough, which is reflected in the limited scale, single source of funding, and little cooperation and contact with schools or educational institutions. These results suggest that it is very necessary to design the children’s museum based on the sensitive period of children. As a form of informal learning, children’s museums can be used as a supplement to formal learning methods and can cultivate the children’s ability of active learning and lifelong learning.