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Citation: 

Spock, Daniel. “Imagination: A Child’s Gateway to Engagement with the Past”. In Connecting Kids to History with Museum Exhibitions, edited by D. Lynn McRainey and John Russick, 117-35. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press, 2010.

Abstract/Summary: 

Spock discusses how imagination can be employed and harnessed in museum experiences and exhibitions. He begins with a historical description of museums and how they began as Wunderkammer, which evoked a sense of wonderment in the visitor. While it is far from habit in a history museum to see imagination as an important part of the toolkits, imagination in both children and adults can be harnessed to create memorable museum experiences. Spock discusses how imagination is important in play and, in turn, in children’s understanding of the world around them. It is more engaging for both youth and adults to imagine what it was like and to experience history. This may be why living-history sites are more popular with children than austere history museums. There are important aspects of imagination and its realization in history museums: forethought, imagining the past, the creation of meaning through imagination, imaginative role-play and make-believe, imaginative empathy, and how these imaginations become memories or, as Spock more broadly defines it, learning. Children use imagination to understand the world around them and, therefore, it is important for history museums to engage children’s imagination. 

Source/Credit: 
Erika Smith