Excerpt: Lonely Planet's Travel with Children

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Although many museums are becoming more interactive there are still many old-style museums that will have a 'look, don't touch' ethic that frustrates kids. With a bit of preparation, these games can get children to appreciate looking in a museum as much as you will.

DID YOU SEE? A game that might involve a bit of preparation. Make a list of things to see in a gallery or museum by asking the kids what they think they'll see or prepare a list based on a Lonely Planet guidebook. Kids can check off their list with a prize for the most complete list. Remember to have a range of items, some common (so kids achieve something easily), some rare (to challenge them). You can debrief and talk about items on the list. More complex versions might involve getting more than one of each item (eg. seven paintings with a blondeman in them).

HOW MANY… Guess how many of an object you'll see on your visit and get the littlies to count them as they go. Good objects include sculptures, gold frames or security guards.

WHAT WAS IT? A simple game that will get kids looking at exhibits. Give the kids a minute or two to look at an exhibit, then ask them 'What was it?', 'Who used it?', 'When did they use it?' or if it's a portrait ask 'Who was it?', 'What did they do?'. Ask any other questions to stimulate the imagination. Be prepared to answer some tricky questions yourself.