Art Fund and Nesta pilot ‘Mini Wonders’ early years innovation programme

Earlier this year we announced our partnership with Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good, to develop and test a new early years programme for the museum sector, blending creativity with well-evidenced messages and strategies that support parents to help their children’s social-emotional development.

Mini Wonders – the Early Years Innovation in Museums programme will initially run for two years, with up to 1,000 families experiencing and contributing to the development of the work. The programme has been jointly created and funded by Nesta and Art Fund, with generous support from the Foyle Foundation through a legacy grant.

What is Mini Wonders about?

Museums and galleries have an established record in providing children and their families with the tools and inspiration to explore and learn about the world. Arts and education programmes inspired by museum collections of art, design, heritage, science and nature have the potential to break down the barriers to opportunity.

Working with the Nesta team and leading academics, eight lead museums will contribute to the creation of a fun and engaging prototype programme for parents and caregivers and their children aged 2-4 years old and will bring this to life using museum spaces and collections. The ambition is that the research and development process will help to create a robust and well-evidenced programme with the potential to scale to more museums across the UK, while remaining unique to each museum and embedded in their community.

Which museums are involved in the pilot?

Last summer we partnered with three museums – the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums in Newcastle and the Whitworth in Manchester – to deliver facilitated activities with over 60 families engaged through local community partners. This proof of concept generated valuable insights which we are now applying to the pilot.

Following an open application process, we have selected eight museums and galleries from across the UK, who are leaders in early years engagement in the cultural sector, to help develop and deliver this programme, each in partnership with another museum. Each of the following lead museums has received a grant to support their participation:

• Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales

• Great North Museum: Hancock and Discovery Museum, both part of Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums

• Leeds Museums & Galleries

• Mansfield Museum

• National Galleries of Scotland

• Norfolk Museums Service

• Tate Britain

• Ulster Museum

We look forward to keeping you updated as the pilot programme develops.