A framework for the management of museum loan boxes in Malta to re-create and recreate the curious

Abstract

A Framework for the Management of Museum Loan Boxes in Malta to Re-create and Recreate the Curious is a study of how museums in Malta may introduce the museum loan box service. It discusses questions like; are museums in Malta willing to offer this service? Are individuals willing to use this service? What are the challenges encountered by the museums offering this service? Will the individuals availing of this service, be inclined to visit the museum following their participation in the museum loan box activity? The challenges to managing this service were identified through a questionnaire: these challenges included the human capacity to manage the service and a budget to sustain it. Since 2020, museums are facing a new threat with the introduction of the Covid-19 virus – these institutions had to close their activity temporarily. Museums which continued to offer the loan box service or which introduced it as part of their outreach, are taking the necessary precautions to disinfect its content according to instructions provided by their respective health authority. In the local context, Heritage Malta is the only heritage organisation offering the loan box service following a pilot project in 2013/2014, in schools only. But, this service had to be stopped due to the Covid-19 virus. Other museums in Malta which participated in this study, indicated that they are not interested in offering this form of an outreach programme. On the other hand, the public who participated in the online questionnaire stated that they are keen to experience the museum loan box activity. Then, those individuals as part of a family group, who participated in this object-based learning activity, sustained their interest in having this outreach programme by the museums in Malta but are not necessarily inclined to visit the museum afterwards. They are keen to borrow a loan box at least twice (2) a year and are willing to collect it from the museum against a refundable fee. After participating in the activity, the participants stated that the content increased their knowledge. Taking into consideration the collated information, the framework for the management of the museum loan box service in Malta was expressed as a sustainable and quality assured process. The study is concluded with further research in the provision of museum education which promotes transformative learning to occur.