Courtyard Quest; playfully engaging families with the Pieter de Hooch exhibition

Abstract

Museums are often believed to be aimed at adults, yet museums specifically aimed at children are becoming more common, and most museums attempt to cater not only to adults, but to their younger visitors as well. Museum Prinsenhof Delft is one such museum. This report presents the process of creating a new experience aimed at families, who come to visit the Pieter de Hooch exhibition at Museum Prinsenhof Delft. The experience focuses on families with children aged 6 to 10 years old, and aims to provide a playful but educational experience to the families, to bring them into contact with the topic of the exhibition. Research showed that family days-out are a social event in which activity and fun for the children are the central theme. From the research 3 key qualities were pulled which seemed relevant for the families to be included in a family day-out; Fun, Social and Engaging. These 3 qualities would help shape and define the final design. The final Design, called Courtyard Quest, is and experience consisting of 2 elements; An audio tour specifically made for families with children And an activity in which family members work together to build their own Courtyard in the style of Pieter de Hooch’s paintings.The information presented to the families in the audio tour, is used in the activity at the end, when deciding what to put in the courtyard, and how to place it all. The audio tour presents this information in an entertaining commentary which contains not only explanations but jokes, questions and songs. While the activity motivates visitors to look back at this information by providing challenges when building their courtyard. User research in the final phase showed that the Design did what it set out to do, achieving both its Design goal and Interaction vision. However there were still a few things which could be improved upon, or explored further, which were given to the museum as recommendations.