Abu Dhabi: Art and history can be fun. That’s the message Louvre Abu Dhabi is aiming to send out to children with its interactive Costume Adventure programme that aims to have children aged between four and ten years to learn about history and culture in a unique and entertaining way.
The programme was officially opened on July 9 at the Louvre’s Children’s Museum and will run until May 31 next year. Split into different stages, the Costume Adventure sees children going through an interactive journey that also features interactions with the prominent figures seen in the artworks.
Throughout the journey, children will be presented with missions to retrieve an item of clothing or accessory through a series of challenges. Along with the challenges, the Costume Adventure also features replicas of the clothing items from the museum’s artwork galleries, allowing children to get a unique and first-hand experience of the historical clothing.
“The newest experience at Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Children’s Museum is a Costume Adventure, which leads visitors on an interactive quest to explore dress and costuming throughout history,” said Saif Saeed Ghobash, under-secretary at the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi.
The newest experience at Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Children’s Museum is a Costume Adventure, which leads visitors to an interactive quest to explore dress and costuming throughout history.
“Combining education and entertainment through immersive multimedia, sensory and physical experiences, it encourages children and families to discover Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection in an accessible new way,” he added.
“Not only will children be learning about different cultures, histories and traditions in a space that embraces the latest user-friendly technology, but they will also be challenged both mentally and physically, moving from one challenge to another,” he said.
Ghobash also highlighted how the Costume Adventure was an all-inclusive affair, with the museum looking to have as many children and their families visiting as possible. “The experience is customised for every participant who walks into the space, making it memorable and shareable with friends and families.
“Louvre Abu Dhabi works to ensure that all its programming is inclusive and accessible, no matter visitors’ education level, background or physical abilities, as welcoming a diverse audience to share in cultural exchange is paramount,” he added.
Ghobash said that engaging with the youth was among Louvre Abu Dhabi’s main goals, highlighting the importance of inspiring the next generation into the cultural scene.
“A core responsibility of the museum is to drive youth engagement and support the country’s education infrastructure through providing innovative alternative forms of learning. We aim to bring culture and arts into the homes of UAE residents and inspire a new generation of cultural enthusiasts and future leaders.
“Louvre Abu Dhabi is building an educational ecosystem with innovation at its heart. The museum is empowered to be an experimental space and it is my hope that its creative experiences will inspire others in the industry to take more risks and think outside the box as they engage with different audiences, especially those outside traditional museum-going demographics,” he said, explaining how it was important for museums to reach out to all demographics of the society.
“Museums need to invest in understanding what visitors of different age groups respond well to, so that we can design flexible, accessible experiences that inspire return visits and a long-term love of culture,” he said.
Ghobash also spoke positively on the long-term benefits of having young children learn about different cultures, noting that it would raise them up to be appreciative of different ideas and people.
“Engaging in cross-cultural dialogue is fundamental to being open to new ideas and eventually gaining acceptance and understanding, which enable us to celebrate our differences,” he said. “This is central to fostering tolerance, one of the UAE’s most important values,” Ghobash added.
