A material perspective on pupils’ experience during museum education as a space for historical consciousness

Abstract

This article investigates pupils’ experience with historical objects during an educational visit to a history museum and how this can foster the development of historical consciousness. It is investigated from the pupils’ perspective, which is done by using a theoretical frame consisting of a relational ontological understanding of the pupil, a cultural pedagogical understanding of historical consciousness and an understanding of the experience with museum materiality as an oscillation between meaning effect and presence effects. The article draws on data from 287 pupils (aged 12–16 years) visiting Rosenborg Castle. This was collected through a material and collaborative ethnographic approach, employing qualitative cartographic observations, dialogical sticky note exercises and qualitative photo-elicited surveys, in collaboration with 10 museum professionals all affiliated with museum education from Rosenborg Castle, The Workers Museum, National Museum of Denmark, Museum of Copenhagen and Skoletjenesten. The article offers insights into the richness and complexity of pupils’ material experiences and historical consciousness during museum education. It concludes by highlighting that the material forces, discursive forces, bodily forces and historical consciousness all exist in a state of flux.