Effectively Engaging Diverse Audiences

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Science Museum Jerusalem and The
story behind 2 communities
Effectively Engaging Diverse Audiences Friday
1 June, 1630 N 27
Maya
Halevy Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem
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Profile of The City of Jerusalem

• The Capital of Israel
• University city
• (more students and faculty members then any
  other city in Israel)
• Research Center
• (Hebrew University, hospitals, Bio-tech )
• Think-tank City
• Culture City
• (most of the art academies of Israel many
  of the cultural
• institutions)

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But Jerusalem is also

• The poorest of all the big cities of Israel
• The youngest population of all the cities
• of Israel
• 44.3 of the citys residents are children
  and adolescents.
• The most diverse of all the cities of Israel

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Jerusalem is a city of its neighborhoods.

• Jewish and Muslims and Christians
• Religious and Secular
• Immigrants and Locals
• Wealthy and Impoverished
• all exist side by side, in an uneasy state of
  mutual intolerance and mistrust

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The role of Science Museum in a city like
Jerusalem

• It can
• offer equal opportunities for quality education
• help close social gaps
• make the museum a home for all of residents
• educate a new generation in tolerance
• For whom?
• Families
• School system
• Youth Adults

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How?
The permanent staff Multicultural and
Multidisciplinary The guides Always on the
exhibition floor Hebrew, Arabic English
speaking, Secular and religious guides By order
in advance- Russian, Spanish, French and
more The written Materials All texts (printed
and on electronic media) are in Hebrew, Arabic
and English But these were not enough
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Searching for the needs of the citys
"non-visitor" communities

• Families
• Focus groups, comprised of children and parents
  of non-visitors
• Ultra-Orthodox
• Arab
• Recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union
• Schools
• Meetings and interviews with representatives of
  the Arab and Ultra-Orthodox communities
• The approach
• overcoming barriers and looking for paths 2
  case studies

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Case Study 1 Jewish Ultra-Orthodox
Science presents both an obstacle and an
attraction. Obstacle - science is associated
with secular education, which the Ultra-Orthodox
perceive as a danger that leads to abandonment of
religion. Attraction - science (not all) does
not contradict Jewish teachings and can be
welcomed as part of the wonders of creation.
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Case Study 1 Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Barriers/
obstacles

• The museum is open on Saturdays and so has no
  religious authorization.
• The museum does not separate activities for boys
  and girls.
• All school programs need approval of
  the community leader
• Ultra-Orthodox residents prefer to attend
  cultural activities in
• their own neighborhoods.

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Case Study 1 Ultra-Orthodox Paths/attractions

• Museum exhibits, content, and activities do not
  contradict the values or norms of religious
  belief.
• The Museum offer a full day of enjoyment and
  activity for families with children of all ages
• Open spaces and a large courtyard which can be
  used for free
• play and festive meals
• Comparatively low entrance fee for big families
• So we started with Families

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Case Study 1 Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Actions
To continue to operate the Museum on Saturdays
Cost Family ticket with no limitations
Content Taking special care of content
during family vacations (no
contradictions as much as possible,
without changing the science)
Programs Offering a variety of
activities for ranges of ages,
especially using the resource
center Food organizing a
special area for eating their
own food, especially for
these times (Less cost
Kosher(
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Case Study 1 Ultra-Orthodox The results

• During the three vacations - more then 30 of
  the visitors to the museum are jewish
  Ultra-Orthodox families (all members of the
  family come)
• During weekday afternoons mothers with small
  kids (before school age), and young people as the
  first meeting
• after the "matchmaking"

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Case Study 2 Arab
Science Museum presents both an obstacle and an
attraction Obstacle Cultural institutions in
the west part of Jerusalem has a very Jewish
Identity . Public transportation does not provide
easy access to the museum from the Arab
neighborhoods Science Museum are conceived as in
door activities Attraction - science does
not contradict Koran Education , especially in
science technology are key for better
future. Availability of guides and all text in
Arabic The facility that the Museum offers
respond to lack of resources for enrichment
activities for schools, especially in science
technology
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Case 2 Arabs FamiliesBarriers/ obstacles

• Museums, like other cultural institutions, are
  very rare in the community
• an unfamiliar environment
• Fear of being exposed to an unknown code of
  behavior
• Social structure of the family (hierarchical)
  fathers are afraid of exposing
• their lack of knowledge in Science in front
  of their children
• No easy access by public transportation from
  Arab neighborhoods in
• Jerusalem to the Museum
• Lack of information channels to the General
  Public
• Economic the Arab population has a very low
  socio-economic level
• So We started with schools

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Case Study 2 Arab schools Obstacles for schools
The informal structure of science centers seems
to contradict the formal Teacher - Pupil
relation Cultural activities, trips and out of
school activities are rare Economic Parents
cannot pay the fees for School trips
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Case Study 2 Arab schools Paths

• Science does not contradict the Koran
• Education for the young generation is conceived
  of as the most important socio-economic
  status-changing tool
• The Museum can supplement the school environment
• The Museum can expose the young generation to new
  subjects
• The Museum can provide teachers training and
  teachers support

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Case Study 2 Arab schools Actions

To start penetrating the community through
schools- Familiarizing teachers Developing and
offering many training courses (in the museum and
in teacher centers) Distribute brochures in
Arabic to all Arab schools in Israel Out- reach
programs at teachers centers Personnel Changing
the job description of the senior Arab guide to
Arab coordinator for schools Administration cha
nges in the pre-ordering rules for class visits
(open options for next days) changes in working
hours of the coordinator (evening) Cost Subsidy
for the public schools from East Jerusalem
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Case Study 2 Arab schools The results

• 30 of all school visits to the Museum are
  Arab students
• (more than the proportion of the population
  - 20)
• Every day one can find at the same time in our
  museum Jewish and
• Arab operating the exhibits, studying side
  by side
• Only once during the last 15 years there was a
  violence confrontation
• between them.

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The Peace Labyrinth
So now we are ready for a more active role in
Tolerance and cooperation An interactive
exhibition introducing children with issues,
perceptions and dilemmas arising from
interpersonal relations. The exhibition makes use
of the vast experience made at the our science
museum in building interactive exhibits,
cooperation project as well the educational
methods developed by the Peace Education
Projects organization of the Netherlands.
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The Peace Labyrinth

Exhibitions objectives To increase awareness to
perceptions influencing us in conflict
situations. To acquire creative tools to deal
with interpersonal conflicts.