Amazing Race Has Youth Fired Up At The Worcester Museum

On 18 May 2016 the Worcester Museum presented International Museum Day by hosting an Amazing Race in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), Wildia Environmental Empowerment and Development and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Heritage Site Guides.

The aim of this programme was to raise awareness among the youth about the history and heritage of the Worcester Museum in a manner that was educational as well as fun. The participants taking part in the Amazing Race consisted of 35 high school learners and they were divided into three groups. Some of the activities during the Amazing Race required that the learners follow up on leads and solve problems based on the artefacts found in and around the museum. They then had to bring back as many leads as they could find and the group that found the most leads were chosen as the winners.  

A great feeling of excitement reigned at the museum when at the end of the day’s activities the winners received their certificates and they got a train ride to the Loco section of the museum where the refreshments were served. Ellen Strauss, the museum’s auxiliary officer, said the programme was very successful and the feedback from the learners was overwhelmingly positive. “This programme allowed the learners to get involved in a range of activities. It also offered them the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the different exhibition areas, the historic farmyard and various artefacts on display at the museum. The learners commented that they never thought the experience at a museum would be as interesting and fun as they found it to be. They thoroughly enjoyed the educational value of this experience and even suggested that the programme be held annually,” she said.

Let us continue to use programmes such as these to educate youth and allow them to have knowledge about their cultural heritage and preserve it so that it will be conveyed to future generations, BETTER TOGETHER.