Children and young people takeover Fleetwood Museum for the day

Visitors to Fleetwood Museum had a big surprise on Friday 20 November.

On KidsinMuseums Takeover Day, 37 children from Chaucer Community Primary School and four sixth form pupils from Rossall School, Fleetwood could be found doing jobs and taking on the roles usually done by staff and volunteers.

Their roles for the day included becoming tour guides and talking to visitors about the history of Fleetwood, working in the café and the shop and taking part in the Victorian re-enactments.

The children and young people had spent time before the Takeover Day training at the museum and doing their own research on the various objects.

Lynn Asghar, Lancashire County Council’s museum manager at Fleetwood Museum, said: "We love working with children and young people at the museum and the Takeover Day certainly gave us a great opportunity to do this.

"The pupils who took part were incredibly enthusiastic and gave the day their all. They had clearly researched the objects and the paintings and were able to talk confidently to the visitors about them.

"From the smiles on their faces it certainly looked like they enjoyed the day.

"Visitors loved the children sharing their knowledge with them so enthusiastically.

"They gave visitors a really warm welcome.

"It was a great day for museum staff, pupils and their teachers."

Over 4,000 young people from schools and youth clubs helped to run museums throughout the country on the fifth KidsinMuseums Takeover Day. They were given worthwhile roles in 150 museums, archives, heritage sites and arts organisations working with staff and volunteers to learn about the daily operation of the cultural attractions.

The cost for entrance to Fleetwood Museum is £3 for adults and £2 for concessions. Accompanied children go free.

For more information visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/museums, telephone