Museums are reaching for new audiences using new tools and new media. Digital media is used by the museums to increase accessibility, to explore new ways of communication and new approaches to the museum content. Esa ja esineet (Oswald and the Objects) is a teaching materials package on the internet designed for pre-school children and first and second graders. The website, published in Finnish and in Swedish, offers activities for young children relating to a selection of classic items of Finnish design. Esa ja esineet takes a new approach to accessibility, combining together learning in the museum with online discussion channels. The website provides digital access to the collections of Design Museum Helsinki and allows experience sharing and discussion between participating kindergartens, children and the museum. Some objects from the collections are used for hands-on study and can be borrowed from the museum.
The project presentation will describe how this service is used to improve the engagement of new audiences. It will also discuss the challenges of using museum collections and archives and producing innovative digital services based on Finnish design and its history.
