Museum makes you strong

The Idea:

Dry knowledge in dusty rooms? Museum visits haven’t been like that for a long time.

With special programs, children can discover the exhibits in a playful way for themselves. We are looking for children to help us develop game ideas for the Otto Niemeyer-Holstein Atelier and test these museum games with other children.

The artist fairy tale "The Painter and the Unnererdschen" by Helma Heymann inspired us to create the project "Wat hät hei sächt?" The project is aimed at children and youth age 8 to 16 living in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district. It aims to spark a connection with the landscape, the painter Otto Niemeyer-Holstein (1896-1984), and the Low German language. Through the artist's biography, the project provides access to an understanding of art and the historical events of the 20th century.

Kick-off event on October 29, 2019, at 4:00 PM

Discover the museum - Explore the studio - Paint pictures - Experience the garden - Tell stories

November 5, 2019 – March 24, 2020, Tuesdays from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM

Initially, ten children are sought who will meet weekly until the end of April. Through various questions, such as What colour is the sea?, on a sailing course, and tour of the animals, the children's senses will be awakened. Playful elements are incorporated, such as searching for animals in paintings, carpets, vases, etc., discovering and counting anchors in the garden, and recalling the information received from the course leaders about the painter. Together, they will search for a solution word for a museum quiz.

A journey into the past, through the original estate of the painter Otto Niemeyer-Holstein (1896-1984), with his studio, house, and garden. As an artist and mediator, his nature paintings tell stories of hardship, sorrow, hope, and joy of life, while his portraits convey the dignity of mankind. Art observations encourage personal creative expression. Various artistic activities, such as painting and drawing, printing, crafting, and working with clay, will stimulate creativity. Through playful methods, the children's strengths will be highlighted, and they will come together for joint interactions.

In thematic workshops, the children and young people will be prepared to record existing and self-created texts as audiobooks and present them in about ten events for families, children, and youth in the region. The final event, a performance of the fairy tale and presentation of the results, will also invite parents and friends. The goal is to preserve the fundamental openness of children and give space to their ideas, concepts, and associations. This is achieved by presenting the museum visit as a unique, shared, and interactive experience. In this way, the museum space can help significantly expand the personal experience horizon of the children.

The project is carried out in cooperation with our regional partners: the Kreismusikschule Wolgast-Anklam, the Freundeskreis Otto Niemeyer-Holstein, Lüttenort e.V., and the Volkssolidarität Greifswald-Ostvorpommern e.V.

The participants in the project will receive free entry to the Otto Niemeyer-Holstein Museum Atelier, free transportation to the museum, and a museum pass, which allows the children and young people to continue visiting the museum free of charge after the project ends.

Project Managers: Franka Keil, Bettina John

 

Impressions from our Meetings:

Impressions from the children's project "Museum Makes Strong"

The conclusion:

After 5 months, our exciting meetings unfortunately came to an end, but the interest in painting and the Otto Niemeyer-Holstein Museum and Studio has remained with most of the children and youth!!!

The results aim to be used by the museum in the long term to facilitate young visitors' access to the museum's content. For this purpose, multimedia communication techniques are being employed: audio stations and publications. This project was financially supported by the Vorpommern Fund. The results of the project are to be presented on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, on the occasion of Otto Niemeyer-Holstein's 125th birthday.