Abstract

This study explores the learning context of studio activities in an art museum as it relates to adult learners. Six adult participants in studio activities were interviewed after having taken activities at the National Gallery of Canada. Their learning experiences are detailed and analyzed, and related to appropriate museum and educational theories, including adult education, experiential learning and memory theory. Among the findings are the following: some adults learn best by being given the opportunity to explore the subject through touch and by physically engaging with materials; contact with an original work of art is a vital component of the learning experience; studio activities act as a catalyst for the adult learner to seek further learning opportunities; and when the learner has been physically and emotionally engaged in the activity, they are likely to form strong memories of their museum experience.