New activity cards create fun ways to interact at Exeter’s RAMM
Published: 4 April 2023
Visitors to Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) can now discover fun ways to interact with the exhibits thanks to a new project with Exeter College art students.
Twenty new activity game cards at RAMM’s Garden Reception aim to stimulate creativity and to prompt visitors to interact with the museum in a new way.
The project was co-curated by A-Level Fine Art students from Exeter College, with the idea of engaging younger audiences with contemporary art.
The collection of A6 See Things Differently cards consist of experimental tasks that can be done to explore artworks and objects in fun and interesting ways.
They were tried, tested and developed with the students in a series of three hands-on workshops held at the museum, and have been illustrated by Molly Saunders, a young illustrator based in Exeter.
Originally designed to sit alongside RAMM’s latest contemporary art exhibition – Earth Spells: Witches of the Anthropocene – the cards are versatile and can be used in any area of the museum.
Earth Spells explores otherworldly connections to nature through artist works that respond to objects in RAMM’s collections. The cards have been conceived with teenage audiences in mind, but are fun for adults or families with younger children to get involved with contemporary art exhibitions at the museum and beyond.
There are five categories to choose from - draw, find, photo, play and write, but they can still be used in any way you like. For most you’ll only need a pencil, or you may need a smartphone for the activities involving taking photos or researching ideas online – but remember, there is no right or wrong way to interpret an activity.
Maya Herbolzheimer, RAMM Engagement Officer, said: “We designed the cards to encourage young visitors to interact and engage with RAMM art works and exhibitions in fun and creative ways.
“There are 20 different ones to choose from, all with funky illustrations by local artist Molly Saunders. We hope families and young people will enjoy the ‘pic n’ mix’ element and choose a few cards to try each time they visit, or finish them off at home.”
Cara Fitzgerald, an Exeter College Fine Art student, said: “The cards were a nice addition to our visit, they allowed me to look at things in a different angle and light than I would normally do. They were also creatively open questions – as to not limit any ideas someone might have.”
Thanks to Arts Council funding, the cards are free to use from 3 April for the duration of the Earth Spells exhibition. After that they will be available to purchase as an activity pack from the RAMM shop, before re-emerging at the next contemporary art exhibition in the autumn.
Those taking part can use the hashtag #RAMMSeeThingsDifferently to share work on social media or pin creations up on the ‘sharing board’ in Garden Reception.