Keynote Speakers
Gail LordCo-Founder and Co-President of Lord Cultural Resources, Canada
Gail Lord is co-founder and co-president with Barry Lord of Lord Cultural Resources, the world’s leading cultural planning firm focused on museums, cultural districts and the creative economy. Lord has shared her knowledge by co-authoring with Barry Lord five museum planning manuals. Her latest book is “Cities, Museums and Soft Power”. Read more
Yong ZhaoDirector of the Institute for Global and Online Education, University of Oregon, China / USA
Yong Zhao’s works focus on the implications of globalization and technology on education. He has published over 100 articles and 20 books, including his latest World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students.Read more
Keynote Panel DiscussionWim Pijbes, General Director of the Rijksmuseum, Daan Roosegaarde, Artist, Bert van der Els, CEO, Heijmans
A museum director, an entrepreneurial artist and the CEO of an international company each present their perspective on the importance of programming for children in order to create creative citizens with entrepreneurial skills. Moderated by Gail Lord. Read more
Tuesday 13th
Nina Lim-YusonPresident, Museo Pambata (Museum for Children), the Philippines
Nina Lim-Yuson is the co-founder of Museo Pambata. Since opening in 1993 this museum has welcomed 5.2 million children. In 2012 it was short-listed for the Children in Museums Award. Hands On! International and the European Museum Academy commended Museo Pambata “for inspiring the creation of new children’s museums in the Philippines and Asia”. Read more
Leslie SwartzSenior Vice President of Research and Program Planning, Boston Children’s Museum, USA
Founded in 1913 Boston Children’s Museum is the second oldest and among the largest children’s museums in the world. Since the 1960s, BCM has pioneered the powerful combination of hands‐on exhibition and program techniques with a laser focus on the needs of children and families. Among other things, Leslie Swartz is BCM’s resident historian. Read more
Dakaya LenzCreative Director, Children’s Museum Villa Zapakara, Suriname
Dakaya Lenz is Creative Director of Children’s museum Villa Zapakara in Suriname, a non-profit foundation where children can explore the world through interactive exhibitions. In her session Lenz will outline how Villa Zapakara generates extra income through various projects that are in line with the foundation’s vision. Read more
Linda SproulManager of Education & Community Programs, Museum Victoria, Australia
Museum Victoria is Australia’s largest public museum organization. As Manager, Education and Community Programs Linda Sproul has oversight of learning programs offered at the Immigration Museum, Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks as well as the Museum’s outreach and digital programs aimed at education and community audiences. Read more
Marianne BargemanHead of the Children & Youth Department at SMK, The National Gallery of Denmark
Marianne Grymer Bargeman is head of the Children & Youth Department at SMK, The National Gallery of Denmark and winner of the Children in Museums Award 2014. Her latest research project focuses on the interaction between children and art exhibitions. To read an exclusive interview with Marianne click here.
Jet van Overeem
Head of Education and Curator, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Netherlands
As curator and content/artistic project manager Den Haag Jet van Overeem has been working on Wonderkamers, a permanent exhibition space designed for ages 9 to 18. This interactive section offers a fresh and entertaining introduction to fine art, the decorative arts, architecture and fashion. To read an exclusive interview with Jet van Overeem click here.
Caro VerbeekPhD Candidate Olfactory Heritage, VU University, Netherlands
Caro Verbeek (1980) is a sensory art historian specialised in touch and smell. She is currently working on her PhD on the role of smell during the avant-garde. She creates olfactory tours for museums and regularly lectures on the topic worldwide. Her session will reveal the ways in which looking is a multisensory activity! Read More
Wednesday 14th
Deborah CarterCo-founder and Business Director, New Tech Kids, Netherlands
With a son enrolled in Dutch primary school, Deborah Carter looked around for a place where children could fall in love with technology and computer science and learn how to be innovators and inventors. When she couldn’t find it, she launched an after-school technology education academy with a co-founder. Read more
Ernst van KeulenEducational Programme Developer, the National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam
Ernst van Keulen joined the Education department of the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam in the late ‘80s. Ernst develops educational programmes in which he challenges everyone to make their own discoveries. He is an inspiring storyteller who can even bring a subject such as navigational instruments to life. Read more
Dominik WirthArtist and Art Educator, Creaviva Children’s Museum, Germany
Dominik Wirth, artist and art educator lives and works in Luzern. In his recent works he has been preoccupied with Japanese and African culture. He also works in the Creaviva children`s museum at the Zentrum Paul Klee, which is one of the most famous in Switzerland, where he teaches different techniques relating to the work of Paul Klee. Read more
Thursday 15th
Heather MaxsonDirector of School, Youth and Family Programs, Whitney Museum of American Art, USA
The Whitney Museum is the preeminent Museum devoted to the art of the United States. The Whitney’s new building opened to the public on May 1, 2015. Heather Maxson is the Director of School, Youth, and Family Programs. She oversees school partnerships, guided visits, studio programs, teen programs, and weekend family programs. Read more
Yuliya GlazyrinaChief-Curator, Museum of Permian Antiquities, Russia
Yuliya Glazyrina is Chief Curator of the Museum of Permian Antiquities (branch of Perm Regional Museum), which has received local and international awards. She is also a curator of the lecture series ‘Scientists for Children’ and an annual Children’s Paleontology Conference. Read more
Erdogan KahyaogluCo-founder, Informal Education – Cocukistanbul, Turkey
Active in İstanbul, Informal Education – çocukistanbul’s mission is to provide permanent opportunities and environments for children where they can learn while playing, get in touch with friends of their age in a free, sharing and collaborative atmosphere, improve their capabilities and awareness of themselves as an individual. Read more
Jasper VisserSpecialist in Audience Engagement, Netherlands
Jasper is a change agent and innovator specialised in audience engagement. For over 10 years he’s worked with clients ranging from cultural and heritage institutions to large multinationals on exciting projects, ranging from campaigns and games to large-scale transformation processes. Read more
Dr. Elisabeth MenasseDirector of Zoom Children’s Museum, Austria
Elisabeth Menasse has been Director of ZOOM Children`s Museum in Vienna since 2003. Together with Dr. Claudia Haas, founder of ZOOM Children’s Museum and museum consultant, Menasse will discuss the opportunities and challenges in organizing the increasing cooperations between National Museums and Children’s Museums. Read more
Paul CliffordLearning and Creative Technology Specialist, UK
Paul Clifford is a Learning and Creative Technology Specialist and develops, delivers and evaluates training, consultancy and digital/physical products. Previously Paul was the Digital Learning Programmes Manager at the British Museum and then the Museum of London. He is an advocate of Blended and Applied Learning experiences. Read more
Katie CoughlinFounder and Director, Oslo Children’s Museum, Norway
Together with Leora Culen, Katie Coughlin, Director of Oslo Children’s Museum, will demonstrate how a “living lab” can be used as an effective framework in museums for audience engagement and co-creation, particularly with children. They show how a living lab can be implemented, with examples from recent projects with Oslo Children’s Museum. Read more
Leora CulenAssociate Professor Computer Science, University of Oslo, Norway
Together with Katie Coughlin, Leora Culen, Professor Computer Science at University Oslo, will demonstrate how a “living lab” can be used as an effective framework in museums for audience engagement and co-creation, particularly with children. They show how a living lab can be implemented, with examples from recent projects with Oslo Children’s Museum. Read more
Marielle PalsHead of programming at Tropenmuseum Junior, Netherlands
Marielle Pals is in charge of Tropenmuseum Junior and Head of Programmes of the Tropenmuseum, Museum Volkenkunde and Afrika Museum. Together with Sabina Cantarello she will present two newly opened exhibition projects that represent the outcome of both international collaboration and local co-creation. Read more
Sabina CantarelloDirector educational dept MUDEC Junior Milano, Italy
Sabina Cantarelli (former President of MUBA – the Children’s Museum in Milan -, and curator of the Children Area of Expo2015 with Reggio Children) is in charge of developing all education programs of MUDEC, the newly opened Museum for Cultures in Milan. Read more
Michael BradkeDirector of MobilesMusikMuseum, Germany
The MobileMusicMuseum’s mission is to empower people to make music, create questions and get into a social flow through sound experience. The “Director and Driver” Michael Bradke has been part of Hands On! International since the very early 90’s. Read more
Rixt Hulshoff PolManager Education Department, Stedelijk Museum, Netherlands
Rixt Hulshoff Pol is Head of Visitor Service & Education at the Stedelijk Museum, the largest museum for modern and contemporary art and design in the Netherlands. The Stedelijk is a home for artists and (young) visitors. Read more
Hanna PiksenEducation Executive, Stedelijk Museum, Netherlands
Hanna Piksen is Specialist Family Programs at the Stedelijk Museum, the largest museum for modern and contemporary art and design in the Netherlands. The Stedelijk is a home for artists and (young) visitors. Read more
Anite HaverkampEndowed Educator at Museum Catherijneconvent, Netherlands
Museum Catharijneconvent is the national museum of Christian art, culture and history and founder of the national education project Holidays! Know what you’re celebrating (a collaboration between 12 museums). Goal is to connect all Dutch children to Christian heritage as well as other religions. Read more
Dimphy SchreursProjectmanager at Museum Catharijneconvent, Netherlands
Museum Catharijneconvent is the national museum of Christian art, culture and history and founder of the national education project Holidays! Know what you’re celebrating (a collaboration between 12 museums). Goal is to connect all Dutch children to Christian heritage as well as other religions. Read more
Patrick van HeesThe Professor of Happiness, Netherlands
Patrick van Hees is a Dutch author and key note speaker on happiness in the Netherlands and abroad. Learn how to use the key insights of the science of happiness to enlarge and inspire your audience. On the side, get practital tips to improve your own happiness level. Read more
Birte ten HoopenSenior Staff Families & Children at the Rijksmuseum, Netherlands
Birte ten Hoopen is Senior Staff Member Families and Children at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Her background is in Theatre and Cultural Antropology. She can get bored in a museum very easily…. Read more
Dick Heijdra Owner of Pronk, Netherlands
Pronk is a designer studio with ample experience in translating a story into an exhibition design that captures the imagination.
Bart Wagemakers Director of Heijmerink Wagemakers, Netherlands
Bart Wagemakers is a specialist in project management, engineering and construction of exhibitions and experiences.