The archaeology of childhood: A museum perspective

Abstract

This article discusses the archaeology of children and childhood from a museum perspective with the aim of illustrating that children from the deeper past can and should be included in museum exhibitions, and that archaeologists should consider museum collections a resource for furthering understanding of children in the past. It presents data from recent research illustrating the range of material culture relating to children that is held in the accredited museums of mainland Britain, with a particular emphasis on archaeological objects and collections. The results of a survey examining the attitudes and ideas of curators in regard to exhibiting this material and including children in museum displays are also provided, and some examples of relevant museum exhibitions discussed.