Participatory research with children in Liangzhu Museum: co-developing a ‘child-friendly’ museum evaluation toolkit

This paper discusses the co-development of a ‘child-friendly’ museum evaluation toolkit that reflects children's perspectives within the context of the Liangzhu Museum in China. As museums increasingly focus on providing ‘child-friendly’ services, it is important to evaluate their effectiveness and impact on children from a child-centred approach. However, current evaluation methods primarily rely on adult perspectives, leaving a gap in understanding the experiences of child visitors. Collaborating with 22 child researchers (aged 10–12) and 20 adults, the hybrid team designed child-friendly assent forms and assessment tools, addressing gaps in current adult-focused evaluation methods. This project highlights challenges and opportunities in involving children in museum research while emphasising the need to integrate their perspectives into content development. This initiative contributes to advancing children’s museology in China, offering a model for integrating participatory methods to create inclusive, age-appropriate cultural spaces.