Our first proposal concerns a historical exhibition track centred on light. It is briefer for elementary school children and more complex for lower secondary classes. We specially focus on the birth and development of street lighting, which mirrors a different concept of and approach to city life, and its importance lies in this. Encouraged by the fact that the MIG’s collection has a large number of items that have lit up cities throughout Italy, we have placed the history of light as the first of our proposals. However, the topic is very often requested by teachers.
Cast iron is a metal; hence the proposal of an alternative second topic, namely the discovery of metals and their processing methods, how they have been used by men since prehistorical times and the progress of their processing techniques. The miscellaneous technical discoveries that characterised the industrial revolution can be explored in parallel. The golden age of cast iron can be linked to it (only for lower secondary classes).
The items displayed present a wealth of decorations and are, therefore, ideal to develop a simple rationale on the importance of the beauty and artistic features that can be appreciated in this style. Artistic cast iron is inspired by the art of past centuries, whose traces can be recognised in many items of daily use. During the visit, close observation of artefacts is designed for students to identify an item they may like more than others so that the class might “adopt” it to continue research at school.
And what about younger children? Over the past years we have welcomed many kindergarten classes entertaining the children with absorbing educational activities, such as an unusual treasure hunt in the museum. The children can move freely, touch objects and discover some unusual figures, a world they knew nothing about and which is attractive for this very reason.
The school can either choose a proposed theme or suggest one; either way, it will be developed before the guided tour.
The tour can be enlivened with puzzles to be solved and questions, following an introduction based on storytelling (the street lamp talks about itself). The visit often draws to a close with the screening of paintings centred on the theme of the “furnished” city and the production of materials (drawings, postcards and other) by the children, even inspired by a stimulus offered. Materials are taken both to school and home.
The Italian Museum of Cast Iron (Ss. Emilia 1671 – loc. Ponte Ospedaletto, Longiano) is open for guided visits: we provide children the opportunity to understand fully the objects they encounter. Museum entrance and activities are entirely free of charge. We shall be happy to schedule interviews with teachers to meet the special requirements of each school group.
The Italian Museum of Cast Iron (Ss. Emilia 1671 – loc. Ponte Ospedaletto, Longiano) is open for guided visits: we provide children the opportunity to understand fully the objects they encounter. Museum entrance and activities are entirely free of charge.
Raffaella Bassi e Lorenzo Bazzocchi
0547 652171 / 652172
www.museoitalianoghisa.org