Celebrating Childhood Experiences Through Stories in the Cape Town Museum of Childhood
Project Sponsor: Ms. Sarah Atmore, Cape Town Museum on Childhood
Team Members: Parikshith Mandalapu, Tionge Nakazwe, Cody Potvin, Erika Sojka
Advisors: Professors Steven S. Taylor and Rosemary Taylor
Visit Cape Town Museum of Childhood Website
Abstract
The Cape Town Museum of Childhood is dedicated to documenting and celebrating childhood in South Africa while advocating for children’s rights through its exhibits. The museum currently has one exhibit that centers around sharing recorded stories of childhood. Stories are powerful and especially effective tools for advocacy because they increase empathy and persuade through narrative. As part of this project, we filmed and edited a collection of childhood stories of Cape Town residents. We simultaneously documented the process so museum staff could replicate it and collect more stories. As visitors listen to childhood stories, they will have a greater appreciation for children and childhood. Thirteen stories were filmed and edited in this study, with prevalent themes of family, play, opportunity, freedom, and safety. This project revealed the emotional power of childhood stories and will lead to an emotionally compelling museum exhibit.