Activities at the Museum Vocabulary Test
2 How important are museums to you? (7p)
We asked three young people this question and this is what they told us.
Chris
A lot of my friends think museums are boring but I love them. I prefer ones where they move things round
regularly, and bring in new things to keep it interesting. I also like to have things to listen to as well as look at. I
suppose I like museums because I’m really interested in history and art. We study these subjects at college, but
I’ve actually found out a lot more about them from museums than from my textbooks.
Emily
I’m lucky because I live in New York, so there are lots of great museums for me to visit. One thing I’ve learnt is
that you should never try to see a whole museum the first time you go. Just go to one or two rooms, and then
return as often as you can to see the rest. For me, it’s important that the people who work in the museum are
pleasant, and happy to talk to me about the things in the exhibition. That makes a big difference.
Daniel
I don’t go to museums much, except during my holidays in new cities. Then I make sure I spend at least a day
going to the most famous ones. If it’s a big museum and I don’t have much time, I sometimes walk into a room
and choose just five things to look at. I also take a tour if there is one, as I learn so much more from listening to
the person showing us round than I do if I’m by myself.
1 Who always visits museums when they travel?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
2 Who says it is important to visit the same museum several times?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
3 Who likes museums where the exhibitions often change?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
4 Who says that museums should have friendly staff?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
5 Who says that they sometimes only look at a few things in a room?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
6 Who learns more in a museum than in a classroom?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
7 Who prefers going around a museum with a guide to going alone?
A Chris B Emily C Daniel
3 Read the text. Write a headline for each – use the given phrases below. Then do the task below. (8p)
City Museum Time Museum Fun Science History Museum: Looking Back
Chocolate Museum The Glass Place Transport Museum Natural History: Dinosaurs
MUSEUMS
A _____________________
This weekend: dinosaur drawing for children aged 4 to 8 (adults, please stay, you can take part in the
activities, too). Making a pyramid and watching a video about ancient Egypt for children aged 9 to 10.
For children aged 12, we have tablets with the new museum app Imagine: you can look at sites where
dinosaur bones have been found as if you were there, you can select tools to use and even make real
discoveries. Every activity is free of charge.
B _____________________
We have exhibitions on how people moved around through the ages from ancient Greece to the 21st
century. A great place to visit if you like trains, planes and automobiles! Don’t miss it! It’s a wonderful
journey through history.
C _____________________
Read about the history of glass-making. Watch a glass-making demonstration and visit the gift shop
where you can buy amazing glass items, including jewellery. Our new collection has just arrived. There
are earrings, bracelets and rings. All designs are original and unique.
D _____________________
This is a special exhibition that explores the history of the past 100 years looking at houses, schools,
shops, work and developments in transport. There are recordings in each exhibit with interviews with
local people who tell their stories. If you ever wondered what life was like in the past, come and visit this
spectacular exhibition.
E _____________________
Learn about biology, chemistry, physics and have enjoy yourself at the same time. Do experiments and find out
things for yourself. Try the rocket simulator or watch a 3D film on stars and planets. Interact with sound,
electricity, light and the elements at the different science fun labs and collect stamps on your science passport.
When you reach the exit, you can get a Fun Young Scientist badge for your backpack.
F _____________________
If you enjoy global history, come and visit us! Start by exploring the ancient world of Egypt and end by
watching a video about Asia’s most recent inventions. You can access timelines for specific regions with our
new software. This interactive learning experience will let you travel through time. There’s something for
everyone.
G _____________________
Watch a video about the history of one of the most popular sweets on the earth! Then visit the gift shop and
choose from our huge selection of sweet treat items. A great place for the whole family.
H _____________________
We have a new exhibition of moving pre-historic animal models for adults and young people. Not
recommended for children aged eight and under as the statues are very life-like, very noisy and a bit
frightening!
Decide which museum would be the most suitable for the people below. 1 museum per person! (5p)
1 Lisa is doing a history project at school. She wants to visit a general history museum before she decides what
period of history to study. She’s like to have a look at all the different times in history worldwide. ____
2 Marcus is going to a big museum with his family this weekend. He doesn’t usually go to museums because
he gets bored easily, but he’s very interested in space. Marcus hopes they’ll go to a museum that has plenty of
equipment for him to use. ____
3 Ben, aged 8, and Erica, aged 12, are going to a museum with their aunt, Marilyn. Ben and Erica love
learning new things and they really like doing creative activities. Luckily, Marilyn likes these things, too! She
wants to find a museum that they can all enjoy together. ____
4 Yoko is interested in art and craft. She’d like to go to a small museum where she can see things being made
and buy some unusual gifts for her friends. ____
5 Brother and sister, Robert and Meg, are trying to find out about the history of their great grandparents. They
want to know more about what life was like for ordinary people in the 1920s and 1930s. ____
1F 2E 3A 4C 5D
Answer
1 C: ‘I don’t go to museums much, except during my holidays in new cities. Then I
make sure I spend at least a day going to the most famous ones.’
2 B: ‘you should never try to see a whole museum the first time you go. Just go to one
or two rooms, and then return as often as you can to see the rest.’
3 A: ‘I prefer ones where they move things round regularly, and bring in new things’
4 B: ‘For me, it’s important that the people who work in the museum are pleasant, and
happy to talk to me about the things in the exhibition. That makes a big difference.’
5 C: ‘If it’s a big museum and I don’t have much time, I sometimes walk into a room
and choose just five things to look at.’
6 A: ‘We study these subjects at college, but I’ve actually found out a lot more about
them from museums than from my textbooks.’
7 C: ‘I also take a tour if there is one, as I learn so much more from listening to the
person showing us round than I do if I’m by myself.’
