Whether going on a class trip, or enjoying a weekend family outing, visiting a museum had always felt like such a thrilling excursion - possibly because when you're a kid, museums can seem so awe-inspiringly colossal to our relatively little selves…especially if there’s a dinosaur or two involved.

For anyone who has yet to visit one (or has, and would just like to learn more), the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama has produced this very informative and equally entertaining five-plus-minutes video, fittingly titled 'Museum 101: What are museums?'. It’s a really great way for children to learn about the highly respected cultural institution’s mission, which is to collect and preserve art not just from America, but from all around the globe - and dating back centuries, even to the ancient world. Yet it also enlightens as to those things that are common to most serious art museums.

There's an explanation of how gallery rooms use special lighting and casing to preserve historic artworks; how objects are arranged by specific geography or subject (for instance, the BMA features an entire room dedicated to the famous Wedgwood ceramics); and also how museums borrow from other museums and collections to complete a planned themed exhibition.

The BMA should also be commended for its commitment to diversity amongst its holdings, especially as women artists, artists of color, and those from Indigenous communities are at last more significantly having their incredible talents recognized.

The narrator of the video explains, “Part of the fun of coming to the BMA is that it feels like you are traveling through time and traveling around the world to encounter art from different cultures.” 

Considering the museum holds more than 27,000 objects in its collection, the capacity for learning and expanding one's view of the world is almost endless. And for those that catch the art bug and want a more participatory experience, the BMA boasts its signature smartlab, a hands-on digital interactive gallery (including a Sensory Empowerment Program for visitors with low or no vision), as well as free "Brush it on" calligraphy stations. Their annual summer camp for students grades 1 - 12 runs through July 31 this year.

tigernoodles recommends: 'Gilding the Lilies and Other Flowers in the Arts of Asia', an exhibition of truly breathtaking floral paintings and textiles from the easternmost continent, spanning several centuries. It's on view at the BMA through October 2026.