３、Learning program at Hekinan Seaside Aquarium in a cooperative effort between the board of education and city museums

 

Itaru AOKI

Hekinan Seaside Aquarium

collaborator:Hirofumi ISHIHARA, Yoshizumi CHIMURA
（Hekinan Seaside Aquarium・Hekinan Maritime Science Museum）

 

Hekinan Seaside Aquarium • Hekinan Maritime Science Museum is one of the few aquariums under the direct management of a municipal board of education. As such, we have been providing educational activities in collaboration with school education and social educational activities for all visitors since 1982 when the facilities opened. One key activity is a kid’s craft class that we provide during summer vacation. In making works of art modeled on living creatures, one great advantage of incorporating fine arts into an aquarium setting is that the children are compelled to observe the exhibited creatures closely. However, there is a limit to the ability of the aquarium staff to develop a menu which adopts artistic factors. Therefore, since 2012, we have been collaborating with the Hekinan City Tatsukichi Fujii Museum of Contemporary Art to implement a program that uses not just paper but clay and polystyrene as well. By combining the charm of an aquarium with the artistic know-how of an art gallery, we are able to achieve positive results for both parties.
We will present the collaboration project we have proposed in conjunction with the art museum.