Service design / Museum experience
2026
Curious Together——The British Museum Family Explorer Kit
How might we transform museum visits from parent-led guidance into shared family exploration? Through field research with families at the British Museum, we designed a toolkit that supports different visiting styles while reducing parents' cognitive load.
Client
Role
Team
Duration
British Museum (Academic Collaboration)
Service Designer & Research Synthesis
Co-design & Prototyping
16 weeks
2 Service Designer + 1 Data Researcher
Contextual Observation
Semi-structured Interviews
Questionnaire
Journey Mapping
Co-design
Prototype Testing
Methods
Why the British Museum?
A large, rich and complex museum environment with many routes, objects and visitor choices.
Why families?
Families visit as a group, with adults and children having different needs, energy levels and expectations.
Starting point
We wanted to understand how families currently explore the museum.
Research
Space Observation
We looked at how different museum spaces shaped family experience.
1
Behaviour Tracking
we used distance observation to track three families’ movement and interaction in the museum.
2
Family Interviews
we interviewed 10 family groups in the museum, asked about what felt useful, difficult, enjoyable or confusing during their visit.
3
Expert Interviews
"Family tools need to be shared, simple and realistic."
4
"Family movement is shaped by space, friction and flow."
Key Findings
Adults and children balance different needs during the same visit.
Families need prompts that help them notice, talk and explore together.
Parents need light guidance to reduce planning pressure.
Children engage more through searching, choosing and collecting.
Design Opportunities
Too many choices
A quick way
Planning pressure
Light structure
Short stops
Playful prompts
Heavy labels
Simple interpretation
Scattered memories
Memorable outcomes
How might we help families transform museum visits into shared journeys of exploration, playful learning, connection, and memory-making?
Iteration Journey
Family Explore Kit
Direction Tool
Choose the next stop together
Magic light
Slide, look, and reveal hidden clues
Look closer and find museum stories
Discovery Card
Sticker & Sticker Board
Create your own museum story on the board.
Three Ways to Explore
Bee Mode
Famous objects
Focus on the most famous objects with a more direct route.
2-3 game points
Fewer decisions
Turtle Mode
Avoid busy areas
For quieter exploration, with extra places to pause and rest.
Relaxed pacing
More rest stops
Owl Mode
Longer routes
Focus on the most famous objects with a more direct route.
More specialised galleries
Story at every stop
Family Experience Journey
Beyond the Design
The project was exhibited at the Royal College of Art Graduate Show, where we introduced Curious Together to visitors, designers and museum professionals.
A short walkthrough demonstrating how families use Curious Together during their museum visit.
We had the opportunity to share Curious Together with Miranda Lowe, Learning Manager at the Natural History Museum, and discuss how family-centred experiences can better support children's engagement in museums.