Dr Patoo Cusripituck and Dr Jitjayang Yamabhai from Mahidol University in Thailand visited York in March in connection with their project on participatory practices with Dr Harald Fredheim and Dr Stella Basinyi at the University of York Department of Archaeology. JORVIK and DIG were at the top of their wish-list for museums to visit during their stay and the team at York Archaeology very generously made this wish come true!
Patoo had the opportunity to visit JORVIK almost 20 years ago as part of a research trip to plan interpretation at the Museum Siam, which opened in 2007. Now, as a Lecturer in Museum Studies at Mahidol University, Patoo and her colleague Jitjayang were back in York as part of their research on participatory practices and learning in museum and heritage contexts. Christine McDonnell, Frances Bennett and Chris Tuckley very generously guided Patoo, Jitjayang, Stella and Harald through their interpretive and learning offers at both sites.
Patoo would like to take this opportunity to say
“Thank you very much to you and the Jorvik team for taking the time to guide us through the museum, both on the tour and behind the scenes. The participatory approach used at Jorvik is truly unique, and we gained so much insight from the experience.
The DIG was equally inspiring, especially in how it fosters hands-on learning. The way the experience connects the past, present, and future—particularly in sparking interest in career paths for children—was fascinating. Every moment was engaging, and we truly appreciated the thoughtful design behind each element.
It was a meaningful and valuable experience for us.
I sincerely hope we can stay in touch and find opportunities for future collaboration.”
