IN-PERSON Manchester Livable Cities
Abstract
This paper argues that local museums, despite being embedded within communities, remain significantly underutilized as public learning spaces within formal education systems. Drawing on a case study from Sawi District, Chumphon Province, Thailand, it identifies a critical gap between the physical proximity of a community museum and its limited integration into everyday school learning. This disconnect restricts students’ access to locally grounded cultural knowledge and reduces the potential of museums as public educational resources. Using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, this study actively engages students, teachers, monks, and community members in co-creating new forms of learning with the museum. Informed by experiential learning and participatory museum practices, the project develops a cultural learning trail that connects schools, temples, museums, and community spaces into a place-based learning network. This approach repositions the museum as an active component of local public learning infrastructure within community systems, supporting inclusive and context-responsive education. The findings demonstrate that co-created, experience-based learning significantly enhances student engagement and strengthens their connection to local cultural knowledge. At the same time, the process fosters sustained collaboration among community stakeholders, enabling the museum to function as a more accessible and dynamic public resource. By framing local museums as essential elements of public learning systems, this paper contributes to broader discussions on improving access to educational resources through stronger integration between cultural institutions and communities, particularly in small and non-urban contexts.
Phatcharin Sermsuk is a Master’s student at the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, Mahidol University, Thailand. Her research explores participatory approaches to museum–school–temple–community collaboration through experiential learning connecting students with local cultural heritage. Using Participatory Action Research (PAR), she works with teachers, students, monks, museum staff, and communities to co-create inclusive learning models. Her work examines how local museums can function as accessible public spaces that foster community engagement and belonging.
Assistant Professor Dr. Patoo Cusripituck is Program Chair of the MA Museum Studies program at the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia (RILCA), Mahidol University, Thailand. Her research focuses on participatory museology, museum education, and community engagement, with particular emphasis on cultural sustainability and ethnic communities. She is the editor of a book on museum-based learning in Thailand and leads the Vivid Ethnicity mobile museum initiative as an outreach educational program connecting museums and communities through co-creation. Dr. Patoo serves as a board member of the International Council of Museums’ International Committee for Collecting (ICOM COMCOL) for 2025–2028.
Assistant Professor Dr. Jitjayang Yamabhai is a lecturer in the MA Museum Studies program at the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia (RILCA), Mahidol University, Thailand. His research focuses on community-based approaches to cultural heritage and education, with particular emphasis on participatory practices and local knowledge systems. He has extensive experience collaborating with communities across Thailand, supporting research, capacity building, and cultural initiatives. His work bridges academic inquiry and practical application, promoting inclusive and context-sensitive approaches to cultural learning, community engagement, and heritage practice.
9:00 am - 10:30 am
Thursday 18th June, 2026