Abstract

This study explores how museum experiences can be integrated into preschool curricula to enhance young children’s participation, expression, and aesthetic learning. Conducted in a public kindergarten in Taoyuan, Taiwan, the research adopted a practice-based methodology over an eight-week thematic project titled Little Curators Program. Children aged 5 to 6 participated in co-curating exhibitions, including naming, spatial layout, and guided storytelling. Qualitative data were collected through observation, interviews, children’s works, and video documentation. The findings reveal that young children demonstrated agency, narrative ability, and emotional-symbolic expression when granted curatorial roles. Their collaborative dialogue and spatial reasoning suggest that exhibition-making supports social-emotional development and multimodal literacy. Additionally, teachers shifted from product-oriented to process-oriented pedagogy, engaging in reflective practice and inquiry-based teaching. The study highlights exhibitions as inclusive learning environments that align with children’s rights to cultural participation and voice, as emphasized in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Recommendations are offered for fostering sustainable school–museum partnerships, teacher professional development, and equitable access to cultural learning. This research affirms the potential of exhibition-based curricula as a powerful pedagogical tool in early childhood education.