When we visit a museum, more often than not most of the items we see are in cases. We cannot touch or gain a more personal feel for these items, and often see them as something to be in awe of, even when they are items which, not so long ago, might have been in everyday use.
Although training to work in museums, I also work at a local school and noticed that children often have negative, even hostile reactions to the thought of a museum - often linked to this inability to experience and interact with the items on display. I began to take my own items with me, allowing the children to handle and interact with them. This was when the 'tingle factor' was born! One child said that being able to handle items which normally would be 'off-limits' sent a tingle down their spine. Through interacting with the items, the children gained a new appreciation for them, and for the history which they reflect.
This said, the tingle factor is by no means confined to children. Most people feel a similar tingle or thrill when handling an item which would not normally be available to them, whether it be an ancient artefact or a significant relic of social history.
