Visit to the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria (MUPAC) located in Santander as part of the plan visits included in the workshops on intercultural competence and social and civic skills.
Knowledge of local history and heritage through a guided visit to the museum with explanations of the most important prehistoric and historical moments, and with the highlighting of the importance of Cantabria in different historical and cultural aspects.
Aim of the best practice:
The main aim of this practice was for the participants in the intercultural skills workshops to learn about the history and local heritage through one of the most important museums in the region.
Objectives of the best practice:
Among the different objectives that were sought with this practice was to make known the most important historical moments of Cantabria, its local heritage and the importance of this region.
In addition, thanks to the explanations offered by the guide, the participants were able to resolve doubts related to the history of the region and understand certain cultural aspects that are relevant today.
To carry out this practice, the participation of a group of NTPs interested in learning about cultural and historical aspects of the host community is necessary. Likewise, it is necessary to have a person who acts as a guide in this type of visit and, in addition, to explaining the most important questions, can answer questions of the participants.
In this way, the main actors are not only the participants but also those other local people who are part of the visit and help the participants TCNs get to know and understand cultural and historical issues of the area in which they reside.
For the visit to be carried out in the best conditions, the number of participants must be at least 5 people and a maximum 15. This number of participants is the most advisable so that it is easier for the TCNs to participate and they can interrelate and communicate in the best possible way.
The recommended duration of this practice is, at maximum, 7 hours. The guided tour lasts more than 2 hours, to which must be added the journey to the site, the introduction to the visit and the final part where, in addition to evaluating the practice, the participants can ask questions.
To carry out this practice it is necessary to have certain resources:
Humans: group of NTPs, local people and facilitator to coordinate the group, introduce them to the topic of the visit and make the appropriate clarifications and explanations. It is also necessary to have a guide to explain all the details of the museum and resolve the doubts of the participants.
Materials: depending on the linguistic capacity of the participants, it may be necessary to use audio guides in the native languages of the participants. In addition, depending on the distance to the space to visit, the use of transport may be necessary.
The greatest strength of this practice is the importance and significance that a visit with these characteristics has for the participants. Being able to visit one of the most important museums in the region and learn through a person who explains all the details, the history of their new place of residence, contributes to improving their integration and their desire to learn more about the community in which they live.
In addition, thanks to this visit, learning about the history and culture of the region is done in a fun and entertaining way, which promotes interest and the desire to continue learning and discovering the area.
Some weaknesses detected in this practice are related to the explanations and information offered, since some were too complicated for the linguistic skills of some participants.
It would be interesting to have a prior session where the participants are offered an adequate introduction to the history and culture of the region so that they have a context before making the visit. It would also be necessary to have an interpreter or audio guides in the languages that the participants speak to help them understand. If this is not possible, the person in charge of acting as a guide must first know the conditions in relation to the language of the people who are going to attend so that they can modify and adapt their speech.
For the application of practices of this type, it is advisable that participants are previously offered relevant information on this topic.
It is also important to allow the necessary spaces to answer questions.