ABSTRACT
Museums have the ability to reach, teach and inspire children toward civic responsibility and social action through exhibitions, programs and activities. As global citizens, today's children are connected to issues that they see as part of their world, from social injustice and poverty to social unrest and war. Although some museum professionals are skeptical about a child's ability to understand issues such as this, there is an appropriate entry point for discussions … the idea of fairness. Even very young children understand what it means to be fair. A broad range of international case studies highlight different strategies for introducing children to challenging topics. From the use of children's picture books to recognize and react to discrimination to exploring the idea of democracy through role play in a courthouse, museum programs offer children an opportunity to take an active role in understanding critical issues of the time. In many cases, children seek out opportunities to make a difference, taking a role of social action.
