Research for Action is partnering with the Penn Museum to evaluate their UnPacking the Past program, now in its 10th year of operation. The Unpacking the Past program offers middle school students in Philadelphia public schools the opportunity to learn from the museum’s world class ancient history collection. This one-year project will offer formative and summative feedback for the museum to understand the benefits of the program and ways in which its impact can be strengthened. Drawing on teacher and student perspectives and program observations, the evaluation examines student engagement in the UTP experience and ways in which it might spark interest in or influence their attitudes regarding history, other cultures and museums.
The evaluation will culminate in the Spring of 2025 with a report and public presentation of the findings. It offers the opportunity to elevate lessons for other cultural institutions in the city partnered with the School District of Philadelphia regarding how to create successful field trip experiences.