Museums are a great place to take kids (even little ones) to help inspire a love of all things art, culture, and history. These treasure troves of World Heritage are priceless public resources that we all deserve to witness centuries of human ingenuity up close and personal, early and often. Of course, as a parent, there’s always a fear that bubbles beneath the surface of any fun you might be having: What if my kid messes up? Well, that’s the reality for the parents of a 4-year-old boy who broke an ancient jar on display at the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel.
The jar, which may have been used to hold wine or olive oil, dates back to the Bronze Age (3700-1200 BC). According to CNN, experts agree that it is at least 3,500 years old. While pottery shards are very common in Israel and Palestine, finding an intact jar is a big find. According to the boy’s father, The Guardian The curious preschooler, identified simply as “Alex,” wanted to see if there was anything in the jar, and since it wasn’t behind glass or otherwise secured, tilted it in an attempt to peek.
Needless to say, it didn’t go well.
“My initial reaction was denial. I couldn’t believe this was my son,” Alex continued. “At first, I was shocked. Then I got a little angry at him.
However, during the interview internetMuseum director Inbal Rivlin assured the boy and his parents of their safety.
“We ask nothing of you,” she said. “Such incidents are rare, but they do happen. We will repair the jar and put it back in its place, a process called healing.
In fact, Alex told The Guardian Hecht’s reaction was huge. After his wife de-escalated the situation, she went to security and told them what happened. The family was prepared for the worst. But not only were they not fined or otherwise punished, they were invited back over the weekend for a private guided tour. Add a bonus? By then, the jar should have been repaired and back on display.
Hecht said it was very intentional that the jar was easily damaged from the start, telling CNN that founder Reuben Hecht made a point of making artifacts as close as possible, noting that “there’s a special charm to experiencing archeology.” . They went on to say there were no plans to change this.
“The museum is not a mausoleum, but a living place, open to families and accessible,” she told us internet. “We appeal to parents: don’t be afraid. Things like this happen all the time.
So if you’ve been avoiding museums it’s because you know (Know) deep down inside of you, your little Chaos Goblin is one of those kids Possibly destroying an ancient artifact as your mark, museum professionals don’t go into this field to yell and get angry: they think People engage with art and culture, even if this puts objects at (low) risk.
