Kimyo lets you explore the topics you’re interested in so that you can find great things to go and see!

There are loads of places to visit that have amazing things for you to see whether you’re interested in history, science or animals. Explore items by topic or find out what is near you.

Build up your own collection of items by visiting them and logging them in kimyo!

You can even be awarded badges for collecting items to show how well you are doing.

See pictures and read about the incredible things that are out there waiting for you!

Where did the idea come from?

During a visit to a museum, we realised how hard it was to appreciate everything it had to offer. We decided the best way to visit was to focus on just a few things and to come back again in the future. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of children in the museum looking at the exhibits but afterwards wondered if they were also struggling like us to take everything in.

This is where the idea for kimyo began. By presenting children with a limited selection of items, the concept aims to make the content within museums and galleries easier to understand. Regularly updating the listed items ensures there is always more to explore. This approach allows children to concentrate on specific exhibits and encourages repeat visits, benefiting museums through increased visitor numbers and enhanced promotion.

The idea expanded to include collecting items and earning badges, which incentivises visits to multiple museums and helps children draw connections between different places they have visited.

What do we want to achieve?

Research on museums identified funding and time as common challenges. Therefore, two objectives were established:

• Provide a free or low-cost option.
• Simplify usability.

A subscription model was chosen over seeking grants or government support to ensure long-term stability. Unlike many other websites aimed at children, kimyo features no advertising, reflecting its goal to be educational and a space free from commercial distractions.

Who are we?

Fiona has worked in schools for more than 20 years and is passionate about education. She engages with schools and museums to help them use kimyo and writes our lesson plans to help teachers make the most of the platform.

Gary has worked in software development and data management for more than 20 years. He works on the website making sure it’s easy for children and customers to use and is always looking for ideas on how to make it better.

Where are we?

We’re based in Abingdon, near Oxford.