Children curate Marylebone exhibition

Their exhibition, entitled Shh.. it's a Secret, explores secret symbols, functions, compartments and stories behind selected pieces and can be seen.

Chelsea Coates, 10, was one of the youngsters taking part in the project.

She said: "It's really been a good journey and in the end we reached our goal.

"Near the end it got really hard because everything had to be done quickly to be ready for the opening.

Her favourite piece in the gallery was The Listening Housewife, painted by Nicholas Maes in 1656.

"She is smiling and invites us to look at what is happening behind her," she said.

"We chose the theme of secrets for the exhibition as we like secrets.

"We're very curious and she seems quite a nosy person too."

Chelsea added that one day she would like to become a full-time curator at the museum.

Emma Bryant, learning officer at the Wallace Collection, said: "We went to a conference and had the idea to hang pictures at the gallery down low, so children could see them more easily.

"Then we thought, why not go one step further and get children to take part in curating the exhibition themselves?

"We approached our local primary school and asked them if they could provide us with 12 children to create an exhibition.

"I don't think it has been done before.

She added: "When we first met the children, we weren't sure how much work we could ask them to do.

"But within a couple of meetings we realised they could do absolutely anything and everything.

"They've designed it, they've made labels, they've done the lighting - everything.

"The learning department has learned a lot from the children."

The exhibition is on display at the Wallace Collection until March 28.