Dea Birkett is director of CultureKids Ireland, working with arts and heritage organisations to better welcome and include families, young people and children. She is codirector of TextWorkshop and she was founder and director of Kids in Museums where she established the Family Friendly Museum Award. She also developed Takeover Day, which gives young people meaningful roles in museums. Dea is creative director of BAFTA-winning ManyRiversFilms and she is the author of seven books including “Serpent in Paradise” and “Off the Beaten Track: Three Centuries of Women Travellers”. In addition, she is a journalist who contributes to a wide range of publications as well as radio commentator. She has a PhD from the University of London in African History.