I will echo Dean's suggestion about contacting the Strong.
I am intrigued about the prospect of looking beyond children's museum (and science centers) for play, but will you carve out a role for adult's play, too?
I am the curator of a computer history museum in Seattle that is based on the philosophy that understanding follows use.
We take play VERY seriously. Indeed, it informs the place. Our visitors might play video games, "play around" with old operating systems and applications, or write a program on a decades-old mainframe, etc., but the entire outlook, philosophy, and "museum voice" is steeped in the language of play. Families with children are an important visitor segment, of course, but we recognize that play isn't just for children, so we try to create exhibits, workshops, programming that scale. I once observed a museum-sponsored workshop on soldering where the ages ranged from about 8 or 9 to the mid-forties.
But its not just the visitors who play. The engineers who do our restorations are engaged in a form of play (our founder is know to ask at the end of years' long restoration efforts, "Did you have fun?"). "Testing" and "prototyping" for exhibits is taken with a similar zeal. Our front-end staff (who serve as facilitators, tour guides, educators, instigators, etc.) is amazing, I think, because they are encouraged to use, experience, and play with the collections.
Aaron
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Aaron Alcorn, PhD
Curator
Living Computers Museum + Labs
Seattle
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-29-2018 10:15 AM
From: Dean Phelus
Subject: Panel on play?
HI Kyrie,
In the past decade, The Strong Museum in Rochester, New York changed its focus from history to play. I would suggest reaching out to Joan Hoffman, vice president of education at jhoffman@museumofplay.org or call The Strong at 585-263-2700 and ask to speak to someone in the education department.
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Dean Phelus
Sr. Director, Leadership Programs
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
Original Message:
Sent: 08-28-2018 01:27 PM
From: Kyrie Kellett
Subject: Panel on play?
Hi all,
I'm interested in proposing a session on how museums incorporating opportunities to play in their spaces. I'm particularly interested in museums where this is less common, for example in art, history, and natural history museums, not just children's museums or the early learning areas of a science center.
Anyone have any good examples or ideas to share?
Best,
Kyrie
Kyrie Kellett, MA CIP
Principal & Interpretive Planner
Mason Bee LLC
503.419.7735
Imagine, fund, and create transformative learning experiences.