Open Forum

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

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Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
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Hi, Seven Stories | National Centre for Childrens Books in Newcaste Upon Tyne, UK is a lovely example.

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Rowena Hamilton
Exhibitions project manager
Museum of Science and Industry
Manchester, UK

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

There are definitely a lot of wonderful spaces that are beautiful, while still respecting the needs of young children! A few examples are

* Wonderplace at the National Museum of American History (full disclosure, I was on the exhibit team for that space)

* ImagiNations at the National Museum of the American Indian

* Noah's Ark at the Skirball Cultural Center

You should also look at Margaret Middleton's website (https://www.behance.net/margaretmiddleton) she has done a lot of work in this area. It is great to think beyond "plastic and primary" when you are designing exhibits for young children. However, you will still want to keep in mind some of the practical needs that have drawn people to certain materials. Easy to clean, easy to replace, safe etc.

Let me know if I can help with anything else!

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Sarah Erdman
Consultant
Washington DC

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

The early incarnations of the Boston Children's museum was exactly that. I remember attending as a kid and was completely delighted by the mix of  irreverence in the exhibits. How could a kid NOT love walking through a giant toilet?

One installation i particular loved at a more recent visit ( Ok it was 20 years ago) was the skeleton wearing a Red Soc hat at attached to the skeleton were ropes that allowed visitors to move the skeleton. On the one hand it was actually a great way to teach how the body worked. On the other hand,  it was deeply silly and the kids I took the the museum, my two toddlers and my 11 year old nephew spent a good long time working that skeleton.

About 15 years ago we visited an excellent installation at the Queens Hall Of Science that was about sound waves and light waves. Movement by the visitors caused various light and sound effects. It was completely compelling for a family with kids with a wide span of ages, and was also compelling for the adults with the kids. I remember that the wall notes were minimal, and you learned through the doing. I remember that the spaces for the exhibit were mostly empty, white walls and the movements of the visitors changed the light and the sound in the room. It was pure magic.

You are right that too many of the corporately funded exhibits that are essentially advertisements for children's TV series tend to be uniformly boring.

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Sarah Jacobs
Artist
New York NY

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point Institute in Lehi, UT...we opened it almost 2 years ago and fits what you're looking for.   Thanksgiving Point | Events, Things To Do & Places to Visit - Thanksgiving Point Institute Inc

Thanksgivingpoint		remove preview
Thanksgiving Point | Events, Things To Do & Places to Visit - Thanksgiving Point Institute Inc Visit Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. With amazing venues including a dinosaur museum, beautiful estate gardens, a real working farm, shopping, dining and more. Stop by today! View this on Thanksgivingpoint >

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Blake Wigdahl
VP - Design & Programming
Thanksgiving Point Institute
Lehi UT

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Hi Matt,

Here at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis our early childhood exhibit which is called Playscape was heavily influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach and the design focused on including natural light, natural and authentic materials, and a muted color palette.The target age range is 0-5 y/o. It is a well loved exhibit where children have lots of fun as is indicated by its average 37 minute stay time! Here is a link to the exhibit page on our website: Playscape | The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Childrensmuseum		remove preview
Playscape | The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Playscape is made possible through lead gift support of PNC Foundation, with major support provided by The Efroymson Family Fund, a CICF Fund, W.B. Fortune, the Joseph F. and G. Marlyne Sexton Family, The Children's Museum Guild, the Harlan Family Foundation, the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation, Jane and Steve Marmon, Jerry and Elsie Martin, Randall and Deborah Tobias, and Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St.Vincent. View this on Childrensmuseum >

Feel free to contact me if you'd like any more information!

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Stephanie Eddleman
Early Childhood Specialist
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Indianapolis IN

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Hi Matt - We designed and built the Royal City Families Gallery at the Guelph Civic Museum in 2012. This gallery, designed for kids and their families, explores the history of the city of Guelph through the lives of 4 children who lived in  or around the Guelph area, including a 19th century young boy who worked in one of the city's factories (and lost an arm in the process). The gallery also looks at the environment and natural history of Guelph. You can take a virtual tour of the gallery here. http://guelphmuseums.ca/whats-on/galleries/

Sandra Lucs
Interpretive Planner and Partner
Vilnis Cultural Design Works
44 Edgewood Road
Eden Mills, ON N0B1P0
519-856-0400
vilnisculturaldesignworks.com

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Sandra Lucs
Interpretive Planner and Partner
Vilnis Cultural Design Works
44 Edgewood Road
Eden Mills, ON N0B1P0
519-856-0400
vilnisculturaldesignworks.com

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Two of my favorites are Madison Children's Museum, Wisconsin, and Children's Museum of Tacoma, Washington--both feature artist-designed exhibits crafted from recycled and repurposed materials.

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Ruth Shelly
Executive Director
Portland Children's Museum
Portland OR

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Gyroscope, Inc. is an exhibit design firm that I think does really beautiful designs for children's museums (full disclosure, I used to work for them). They recently did the design for the Thinkery, a new children's museum in Austen, and it looks beautiful from the pictures. You can check out their work on their website: http://www.gyroscopeinc.com/portfolio.php

You might also want to check out children's/family spaces in art museums. They often have a very sophisticated aesthetic.Columbus Museum of Art has a cool one: https://www.columbusmuseum.org/art/wonder-room/

------------------------------
Maia Werner-Avidon
Manager, Research & Evaluation
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
San Francisco CA

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Matt,

I think if you start going to children's museums, you'll find that a lot of them - in fact most of them - have the qualities you describe. The best children's museums are firmly rooted in their communities, and there are many within a two hour drive of you that are rich, fun, messy, "green," and organic feeling. Few rely on "primary colors" to feel kid-oriented.  Some children's museums find that the need to keep things very clean - which makes sense given the hands-on and mouths-on habits of their target audience. So that can affect material choices, but most avoid "plastic" for plastic's sake. 

I was going to start listing museums, but there are so many just in New England that it would not be fair to start listing. There are 3 or 4 just in Manhattan that can be googled and that are beautifully designed and have tons of character - and even a healthy dose of sophistication. If you start scratching this surface, you'll find a lot of great stuff and it might be hard to know where to stop. 

Give a call to the Association of Children's Museums as well - or check their website at  Find a Children's Museum for a comprehensive list. 

Happy visiting!

------------------------------
Alissa Rupp AIA, LEED
Architect and Exhibit Designer
The Portico Group
Seattle WA

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Matt -- Maeryta Medrano, principal designer at Gyroscope (Oakland, CA) and a mother, designed an excellent toddler's area in Exploration Place (Wichita, KS) that was intentionally calm. It used enclosures, Shoji walls, neutral colors and quiet activities. You could check with Maeryta to understand her reasoning and with Jan Luth, current director, to see how the approach has worked. Cheers,  John

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John Jacobsen
CEO
White Oak
Marblehead MA

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Check out the DoSeum in San Antonio. It is a completely redone facility and it is absolutely incredible!

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Jessica Strom
Briscoe Western Art Museum
Boerne TX

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

The Woods exhibit in the Duke Energy Children's Museum (Cincinnati Museum Center) provides a wonderful "natural" encounter for children, including those looking for a bit of a challenge. You can check it out at Explore The Woods!

Robyn

Cincymuseum		remove preview
Explore The Woods! An adventure-based wilderness, The Woods encourages children to challenge their physical prowess and explore their imaginations. The three-story structure has hollow climbing logs, rope bridges and a horizontal climbing wall, as well as areas for discovering fossils and the animals that live in the nooks and crannies of the woods. View this on Cincymuseum >

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Robyn Gibboney PhD
Grant Writer/Foundation Relations Manager
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
Cincinnati OH

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Hi Matt,

Muzeiko, the first Children's Museum in Bulgaria, opened on October 1st, 2015 and is an amazing example of a sophisticated and delightful learning environment.

Unless you are planning a trip to Sofia in the near future (which I would wholeheartedly recommend!) you can find an interactive Google walkthrough of all three floors of the Muzeiko building here: http://bit.ly/MuzeikoCM

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Paul Orselli
President and Chief Instigator
POW!

Original Message:
Sent: 02-12-2016 09:58 AM
From: Robyn Gibboney
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

The Woods exhibit in the Duke Energy Children's Museum (Cincinnati Museum Center) provides a wonderful "natural" encounter for children, including those looking for a bit of a challenge. You can check it out at Explore The Woods!

Robyn

Cincymuseum		remove preview
Explore The Woods! An adventure-based wilderness, The Woods encourages children to challenge their physical prowess and explore their imaginations. The three-story structure has hollow climbing logs, rope bridges and a horizontal climbing wall, as well as areas for discovering fossils and the animals that live in the nooks and crannies of the woods. View this on Cincymuseum >

------------------------------
Robyn Gibboney PhD
Grant Writer/Foundation Relations Manager
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
Cincinnati OH

One of the best installations I saw recently was in a public park along the riverfront in Cincinnati. There was a play ground element that  included every possible method of moving water, there were water wheels and paddles of various forms. I loved that it was such a great way to teach physics and was so physically engaging. I wished I had little kids with me.I loved that kids could engage differently with the elements as they grew older and understood more.There were so many lessons to be learned in the best way that kids learn by interacting with materials at their own pace.

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Sarah Jacobs
Artist
New York NY

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Another example of a children's gallery that's not at a children's museum is the new History Clubhouse at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, MO (opened June 2015).  This interactive space is targeted at children ages 10 and under and their families.  As a History Museum, we wanted to get kids excited about the city they grew up in, to foster learning through play, and to grow a love of history from an early age. 

It was important to us that the space had a unique and vibrant aesthetic.  It was also important to include artifacts that are creatively and thoughtfully displayed to peak the interest of young visitors.  So, for example, families can help build the Wainwright Building, one of the country's first skyscrapers, with blocks that were designed with the use of a 3D printer to look like the actual building, and kids can even create their own miniature St. Louis skyline with dozens of custom molded St. Louis buildings.  As they play, families will see bricks stamped with intricate designs (from our collection) that were made in St. Louis well over a hundred years ago. 

While they play and discover artifacts, families are surrounded by dozens of brightly painted large-scale murals that were designed just for them by local St. Louis artists.  Kids even helped one of the artists paint some of the murals.  These murals really added to the aesthetic.  Also, we tried to use as many natural or non-plastic materials as possible.  Some things were custom made from freshly chopped (and treated) lumber.

I'm attaching some pictures.  Feel free to contact lnewton@mohistory.org with any further questions. 

------------------------------
Lindsay Newton
Youth and Family Programs Manager
Missouri History Museum
St. Louis, MO

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Check out the New York Historical Society's gallery for elementary school age kids.  

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Camilla Clough
Sr. Program Producer
National Museum of American History
Washington DC

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------

Thanks everyone! I just saw a good example of what I was looking for today at the Worcester History Museum here in Massachusetts: great use of artifacts, playful interactive elements, and immersive context in a family-friendly gallery. The content and design was a collaborative effort between Boston Children's Museum and Worcester History Museum. I did not have a child with me today and still did not find the gallery to be uninviting or dumbed down. It isn't overly plastic, "playskool" or "little tykes." The first-graders who were there on a field trip were engaged and delighted as was I. Great job BCM and WHM. 

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Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA

Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2016 07:39 PM
From: Matt Kirchman
Subject: Children's Museums "sameness"

I'm seeking examples of children's museums or exhibits designed for families and young audiences that are not primary colored and made of plastic. There must be such a thing as a "sophisticated aesthetic" that is engaging, imaginative, and fun.... Yes?

Please share thoughts and ideas about this. Thanks!!

------------------------------
Matt Kirchman
Interpretive Planner / Exhibit Developer
ObjectIDEA
Salem MA
------------------------------