Greetings Museum-L People-

We need your help!

The subject of hands-on children’s discovery rooms has
come up often on Museum-L.  I am interested in gathering
information concerning these ventures.  Below you will
find a * short * questionnaire that can be responded to,
 either to me or as a post to Museum-L.  The questions
deal with general issues, but below you can find a
description of my specific project.  I know by the
popularity of this subject that this will prove to
be useful information for many.

If would like to see the results of this (besides
seeing it on Museum-L and the archives), I would be
happy to send you a copy.

1.) Realistically, what was the time frame for the
whole project—from initial idea to implementation?

2.) Was you room funded by your museum?  An Outside
Source?  A Grant?  An individual?

3.) What was the general cost range of the whole project?

4.) Did you seek the help of (or did you use) an outside
designer?   If so, what were the advantages or disadvantages
of outside assistance?

5.) Do you have any specific recommendations from your
experience concerning security and/or stocking of supplies?
For example, do you have a staff member or volunteer present
at all times?

6.) I have seen many discovery rooms that use one work (or
item) as jumping off points to address larger issues.  (For
example: using a piece in your collection, such as an Andy
Warhol, to explain what POP art is.)  If this is how you
have structured your room, how, specifically, do you direct
children to the actual object?

7.) Is your room “High tech” or “Low tech” and what are
the benefits of each?

8.) Did you have an activity that looked fabulous on
paper, but was not successful in reality?  In retrospect,
what would you have done differently?

Thank you so much for your time and expertise.

Cheekwood is located in Nashville, TN and is both a museum
and a botanical garden.  We have a relatively small room in
which we would like to create 4-5 “stations” centered around
a painting from our collection, a decorative art, an outdoor
sculpture, and a garden.  We would also like to have a “make-it
take-it” table for children to do art projects.

Leslie Brown
Assistant Curator of Education
Cheekwood Museum of Art
1200 Forrest Park Drive
Nashville, TN 37205
www.cheekwood.org
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615.356.3519

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