Cecelia:
We have used vehicles in many Children’s Museum around the country.
Greensboro Children’s Museum has several. A real jeep at the post office, a full size fire truck and police car in the transportation exhibit and Kyle petty donated his NASCAR which is also in the transportation exhibit area. Children’s Museum of Virginia has the front end of a fire
truck and the front half of a real transit bus and a 1945 vintage Harley division police motorcycle in the City portion of the museum. The Children’s Museum of Snohomish County will use an old VW bus in the science area loaded with weird experiments. Possibly another  half van in
the “On the street News” area for real-time news reporting.

Making them child proof is one thing making them child safe is another. Doors must be taken off or locked open. Rubber hold open devices still have too much movement and needs to be floor braced in the open position. Windows locked in the open position and all items not intended to
open needs to be pinned shut. All buttons knobs and the like should be glued in place. If the engine is to be open for work it needs to be steamed clean and all small removable items that can choke needs to be glued in place or removed. If it is the intention to be able to take
pieces off then adult supervision of removal and tools is a necessity. Experienced mechanics get their knuckles skinned all the time from slipping tools.
Most building codes will not allow cars or trucks to be inside an enclosed space with gas tanks, batteries and fluids in place. All need to be drained and flushed of all combustible fluids.
If kids can crawl onto the items like full size fire trucks then safety netting and fall zones need to be looked at. The underside of the vehicles can be another problem. They should be shielded so small ones can not crawl under them and get hurt.
The unfortunate thing is no matter how safe you make it someone will find out a way to get hurt and try to come after the museum. Make it as safe as you can and show “Good intent on safety” for the lawyers to get you out of problems
All were great fun, a great learning tool and you could not get the old men out of Kyle Pettys race car. You should see these old men (Like Me) trying to get through the window because the doors do not open.
.
William M. Greaves AIA, NCARB
Principal
Architects iN Design
http://www.architectsindesign.com
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1(757) 478-6489 CELL PHONE
1(757) 496-6489 FAX/PHONE

Cecelia Ottenweller wrote:

> Hello List!
>
> I have a question for the Children's Museum Crowd. Have you ever used
> the body of a real car in your exhibit area? How did you display the
> "guts" of the car's engine for kids to see, did you allow them to
> play in the car and how did you alter the frame and interior to make
> it safe? What are the measures you took to make it childproof? Also,
> how did you flush the car's bodily fluids out to make it safe?
>
> We are also looking for different ways to use the car to teach - what
> are some of the lessons you used the vehicle for?
>
> And, last but not least, how popular is the car in your space?? Any
> complaints/praises?
>
> Thank you so much!!
> Cecelia
>
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