I think we could all learn from this discussion.
Children observe things we take for granted.  They also don't always notice
what we intend them to watch.
In 1976 my family went to Washington D.C. for the nation's
bicentennial.  They had what was at that time the largest, most elaborate
fireworks display ever done.  My father later told me we kids didn't look
at the sky once, but were enthralled with making patterns with our own
sparklers.  I don't remember much of that trip, being 5 at the time but I
always remembered the elephant and giant squid at the Smithsonian Natural
History museum, and when I graduated from college I made a trip there just
to prove to myself they really existed.
We all have similar stories, and we all obviously grew to love museums.
I think when designing an exhibit, or an educational program, or a gift
shop inventory, we would do well to think about the little details we see
as peripherals.  Ropes obviously keep the kiddies from grabbing the
Gauguin, but do we think about the fact that those ropes are eye level to
said kiddies?  And how exactly does that dinosaur inflate in water?

Vincent


At 09:20 AM 9/27/2000 -0400, you wrote:
>Kids do have a short attention span but that doesn't mean that they never
>enjoy what they see.  I remember going to the Natural History museum when I
>was a kid for two reasons and two reasons only.  First, in one exhibit they
>had beads hanging from the ceiling.  When you walked through them they made
>bubbly noises and running water sounds.  I could have stayed in the beads
>all day.  However, I do not recall why they were there.  The other exhibit
>that I loved was very educational.  There was a replica of a space capsule
>that they allowed the kids to climb on.  I used to love to get inside while
>my parents explained what the astronauts did.  I am sure that hanging on the
>ropes and smearing candy on my face was also a favorite activity.  I don't
>remember but I am sure my parents do.  However, I think that that is exactly
>the point.  I don't remember all of the "bad" stuff that I did but I do
>remember the educational things.  While the beads and the space shuttle are
>what originally got me to go to the museum I remember having fun with the
>"whispering walls" and being amazed by the dinosaur bones as well.
>Saying all of this I think the person who posted this message just thought
>it would be funny.  After all, who hasn't gone to a museum and noticed a kid
>more distracted by a spider crawling on the wall than the really big one in
>the tank, or a child that is more excited about the "exapandable in water"
>dinosaur in the gift shop than the real one in the museum.  The comedienne
>who wrote this short essay was correct and I for one enjoyed the humor.

"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book.  Inside of a dog it's too
dark to read."  -Groucho Marx

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