Roberta Adams
Director of Education and Public Programs
Delaware Art Museum
2301 Kentmere Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19896
[log in to unmask]
www.delart.org
302-571-9590 ext 549
Fax 302-571-0220
>>> Leslie Brown <[log in to unmask]> Friday, June 23, 2000 10:58:21 AM >>>
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 years first time. 1 year renovation project.
2.) Was you room funded by your museum? An Outside
Source? A Grant? An individual?
>> first time, museum-funded. Renovation: Corporate funding.
3.) What was the general cost range of the whole project?
>> first time $10,000 Renovation $50,000
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?
>> first time, no. Renovation: A design team: Visual Artist, Lighting Designer, Exhibition Designer as Project Manager, Technical/AV Designer and Director of Education.
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?
>>first time, none specifically, except that the manufacturer of the foam pieces went out of business. Had to locate another vendor for the renovation. Look towards the future and the perishable qualities of the room! We posted "guidelines" for the use of the room, such as no climbing up the walls, no food or drink, etc.
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?
>> Not applicable. The whole room is the activity itself! We are adding ceiling art and a central kiosk this time around that will physically connect with different parts of the room.
7.) Is your room *High tech* or *Low tech* and what are
the benefits of each?
>> first time, very low tech. Renovation: Adding several high tech elements to complement the low tech. The major benefit if that kids will be able to talk a video image of their work on the walls, and print it on a hidden printer within a paper frame that says they made art at the Delaware Art Museum.
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?
>> We've done activities that flopped, such as kids making prints and not having a place for them to dry. But so far, no entire rooms have flopped!
P.S. Visit Winterthur Museum and Garden's Touch-It Room. It is considered one of the best, and other museum's have based their children's rooms on. Contact Beth Twiss-Garrity at [log in to unmask] Looking forward to seeing the results on line. If it's not posted, please send me a copy of the results. Many thanks!
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
[log in to unmask]
615.356.3519
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