tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-671181748441815692024-03-13T08:45:10.794-04:00What's Happening at Providence Children's MuseumA behind-the-scenes look at the interesting things Providence Children's Museum staff are thinking about, talking about and noticing every day!
The blog began in September 2008 when the Museum closed for 8 weeks to install Play Power, a major new exhibit celebrating the power of children's play, and complete extensive renovations to our historic building. Take a peek at the exciting process and see what we've been up to since then!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger471125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-77178311553878379422018-01-19T16:02:00.002-05:002018-01-19T16:07:03.809-05:00Through the Looking Glass: One students perspective from childhood to Museum staff<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">A young mother holds a child in one arm while pushing a stroller
through the exhibits in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ThinkSpace</i>, flocked
by at least three other children under the age of twelve. Looking at her
energetic, excited children and the tired smile on her face, I wonder about the
first times I visited Providence Children’s Museum. As the seventh of nine
children, did I resemble the five-year-old about to knock over the block tower
built by an older sibling? Or was I the shy three-year-old, hesitantly asking
to be let into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Littlewoods </i>while
clinging to my Mom’s hand?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Every time I volunteer at the Museum, memories flood back of my
experiences when I visited as a child. Many of the beloved exhibits that I
remember from my childhood remain at the Museum, but each with a new twist,
whether in the form of the addition of ice in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Water Ways</i> or the Fort Adams exhibit in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coming to Rhode Island</i> time tunnel. But for me, part of the twist
is the difference with which I see the exhibits: instead of looking at the
exhibits through the eyes of a child to whom everything is new, exciting, and
unfamiliar, I see Providence Children’s Museum as someone behind-the-scenes. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I am learning that there is not only magic in the Museum for the children,
but the volunteers and staff as well. By observing and creating a safe
environment for learning, I get to create some of the magic. I have the
opportunity to twist the knobs in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Water
Ways</i> and watch as a child gasps and calls to their parent as the water
reforms with each twist. I can observe and engage with children as they
discover learning on their own or follow the example set by others. As a Play
Guide, I also keep the learning environment safe and inviting, as I squeegee
the puddled floor in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Water Ways</i> or set
up blocks in a welcoming, but tidy manner in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ThinkSpace</i>.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Looking back at both my childhood experiences at the Museum, as
well as the young mother and her energetic children visiting now, I recognize
one of the unique qualities of Providence Children’s Museum: it does not matter
if the children visiting are exuberant five-year-olds, or quiet, reserved three-year-olds,
the Museum has something for every child. And volunteering has taught me that
all the fun children have while visiting Providence Children’s Museum is made
possible by the hard work of the volunteers and staff. Because of their effort
and research, the Museum is a welcoming, vibrant place. I have also learned
that the exploration and experimentation of learning does not have to end after
childhood. There are so many varieties of different learning styles I am
learning to recognize, and I discover something new in the exhibits with every
volunteer shift.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 200%;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Written by Play Guide and current student of the University of Rhode Island, Abigail Clarkin.</span></span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrBDo9tEXi7t4Y6brLHW7uVUJv5G3Rz5cWJa5ngkS4VT8XW37tUQgaGH9Nd06LRX70G4KZJXUwPqhfDvw4veeNKVb7ZQgtDm5BkTshWVs0PkHyWWXB8AjW_LatmVyvpCTQWigYEBwokI/s1600/Scan_20171212+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1039" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrBDo9tEXi7t4Y6brLHW7uVUJv5G3Rz5cWJa5ngkS4VT8XW37tUQgaGH9Nd06LRX70G4KZJXUwPqhfDvw4veeNKVb7ZQgtDm5BkTshWVs0PkHyWWXB8AjW_LatmVyvpCTQWigYEBwokI/s320/Scan_20171212+%25282%2529.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Abigail guides Antonio Cohelo's ship, the <i>Nellie May</i>, in the <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> Time Tunnel.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ixEV1ZcIZehwkaYRYmZhJC7h3N1RQ0WBbZdyGonaHyllvOlvwtn-dggCpi4yyXqvfKs82t8WoiDEbkc8y-khqeoo7UD0o8MJXvG4WTVaRH47li2UfXQ4-y78tIC65uRPSXlSqhHuARc/s1600/Scan_20171212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ixEV1ZcIZehwkaYRYmZhJC7h3N1RQ0WBbZdyGonaHyllvOlvwtn-dggCpi4yyXqvfKs82t8WoiDEbkc8y-khqeoo7UD0o8MJXvG4WTVaRH47li2UfXQ4-y78tIC65uRPSXlSqhHuARc/s320/Scan_20171212.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Abigail plays in the <i>IWay</i> exhibit, opened in November of 2006.</span></span> </span></span></div>
Providence Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06103583025390385503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-78727602742905287832017-11-16T14:07:00.003-05:002017-11-16T14:12:23.758-05:00New Children's Theater Plays to Debut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Providence Children’s Museum
holds its premiere weekend of two children’s theater pieces, “Lost & Found”
and “That’s My Ball”, written by community contracted Playwrights and debuting
on Friday, November 17, 2017 during our “MetLife Family Friday- Free at Five” from
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM. “That’s My Ball” premieres at 6:00 PM and “Lost & Found”
at 7:00 PM. The Museum is open free to the public from 5:00 – 8:00 PM. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The new children’s theater
pieces will continue to be performed on an alternating schedule on both
Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19, 2017 with four performances each
day at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM. These newly commissioned
performances serve as an extension of the important messages incorporated in
the Museum’s exhibit, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coming to Rhode
Island, </i>which explores history, culture, and the importance of fostering
respect for the diversity of individuals who make up our world. These exciting
theater pieces have been made possible with support from Hasbro’s Children’s
Fund and Nancy Smith Worthen in memory of Margaret L. Worthen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Currently, the Museum alternates between two plays: "After the Beanstalk" and "No Time to Waste". "After the Beanstalk" was created by the 2012 - 2013 MuseumCorps team shortly after the Museum's exhibit, <i>ThinkSpace</i>, had opened. The play was created to emulate spatial thinking strategies for children and it was our first theater piece created by Museum staff. MuseumCorps member, Francesca Montanile, detailed the play in a previous blog post:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"The 20-minute performance tells the story of Jack, who is kidnapped and taken to Cloud Town after breaking the Giant's crown. His sister Jill enlists the audience to help rescue him. In Cloud Town, they tackle a series of spatial thinking challenges to escape. In the end, they must meet the Giant face to face!... The play is a joy to perform because the energy kids create is infectious. Their tendencies to speak aloud, get the 'wiggles', and experience the story in real time might be a challenge in a conventional theater setting but become assets as they transform into our play's heroes."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VvW-HqsqNId23J-YwWLV48PaN4Oiem4gXGE5sM18vOdey4tN19pqevRqpkQz5ZXa-pCxsUnd3QdsPPNTBUwn5bChXCZc4HAKoDAGAvQsJe2fQIciqQAqSKhTrZimlA5I0GN19EJ52Sc/s1600/AftertheBeanstalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="384" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VvW-HqsqNId23J-YwWLV48PaN4Oiem4gXGE5sM18vOdey4tN19pqevRqpkQz5ZXa-pCxsUnd3QdsPPNTBUwn5bChXCZc4HAKoDAGAvQsJe2fQIciqQAqSKhTrZimlA5I0GN19EJ52Sc/s320/AftertheBeanstalk.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">2012 - 2013 MuseumCorps members Francesca Montanile (left) and Jack Read (right) perform their <i>ThinkSpace</i>-inspired children's theater piece "After the Beanstalk".</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Museum's first children's theater play, "No Time to Waste" was created by a community theater group, City Stage Company. It was introduced to Museum guests in 2002 to accompany a recycling-themed exhibit that used to exist where<i> Iway </i>is currently located. Since then, it has been performed regularly by Museum staff, MuseumCorps members, and several local actors, including Bill Oakes, whom was originally involved in its inception. Due to the important messages of recycling and reusing that are so prevalent in "No Time to Waste", the Museum continues its performance even though the exhibit responsible for its inspiration is no longer here.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZH5qgyg-OuyPTKYGBWKf_l74f20MRQKClEK15mPdySeups3gv2zSPDYJYsVXxPT0ICVYSUtpyKqB0Sx-1W3eBuFju9porY36zMw7A7RIw9z5XxgInwKNI0tKnfRAgBIkW29p1hsCIq8/s1600/23698412_10211599555717273_97469836_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1334" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZH5qgyg-OuyPTKYGBWKf_l74f20MRQKClEK15mPdySeups3gv2zSPDYJYsVXxPT0ICVYSUtpyKqB0Sx-1W3eBuFju9porY36zMw7A7RIw9z5XxgInwKNI0tKnfRAgBIkW29p1hsCIq8/s320/23698412_10211599555717273_97469836_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2016 - 2017 MuseumCorps members James McWilliams (left) and Jordan Lome (right) perform the Museum's oldest play "No Time to Waste".</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In August 2017, Providence
Children’s Museum presented the opportunity to playwrights in the community to
develop one children’s theater piece focused on empathy and respect for others.
Upon review, two theater scripts stood out amidst the many submissions due to
their powerful messages and ability to speak to preschool or school-age
audiences. </span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Children’s Museum’s very own Kate Lester was selected and her
playful and thoughtful theater piece, “That’s My Ball”, explores concepts
of sharing and inclusivity appropriate for children 3 to 5 years of age.
Kate Lester is currently a Providence Children’s Museum Experience Coordinator
as well as a professional actor, director and playwright. She is also a
member of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Talk Works,</i> an
anti-bullying ensemble that tours RI for school performances. </span></li>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul Taylor, the <span style="color: black;">Traveling Science Show
and Community Outreach Manager</span> at the Franklin Institute in
Philadelphia, PA has developed “Lost & Found”, a play that dialogues
concepts of self-discovery and empathic intelligence relatable to children
of 5 to 7 years of age. Paul Taylor has written and performed in shows for
museums and zoos, bringing the work and concepts of scientists to life.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_GowMGneHpQyG-rCpojTPjcqbfLjqetmsTA-PReIwePNb76YQ9_4vKmIoGySIsWr6Ollp3QuB_YwQabxfJZJpY0sYTTY_RV0qFrqtSxlk562eyoxykoMq-msUg6JZ0KmOgkyi_LqB7Q/s1600/Empathy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="576" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_GowMGneHpQyG-rCpojTPjcqbfLjqetmsTA-PReIwePNb76YQ9_4vKmIoGySIsWr6Ollp3QuB_YwQabxfJZJpY0sYTTY_RV0qFrqtSxlk562eyoxykoMq-msUg6JZ0KmOgkyi_LqB7Q/s320/Empathy2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Top: Bank of America volunteers pose next to the backdrop they helped craft for the Museum's newest children's theater plays. Bottom: Contracted Playwright's, Paul Taylor (left) and Kate Lester (right) discuss content with 2017 - 2018 MuseumCorps member Mariel Mastrostefano.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">For questions and more information on programming and performances
visit <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/calendar.asp">http://www.childrenmuseum.org/calendar.asp</a>,
call (401) 273-5437 ext. 234 or contact <a href="mailto:Clarke@ChildrenMuseum.org">Info@ChildrenMuseum.org</a>. </span></div>
Providence Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06103583025390385503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-6340096671096142302017-08-01T11:07:00.000-04:002017-08-01T11:07:16.542-04:00Volunteer Week, April 9-14, 2017<style>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">On
any given day at the Providence Children’s Museum, you</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">will find</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">many</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">volunteers
contributing to its mission in many different ways. They welcome visitors at
the Admissions</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Desk,
they assist the Development department with fundraising, they create materials</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">for Education</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">programs, and of
course, they support kids’ play. In many cases, visitors’ fond memories of the
Museum are due to interactions with these volunteers. </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">PCM
celebrated its many volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week,
April 9-14, 2017.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Museum
staff treated our volunteers to sweet and savory snacks in the kitchen and
seven volunteers won gift cards in our daily prize drawings. Volunteers were
invited to dress up in themed costumes each day for Spirit Week, and some went
all out: Nelly Gonzalez rocked our world with</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">her 80’s attire on
Decade Day!</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">At
the Annual Meeting on April 12, the Museum honored</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Allyson</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="spellingerror"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Chrupcala</span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">,
Kerri Cronin, Dave Graff, Julio Lopez, Mayra Mendoza, and Michelle Rivera</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">with Volunteer
Excellence Awards. These outstanding volunteers</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">have consistently
gone above and beyond in their service to our visitors.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">They exemplify the
dedication displayed by</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">all
of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">our
volunteers, who</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">have</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">collectively served</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">11,484</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">hours in 2016 and
3,561 so far in 2017!</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">All
of this time and effort freely given by our volunteers is a major reason why</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">we are the most
visited museum in Providence and the second most visited museum in Rhode
Island.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
next time you visit,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">thank
a volunteer!</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">In
the words of our Annual Meeting special guest Tim Gunn, volunteers “make it
work!” </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">(And
by “it,” we mean the Providence Children’s Museum!)</span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Ariana
Dickie greets our guests with a warm smile.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Allyson</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="spellingerror"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Chrupcala</span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">,
Julio Lopez, and Mayra Mendoza receive their awards. </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Allyson
and Mayra pose with special guest Tim Gunn of Project Runway!</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Development
Intern Mackenzie Griffin talks with</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">a guest.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Our
volunteers are versatile! Play Guides Lila Mitchell and Megan</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Haugh</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">man the bar during the
Annual Meeting.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhNJNvQpsx-IiOKbrkjf3dPE2woz4tuYLnRdqSLIDItEQ56iOKlyoggG4mnxifDWLWHtSHEKv3ySxUemevOt0V4MMkmdoa8ZA-w6p5kE_5Bki7_PhPdz9FjHsXsPX2Wt_x-ZqHSfy0rg/s1600/oeil-photography-174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhNJNvQpsx-IiOKbrkjf3dPE2woz4tuYLnRdqSLIDItEQ56iOKlyoggG4mnxifDWLWHtSHEKv3ySxUemevOt0V4MMkmdoa8ZA-w6p5kE_5Bki7_PhPdz9FjHsXsPX2Wt_x-ZqHSfy0rg/s320/oeil-photography-174.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Photo
Credit to</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Oeil</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span class="spellingerror"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Phography</span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">. </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt;"></span></div>
Providence Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06103583025390385503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-6479315887808890622017-07-28T14:49:00.002-04:002017-07-28T14:49:41.608-04:00Annual Meeting, April 12, 2017<style>
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As part of the 40<sup>th</sup> year celebration, Providence
Children’s Museum invited special guest Tim Gunn to speak about creativity at
the Annual Meeting on April 12.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5q38OIK8yhbkvpwxUdb3UARdSvhXd5Q1SNHN7c0VGO-5MsRTSo7Fu4XObLKSOmFGv_sEuKrPADWKBJQIU11kYOq-xCokoHnxxoIguZIfnO2Aqi9kMQKIiO_R9GIj8Zl5y1EXXkkO1dc/s1600/oeil-photography-201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5q38OIK8yhbkvpwxUdb3UARdSvhXd5Q1SNHN7c0VGO-5MsRTSo7Fu4XObLKSOmFGv_sEuKrPADWKBJQIU11kYOq-xCokoHnxxoIguZIfnO2Aqi9kMQKIiO_R9GIj8Zl5y1EXXkkO1dc/s320/oeil-photography-201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Earlier in the day, Tim Gunn had mentored a group of
students from Highlander Academy in Providence in a fashion design exercise
using newspaper and other craft materials. The students worked in teams to
create outfits inspired by the Museum’s exhibits.<br />
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Tim Gunn is best known for his role as mentor on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Project Runway</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Project Runway Jr. </i>and children might recognize his voice as that
of Baileywick on Disney Junior’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sofia
the First</i>. Before that, he served as faculty and Chair of Fashion Design at
Parsons School of Design and as Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne. </div>
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After presenting awards to Museum volunteers and voting to
elect new Board Members, Providence Children’s Museum Executive Director
Caroline Payson, who has been a personal friend of Mr. Gunn for 30 years,
facilitated a conversation with him in front of an audience of almost 200. They
opened the discussion by acknowledging creativity as “a muscle, not a muse,”
where you can build your confidence and get better at it, especially at a place
like the Museum.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL3TJoIMSg1TJq61Z5Jj37vCP7-ZOaPKXyK1XZcTzYBP4ucj3B_zG0DhKEVDFrKzrVrAi9Q27Pg_-ywJiol1vNaTX7gctBxn-W7BDbq7S3QG7hkgaWH9k-D__TSaykrFBB2V6cQXqaOI/s1600/oeil-photography-203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL3TJoIMSg1TJq61Z5Jj37vCP7-ZOaPKXyK1XZcTzYBP4ucj3B_zG0DhKEVDFrKzrVrAi9Q27Pg_-ywJiol1vNaTX7gctBxn-W7BDbq7S3QG7hkgaWH9k-D__TSaykrFBB2V6cQXqaOI/s320/oeil-photography-203.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Mr. Gunn described the creative act as “life-saving” in his
own childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A self-described book
worm, he studied classical piano for twelve years and his love of Legos led him
to begin his studies in architecture. He loved that there was no “answer in the
back of the book,” instead exploring what was inside and how to draw it out.
This led him to appreciate discipline, quality, and work that is conceptually
solid, which has been the foundation of his entire career.</div>
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Several times in the conversation, Mr. Gunn described how
inspired he has been when working with young people. Not only has he been
impressed by the quality of the work they have produced, such as during the
fencing challenge on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Project Runway Jr</i>,
but he admires the passion he sees young people exhibit and their “unerring
commitment to technique.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
unnecessarily worried that young people would be discouraged by an honest
critique and by the show’s framework which requires an elimination at the end
of each episode. Instead, the participants were eager for useful feedback and exhibited
extensive confidence and poise.</div>
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During the question-and-answer portion of the conversation,
one 18-year-old aspiring fashion designer asked for advice for those just
starting out. “You need to find a point of view,” said Mr. Gunn. “Know who you
are.” Then, referencing an earlier point about the importance of remaining
relevant, he added, “and know what’s going on in the world.” When answering a
question from a parent wanting to encourage creativity in children, he
suggested providing sincere encouragement. “Ask, ‘what do you want to do? What
makes you excited? What makes you want to leap up and train to do something?’"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqOvm2MOItX74BPZzuzIq7lMHGxASXrfEr10618i-sfsXY3bJ5dBr2eiPsqBss83iWna1bHHFlihleLk32DuDJayIxPratoe0hZthS5oaKNbGqKKHQ4M96j0XEXQdVjxhpCeABVTGgOY/s1600/oeil-photography-234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqOvm2MOItX74BPZzuzIq7lMHGxASXrfEr10618i-sfsXY3bJ5dBr2eiPsqBss83iWna1bHHFlihleLk32DuDJayIxPratoe0hZthS5oaKNbGqKKHQ4M96j0XEXQdVjxhpCeABVTGgOY/s320/oeil-photography-234.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mr. Gunn stressed the importance of places like the
Children’s Museum that help young people discover these future passions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the Annual Meeting attendees were
specifically interested in fashion design, some were more generally interested
in creativity, and some came specifically to celebrate the Museum, but everyone
left that evening having been truly inspired.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdVJuNPjQtvG5NTLDBOsfdoP7RvDF1Eu3liuGOUrNoMDijLeWAoNMkyggZnOO4wBcg9IUj2Whk_7-v0rudF8cgZ7OgsfItCkRJn0eHlustR9TaKv5d7EPLXOZOJRSkehfKDRbKv7AUi0/s1600/oeil-photography-238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdVJuNPjQtvG5NTLDBOsfdoP7RvDF1Eu3liuGOUrNoMDijLeWAoNMkyggZnOO4wBcg9IUj2Whk_7-v0rudF8cgZ7OgsfItCkRJn0eHlustR9TaKv5d7EPLXOZOJRSkehfKDRbKv7AUi0/s320/oeil-photography-238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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To watch the video of the entire conversation with Tim Gunn,
check the Museum’s Facebook page. </div>
Providence Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06103583025390385503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-22364392602711701712017-02-03T14:54:00.001-05:002017-02-03T14:54:12.576-05:00On DisplayThe “geometry gallery” in our <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/ThinkSpace.asp" target="_blank"><i>ThinkSpace</i></a> exhibit features changing displays of natural and handcrafted objects that provide strong visual representations of spatial thinking, which is fundamental to innovation and scientific creativity.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIrPKB0geqTqU_0TijijFrrxoMy9d0Oe6Djr41rKAUvN1Zk26rBrpGpy6vCPDFiIzfp0knZFn9pzWSs_MLgdkp4BDCkzhm2WAUyhJ1qYlyfO-53GcGlUx0RLzolwLjkt3D9UHBs8d6g/s1600/Install.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIrPKB0geqTqU_0TijijFrrxoMy9d0Oe6Djr41rKAUvN1Zk26rBrpGpy6vCPDFiIzfp0knZFn9pzWSs_MLgdkp4BDCkzhm2WAUyhJ1qYlyfO-53GcGlUx0RLzolwLjkt3D9UHBs8d6g/s640/Install.jpg" width="550" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhibit Developer Jessica Neuwirth installs the new case.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Discover the newest installation, 3D models and 2D tessellation patterns from the Arthur Loeb Design Science Teaching Collection at the <a href="http://naturelab.risd.edu/" target="_blank">RISD Nature Lab</a>. These materials are used as teaching tools to illustrate some of the principles of pattern, symmetry and structure found in nature and the built environment.<br />
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Many thanks to our colleagues at the RISD Nature Lab for loaning these objects, which will be on display through June.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-28987101593246144192017-01-31T15:20:00.000-05:002017-02-13T10:01:00.504-05:002016 – A Record Year!<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Did you know that in 2016, Providence Children’s Museum:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYrSE4FKyJ3ok9r2bq446tVCO2VmDD9i5nzsbfSUNAumyLm5Mg479_iGbnfxgwaxZ5_kqkpBWH34RPNJER6PYOC_RyekGIPTk6NJNnyBi7kj4LgrVpvkHe8NlVX905h2KMSAkKsRyUg/s1600/TS+Block+Tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYrSE4FKyJ3ok9r2bq446tVCO2VmDD9i5nzsbfSUNAumyLm5Mg479_iGbnfxgwaxZ5_kqkpBWH34RPNJER6PYOC_RyekGIPTk6NJNnyBi7kj4LgrVpvkHe8NlVX905h2KMSAkKsRyUg/s320/TS+Block+Tower.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Welcomed a record <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>168,270</b></span> onsite visits, <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>30%</b></span> free of charge. </li>
<li>Brought engaging hands-on activities to <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>1,100</b></span> Head Start preschoolers and <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>250</b></span> school-age kids through after-school and summer programs at inner-city community centers, as part of its <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/americorps.asp" target="_blank">AmeriCorps</a> program. </li>
<li>Hosted over <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>1,400</b></span> low-income children and their family members at free Museum family nights. </li>
<li>Conducted therapeutic visits for <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>438</b></span> children and parents in <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>152</b></span> court-separated families, as part of the <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/familiestogether.asp" target="_blank">Families Together</a> program. </li>
<li>Provided nearly <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>400</b></span> charitable memberships to low-income families. </li>
<li>Engaged over <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>1,800</b></span> visitors with research by the Museum's academic collaborators in its <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/MindLab.asp" target="_blank">Mind Lab</a>. </li>
<li>Welcomed <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>9,492</b></span> members in <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>2,077</b></span> families. </li>
<li>And MUCH more!
</li>
</ul>
<br />
All told, <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>46%</b></span> of the Museum’s 2016 operating budget supported services for <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/commService.asp" target="_blank">children and families in need</a>.
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Thank YOU for making this important work possible!
</b></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-91845223572752208002017-01-01T08:35:00.000-05:002017-01-09T13:30:00.122-05:00Happy...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg3Bz4dZhpy6FX93a3L-zDtf61pjbiNyMJhzT72VAok_RTho5awkkqH8hR6SHRu7Telt2NNNIWydf_o7OVXXJ1olJ9h9dIk-zZ4nOek4APGootmoaXqAS8FJnVMd9QlhyphenhyphenW-T0dGaxVA/s1600/2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg3Bz4dZhpy6FX93a3L-zDtf61pjbiNyMJhzT72VAok_RTho5awkkqH8hR6SHRu7Telt2NNNIWydf_o7OVXXJ1olJ9h9dIk-zZ4nOek4APGootmoaXqAS8FJnVMd9QlhyphenhyphenW-T0dGaxVA/s640/2017.jpg" width="600" /></a><b style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px; text-align: center;"> </b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px; text-align: center;">Wishing you a wonderfully <span style="color: #cc0000;">P<span style="color: #3d85c6;">L</span></span><span style="color: purple;">A</span><span style="color: #38761d;">Y-</span>filled and inspiring new year!</b></div>
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<br />
Can you identify where in the Museum you can find each of these images?
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-54659969635663395462016-12-30T15:10:00.000-05:002017-01-09T13:12:44.722-05:00Fostering Empathy Through Pretend Play<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>By Suzy Letourneau (Research & Evaluation Specialist) and Robin Meisner (Director of Exhibits)</i></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzx5Gcc_C7nC3dmRuHhgBeKb96vDl0bhpW8mmBIeDYGC7TN-8GwqTyciDVlyXpKsnc51jimDNyYw2xo4OpBVfUOC9j20GfLB5ktpmJjCWxuJA2vf2ZTevgJ5WlvhxKAIjLWF5jzIhopg/s1600/CTRI1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzx5Gcc_C7nC3dmRuHhgBeKb96vDl0bhpW8mmBIeDYGC7TN-8GwqTyciDVlyXpKsnc51jimDNyYw2xo4OpBVfUOC9j20GfLB5ktpmJjCWxuJA2vf2ZTevgJ5WlvhxKAIjLWF5jzIhopg/s200/CTRI1.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
The Museum’s recently reinvented <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Rhode Island</i></a> exhibit explores history through four story galleries – an English colonist’s farmhouse (1640), the new Fort Adams worksite (1835), a Cape Verdean packet ship (1892) and a Dominican bodega (1961). The exhibit uses these stories to build empathy and foster respect for the diversity of individuals who make up the world. Empathy is the ability to sense, understand and share other people’s emotions, and it allows individuals to take others’ perspectives, communicate and collaborate.
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Children develop social and emotional skills like empathy as they begin to understand their own identities and appreciate differences between themselves and others, and research shows that pretending is a natural avenue for this development. In <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>, children engage with each story through pretend play, allowing them to practice social and emotional skills in developmentally meaningful ways.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdKm9Mo6xU09DKt2RSJ3kly4zIW1_vD_MY62xSe9ozyL-HGRqM-EhSVaqfepmAQmTANg5xWzcPM4iGakMeFaNut8R7Z8gY1WCYXCedJ1NW5DEG4CBY4kzIUCFaSs4rGYH2r_034XIGA/s1600/CTRI2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdKm9Mo6xU09DKt2RSJ3kly4zIW1_vD_MY62xSe9ozyL-HGRqM-EhSVaqfepmAQmTANg5xWzcPM4iGakMeFaNut8R7Z8gY1WCYXCedJ1NW5DEG4CBY4kzIUCFaSs4rGYH2r_034XIGA/s640/CTRI2.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Toddlers</b></span> (and even infants) start to notice and react to others’ emotions, a foundation of empathy. They also start pretending in simple ways and playing in parallel with other children, setting the stage for social skills and later forms of pretending. In the exhibit, a toddler might offer fake food to someone who says they are hungry or share with another child while playing side by side.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Children ages 3 to 5</b></span> begin to engage in more complex forms of pretend play, from wearing a costume or using props to creating stories with different roles. Children in <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> might pretend to cook in a kitchen, build a fort or sail a ship. When pretending together, they talk about their ideas and decide how a story should unfold. In the process, kids learn that other people might not think and feel the same things they do, and they practice seeing other’s points of view and learn to work through conflicts.
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Children ages 5 to 7</b></span> start to understand similarities and differences between themselves and others, and can take many different perspectives. When playing together, they create elaborate stories and practice empathy by imagining what others might feel in different situations. In the exhibit, kids might take on roles that are very different from their own lives. They might think about what life was like for the people whose stories appear in the galleries, and they recognize differences between their own lives and those who lived in the past.
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Children ages 7 to 11</b></span> begin to recognize that different people might have different interpretations of the same situation, and that multiple perspectives can be equally valid. They also start to understand that people’s feelings are influenced by what others think and how others act towards them, helping them develop deeper empathy for others. In <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>, older kids might reflect on how other’s previous experiences shaped the decisions they made and their perceptions of the world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gWbeFezbChgDP3lYePKePN5igsqA4ol0_srnQfxJ37_-WRT3X5r7dMNLoMAR7YkhGIGuuaT6Qec06DbT6fRdb5XWgblXVZl3PKOYcehSCKiSBni4oPUct0T68eYrUPFd5A98YpfhcQ/s1600/CTRI3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gWbeFezbChgDP3lYePKePN5igsqA4ol0_srnQfxJ37_-WRT3X5r7dMNLoMAR7YkhGIGuuaT6Qec06DbT6fRdb5XWgblXVZl3PKOYcehSCKiSBni4oPUct0T68eYrUPFd5A98YpfhcQ/s640/CTRI3.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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While children begin developing empathy and perspective-taking very early on, these skills continue to grow throughout their entire lives. In <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>, <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>older children and adults</b></span> might question stereotypes and challenge assumptions, and appreciate the diversity represented in our community.
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<i><b><a href="http://providencechildrensmuseum.blogspot.com/search/label/Coming%20to%20Rhode%20Island" target="_blank">Click here</a></b> to learn more about Coming to Rhode Island and get a peek at the process of creating the exhibit.
</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-83740746778098433292016-12-28T17:16:00.000-05:002016-12-29T19:17:13.684-05:00Coming to Rhode Island ArtOne of the Museum's core values and defining features is the quality and beauty of its learning environments. To enrich visitors’ experience and inspire creative exploration, the new <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> spaces incorporate the work of these additional outside artists:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4vgGsnO0cxM-lP1_xQD1l9KpC_EFCs5FXhnQa7R9z-X8Si-qnx4PkWjkXMtvInc6Didc6kBxjaPzMXjJA0e_Y1LBZXhZwPVQfLhv8C1IrKzohVsVz7NW5G5PahaKTVo6ZNAAPpC1TQ/s1600/Foglia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4vgGsnO0cxM-lP1_xQD1l9KpC_EFCs5FXhnQa7R9z-X8Si-qnx4PkWjkXMtvInc6Didc6kBxjaPzMXjJA0e_Y1LBZXhZwPVQfLhv8C1IrKzohVsVz7NW5G5PahaKTVo6ZNAAPpC1TQ/s200/Foglia.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<li>The photographs on the walls of the Story Center at the end of the time tunnel are by Brown University graduate <a href="http://lucasfoglia.com/" target="_blank"><b>Lucas Foglia</b></a>, who lives in San Francisco and whose work has been widely exhibited in the United States, Europe and Asia. All of the photographs were taken in Rhode Island, many at Southside Community Land Trust’s gardens, and strikingly showcase the state’s diversity.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsEguCeogy9ZV730wmi1W8J11fGAOELQ7Kma_yWPFDtQmIkPotnV1OyLXQ0B94bqckPwWux12h_fTopSm9dwArpkbeUKpH4DC3qJM8KEjuB_eNfNbGhQYIOJj7HkO0NU7yHLuSu1TQA/s1600/Lejeune.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsEguCeogy9ZV730wmi1W8J11fGAOELQ7Kma_yWPFDtQmIkPotnV1OyLXQ0B94bqckPwWux12h_fTopSm9dwArpkbeUKpH4DC3qJM8KEjuB_eNfNbGhQYIOJj7HkO0NU7yHLuSu1TQA/s200/Lejeune.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<li>The intriguing interactive installation in the Story Center resulted from a collaboration with Pawtucket-based French artist <a href="http://www.tiil.us/" target="_blank"><b>Philippe Lejeune</b></a>. The sculpture’s reflective surfaces challenge perception and encourage exploration of how something looks from a different and unexpected perspective – a fundamental skill for understanding and engaging with people from different cultures. The installation is part of a larger body of Philippe’s work, called The Glass Project, a group of pieces which are “experiments in transforming the way we see.” </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS8GZyQGCKUm7sM529fkQVJMzg9Bd3bnnH0q9d2zokvyyo-1DXpOUVbe2_ufI6c8_vh7_yhRdf5OMVGrqYPraL4jfPnxxFOOIanuZ9cdkC2RPnxxM3EzmHvoAJAHIYyJvcOBsOmFVhw/s1600/Wicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS8GZyQGCKUm7sM529fkQVJMzg9Bd3bnnH0q9d2zokvyyo-1DXpOUVbe2_ufI6c8_vh7_yhRdf5OMVGrqYPraL4jfPnxxFOOIanuZ9cdkC2RPnxxM3EzmHvoAJAHIYyJvcOBsOmFVhw/s200/Wicks.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<li>The illustrations of John Quigley’s descendant and his brother and him leaving Ireland were drawn by illustrator and former Museum AmeriCorps member <a href="http://www.mariswicks.com/" target="_blank"><b>Maris Wicks</b></a>, whose work can be seen in each of the <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> galleries. To create the illustrations, Maris worked from photographs of John Quigley’s fourth great granddaughter, Margo, and historic images of his hometown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.
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<a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/art.asp" target="_blank">Click here</a> to learn about other Museum art works.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-70649186528282139312016-12-05T14:08:00.000-05:002016-12-29T19:17:05.800-05:00Making the Coming to RI Murals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvx1Lxb8zZqwh0ktP-vLkL4L8BaZA-LGnu-T47Gw87N7g3NyAeM_K3KLsysovC7uGP1unv-ZTTrwdiOwyQuZQLSzJzMJBkEEHN2kvBcKiYLwz7Cn-Df-UY8rRy4bxSTK8cG60m69coQ/s1600/Gallery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img 0="" border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvx1Lxb8zZqwh0ktP-vLkL4L8BaZA-LGnu-T47Gw87N7g3NyAeM_K3KLsysovC7uGP1unv-ZTTrwdiOwyQuZQLSzJzMJBkEEHN2kvBcKiYLwz7Cn-Df-UY8rRy4bxSTK8cG60m69coQ/s320/Gallery.JPG" /></a></div>
One of the Museum's core values and defining features is the quality and beauty of its learning environments. Throughout its history, the Museum has made a strong commitment to art, commissioning or accepting donations of work from artists – many of them local – to include in exhibits and public spaces. To enrich visitors’ experience and inspire creative exploration, the new <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> spaces incorporate the work of several outside artists.
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The murals and historic figure in the new Fort Adams gallery were painted by Rhode Island artist <a href="http://bartlettfineart.com/" target="_blank"><b>Harley Bartlett</b></a>, who is influenced by the late 19th and early 20th century American realist painters and whose work can also be seen in the <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> Dominican gallery, Fefa’s Market.
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Commissioned to depict the people, landscape and seascape at Fort Adams in the early 1800s, the murals extend many of the exhibit’s physical elements to show the Fort’s scale and surroundings. To create the murals, Harley…<br />
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<li>Visited Fort Adams with the Museum’s exhibits team and Fort staff to select appropriate views to depict in his paintings. </li>
<li>Blended photographs and historic images to create period appropriate concept drawings, and projected these images onto the walls of the Museum’s Fort to figure out scale and placement of objects. </li>
<li>Painted the murals on large pieces of canvas in his studio in Cranston, RI. </li>
<li>Installed the murals onto the Museum’s walls, making adjustments and adding finishing touches once the murals were in place.
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</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fiVVjFvLxhM_WSosq9rHWE301gKdmtMdTuQD-WCKy-PXi39X0pqpAuP7YyNp6SGZhP-snx5du0IXSolWetmhZTtxkkGvvi_RmbqPAF3CqRYpsz1vFVOBAYUd_Lc6SRJhfiINfCrc0w/s1600/Projection.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fiVVjFvLxhM_WSosq9rHWE301gKdmtMdTuQD-WCKy-PXi39X0pqpAuP7YyNp6SGZhP-snx5du0IXSolWetmhZTtxkkGvvi_RmbqPAF3CqRYpsz1vFVOBAYUd_Lc6SRJhfiINfCrc0w/s1600/Projection.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Projecting a concept image based on historic images onto the gallery's walls.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Gzo2rcRuLgphX-34hNtmBm_QdCOiokqOad4SxWpwD5bKklkNJFKDPtLgYxw6iUDE3Iirvq8N45vf7PM3fF4sSrRoW4Ej-4Quzr9eO7zXV5AZkzy6Kfiosx3YvQXamBaN5qRfa1Uw9g/s1600/Projection+%2526+Mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Gzo2rcRuLgphX-34hNtmBm_QdCOiokqOad4SxWpwD5bKklkNJFKDPtLgYxw6iUDE3Iirvq8N45vf7PM3fF4sSrRoW4Ej-4Quzr9eO7zXV5AZkzy6Kfiosx3YvQXamBaN5qRfa1Uw9g/s1600/Projection+%2526+Mural.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Harley's projected concept drawings, paired with the subsequent mural in progress.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1_k1krSa4NVh1g8mL8AA8H3V-dWe4yeizgmb5P8NsWviLinZSOUinuvv753_FSp7F8OJBkZrWNLMn5tUju4MmqiEGPWheVcrArNLGQglzCG4rj-stpJRtMHN-8B5JqZxSZb_8aE8OQ/s1600/Installation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1_k1krSa4NVh1g8mL8AA8H3V-dWe4yeizgmb5P8NsWviLinZSOUinuvv753_FSp7F8OJBkZrWNLMn5tUju4MmqiEGPWheVcrArNLGQglzCG4rj-stpJRtMHN-8B5JqZxSZb_8aE8OQ/s1600/Installation.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural installation!</td></tr>
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The murals add vibrancy and depth to the Fort and surrounding environment, helping to create an immersive space that inspires visitors' imaginative pretend play.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-43383876856444864152016-11-18T10:13:00.001-05:002016-11-18T19:22:22.385-05:00Coming to Rhode Island is NOW OPEN!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="blank" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dk0WVOz_qjPU-4SaLbArJU8IgQOo-YEYbW84CtIHDoJlLYRd-v-KtG1Nlmo98fMU5pWMcvgUyNitvpaFK8ttWgCm-30aDHxpE8RNXx-OgcNGRC3yjwQU4GM3-rERT043QeurXjxv8Q/s1600/CTRI-NowOpen.jpg" /></a></div>
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Last night, we celebrated the opening of our imaginatively updated <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Rhode Island</i></a> exhibit with a playful party for 150-plus members, supporters, partners and other friends. The dynamic environment, which offers an interactive, time-traveling exploration of history and culture through stories, was received with rave reviews!
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For hundreds of years and continuing today, people have come from all over the world to what is now Rhode Island – whether voluntarily, coerced or forced – and everyone has stories about where their families are from and how and why they came. <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> shares real stories of real people who have immigrated to our state – how they lived, what they left behind, the challenges they met, the solutions they found – and is designed to encourage respect for diversity and build empathy for others by making personal connections to their stories.
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Pretend play is one of the major ways that children of all ages explore stories in <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>, and is an important means of engaging with history and culture. Research also shows that pretend play is closely related to <a href="http://providencechildrensmuseum.blogspot.com/2016/11/encouraging-empathy.html">developing empathy</a> and abilities for problem solving, taking different perspectives, and relating to others – skills which develop with time and practice through early childhood and into adulthood.
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<span style="color: #008887;"><b>Take a look at some scenes from the opening event and several of the exhibit’s components:</b></span>
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Upon opening <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>, kids immediately flocked to our partial replica of Fort Adams, scrambling onto the deck and constructing a wall of foam bricks!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_RAv0Kzhlwp6w1LKsieFO2EkZWTODp0VC8Ay_UebPa9_ueVlbT_0X_Ebcz1qj3JVk9buX4axI2bRHLPNcjNIPDIVFU6Z9kNnsgigk0tu9cqekZbPVPHxcqtdT9kuz3PrR72diNOTvQ/s1600/1Fort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_RAv0Kzhlwp6w1LKsieFO2EkZWTODp0VC8Ay_UebPa9_ueVlbT_0X_Ebcz1qj3JVk9buX4axI2bRHLPNcjNIPDIVFU6Z9kNnsgigk0tu9cqekZbPVPHxcqtdT9kuz3PrR72diNOTvQ/s640/1Fort.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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They also did a bit of gardening in the plot adjacent to the fort’s boarding house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7W48z1Gzw_PX43EPXUpeRs3o1b76xlDVq5E6U2USF0P-G1_0Ju5UEToYiiKV30emZ0y7OCcd1G434e8HTZUBfumuQXCj9KwYPsOGusEkM6httaaYZWMRQb71p7rda5IBL423klO8pQ/s1600/2Garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7W48z1Gzw_PX43EPXUpeRs3o1b76xlDVq5E6U2USF0P-G1_0Ju5UEToYiiKV30emZ0y7OCcd1G434e8HTZUBfumuQXCj9KwYPsOGusEkM6httaaYZWMRQb71p7rda5IBL423klO8pQ/s1600/2Garden.JPG" /></a></div>
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In the vibrant new Story Center, visitors were intrigued by an installation conceptualized by Pawtucket-based French artist Philippe Lejeune, which challenges perception and encourages discovery of how something (or someone) looks from different and unexpected perspectives.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_XklYVIbKIY6AhtRCCU6q2vGksUVc10jHAmknjIUyECLW8Q5GIV3DIXC58Us3lRXmqS3-ZNejqGuL0T0QXW5GbiIds4bwhLhr0EVeZRJecCSy7ijC1izQ0Q5JDdzicOLWKgAtUJvgQ/s1600/3Installation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_XklYVIbKIY6AhtRCCU6q2vGksUVc10jHAmknjIUyECLW8Q5GIV3DIXC58Us3lRXmqS3-ZNejqGuL0T0QXW5GbiIds4bwhLhr0EVeZRJecCSy7ijC1izQ0Q5JDdzicOLWKgAtUJvgQ/s640/3Installation.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
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A self-portrait drawing station, which asks visitors to look in the mirror, draw their portraits, and share something that’s important about them that nobody sees.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidc69bTPuYmEFLBGFGuUbuqV3DLkYgnN8X7sVKJW4m-umKdNLao4f4uO546ffZo_kkFZ3wFp4UWMpzqkeM933cULLaKbjVXqBmMgbkRjLS83dJbw144ZN6UojKzO5jD8U7Ae7Z8oKKcA/s1600/4Portrait+drawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidc69bTPuYmEFLBGFGuUbuqV3DLkYgnN8X7sVKJW4m-umKdNLao4f4uO546ffZo_kkFZ3wFp4UWMpzqkeM933cULLaKbjVXqBmMgbkRjLS83dJbw144ZN6UojKzO5jD8U7Ae7Z8oKKcA/s1600/4Portrait+drawing.JPG" /></a></div>
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At this station, build with a set of blocks with diverse eyes, noses and mouths to create unique faces and expressions.<br />
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Museum staff seriously engaged in playing one of several versions of mancala!
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Browse books representing many people and cultures in a cozy book nook.<br />
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And the exhibit’s talk-back board, which prompts, “The United States is made up of people from many different places, of a variety of races, who have many different religions and beliefs – and we’re all Americans. Who are you?”
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But pictures can only tell you so much – please come see for yourselves! Go to <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/" target="_blank">www.ChildrenMuseum.org</a> for visiting information and a calendar of related events. And <a href="http://providencechildrensmuseum.blogspot.com/search/label/Coming%20to%20Rhode%20Island">click here</a> for a peek at the process of creating <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Tremendous thanks to our many community partners – especially the Fort Adams Trust and The Museum of Newport Irish History, for collaborating with us on the development of our Fort Adams gallery. And our gratitude to the funders who generously supported the exhibit: The Champlin Foundations; The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, an independent state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of November 14).
</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-3205473637814844602016-11-17T10:40:00.001-05:002016-11-17T22:08:39.041-05:00Coming to RI: Finishing Touches!The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity as we finalize our <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Rhode Island</i></a> exhibit. Here are some final peeks at the installation process.<br />
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Exhibit designer Chris and muralist Harley Bartlett hanging Harley’s incredibly beautiful murals in the Fort Adams gallery – more on the mural process later.<br />
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Crew member Mark grinding the cannon created for the Fort gallery in partnership with Cumberland Foundry – more on that later, too!<br />
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Chris installing the railing for the Fort’s second level. It’s <i>very</i> fun to climb the ladders and onto the deck!<br />
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RISD student Lisa working on the wheelbarrows for kids to cart foam bricks and stones around the Fort.<br />
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Chris installing “story cubes,” one of several activities exploring culture and diversity in the exhibit’s Story Center. The cubes are particularly important because they share a dozen stories of a variety of real Rhode Islanders who have come to and settled in our state, expanding on the four stories told in the galleries.
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Crew member Zach putting the finishing touches on the exhibit’s vibrant entryway.<br />
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Graphic designer Valerie mounting photos and labels in the Story Center.
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We’re very nearly ready for you, thanks to the months of hard work of the exhibits team and the critical contributions of our many partners. Come see for yourselves all weekend long, beginning Friday, November 18 at 9:00 AM!
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Coming
to Rhode Island is supported by The Champlin Foundations; The Children's
Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation;
Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable
Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National
Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy
Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of November 14). The
Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport
Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-82483192290614569722016-11-14T14:28:00.000-05:002016-11-18T10:51:39.769-05:00Encouraging EmpathyOur reinvented <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Rhode Island</i></a> exhibit is about exploring history, immigration and culture through stories. But even more than that, it’s about fostering <span style="color: #008887;"><b>EMPATHY</b></span> – about developing respect for the diversity of individuals that make up our world, about understanding that diversity makes our communities richer and stronger, and about finding compassion for others by making connections to their stories. It’s a particularly relevant message at this moment in our world – at a time of divisiveness, dissension and discord, empathy is more important than ever.
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Research shows that pretend play is closely related to developing empathy and other social-emotional skills. As children pretend and play in <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>, they learn to relate to and communicate with one another and to take others’ perspectives. They also explore a wealth of different stories – stories of Rhode Islanders past and present, stories of people of different cultures and backgrounds, stories that encourage them to think about and appreciate what’s unique about themselves and others.<br />
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Here are a few curated lists of children’s books that include some excellent stories for encouraging empathy and cultivating compassion, recommended for reading and discussing together:
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://tinybop.com/blog/13-books-to-spark-conversations-about-empathy" target="_blank">13 Kids Books to Spark Conversations About Empathy</a> <br />(Tinybop) </li>
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<li><a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/emeynardie/13-childrens-books-that-encourage-kindness-toward-26paw" target="_blank">13 Children’s Books That Encourage Kindness Towards Others</a> (BuzzFeed)
</li>
</ul>
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<li><a href="https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/top-ten-books-to-encourage-discussions-around-social-justice-by-jennifer-orr/" target="_blank">Top 10 Books to Encourage Discussions Around Social Justice</a> (Nerdy Book Club) </li>
</ul>
Look for several of these stories in our new exhibit.<br />
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Do you have other favorite books that foster empathy, kindness and inclusion? Please share in the comments.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-63255263702624457572016-10-31T19:47:00.000-04:002016-11-25T17:44:47.001-05:00Coming to RI: Bits and PiecesMaking an exhibit involves a TON of work over many months, both big projects and smaller supporting elements. Here’s a look at some of the <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Rhode Island</i></a> details and “loose parts” the exhibit team has worked on along the way.
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Crew member Mark and exhibit designer Chris cutting bricks from giant sheets of foam, which kids will use to add to the walls and arches in our <a href="http://providencechildrensmuseum.blogspot.com/2016/10/building-fort-adams.html">replica of Fort Adams</a>.<br />
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RISD student Julianna making an array of adorable tools – mallets and trowels – for kids to use in their brickwork.<br />
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Exhibit technician Ian painting a pig! Our porcine pal will overlook a small garden plot adjacent to the Fort, where visitors will be able to plant and harvest veggies like carrots and turnips.<br />
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Crew member Zach creating frames for an assortment of striking photos that will adorn the walls of the “Story Center.”<br />
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Chris building one of several pieces of furniture he has crafted for the exhibit – a field desk for the Fort Adams gallery that will house examples of documents and tools of the trade from the 1800s.<br />
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Newly installed flooring in the “Story Center,” in a vibrant palette that complements the freshly painted walls.<br />
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And not a small detail by any means, but the finished brick and stonework on our Fort looks absolutely amazing!<br />
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With just under two weeks to go until the opening weekend, the exhibit is moving along fast and furiously – check back for finishing touches and background stories.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Coming
to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's
Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation;
Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable
Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National
Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy
Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of October 11). The
Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport
Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.</i></span> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-21923922108941845452016-10-21T11:38:00.001-04:002016-11-14T10:58:50.612-05:00Coming to RI: Building Fort AdamsAs we mentioned previously, our replica of Fort Adams for the updated <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Rhode Island</i></a> began long before the exhibit installation started, with a cardboard mockup constructed in the exhibit workshop.<br />
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The exhibits team then assembled the entire cardboard version of the fort, to help figure out layout and floor plan.<br />
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From there, the fort was constructed in wood and the pieces were stored until it was time to start installation.<br />
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After the demolition work was finished, fort installation began!<br />
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The crew installed the first and second levels of the fort, then built surrounding walls and second level decking.<br />
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After the fort was fully in place, work began on a brick façade, which
is being completed as a community project by the apprentice program of
the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3 MA, ME, NH, RI.<br />
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Apprentices in the program learn through practical experience under
skilled workers and receive both on the job and in-class training, and
the Museum’s project counts toward their training hours. We’re grateful
to benefit from their skills to give the fort a more authentic feel,
and to be able to provide a valuable training opportunity.<br />
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Check back for more stories and photos of reinventing <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's
Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation;
Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable
Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National
Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy
Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of October 11). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-24056073249610993742016-10-20T12:33:00.000-04:002016-12-05T12:37:17.008-05:00A New Year of AmeriCorps ServiceIn September, the Museum welcomed its 21st AmeriCorps team – 12 enthusiastic members committed to a year of transformative service to kids and families from under-resourced communities. Collectively, the team will reach 1,000 Head Start preschoolers and hundreds of elementary school-age kids with playful interactive lessons during and after school, extend a warm welcome to children’s caregivers and siblings during free Museum family nights, and engage with thousands of other families both within and beyond the Museum’s walls.
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The members hail from across the country and bring a wealth of different experiences. Three have previously served with other AmeriCorps programs. Others have studied and traveled around the United States, and the world. They share an eagerness to serve and learn this year<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstltDsh2SDc4cMOX9mFES5dWNQu_sYYLl3h9dcqDe4TcItNSNdlBAySB5mHkPxDq693dwN8UDwpIU4eutf81uGFZSibDPeM-y1ppAdtyH3A6nDqa27pzjTQU_qnICdj43qK9uO7tdNw/s1600/2016-17+Team+-+AC+shirts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstltDsh2SDc4cMOX9mFES5dWNQu_sYYLl3h9dcqDe4TcItNSNdlBAySB5mHkPxDq693dwN8UDwpIU4eutf81uGFZSibDPeM-y1ppAdtyH3A6nDqa27pzjTQU_qnICdj43qK9uO7tdNw/s1600/2016-17+Team+-+AC+shirts.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front row: Olivia, Ashley, Hannah, Lilia, Trinere, Casey / Back row: Jordan, Alexis, Anna, Amelia, Tristan, James</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Meet our 2016-17 AmeriCorps team:
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Alexis</b></span> is from Riverside, CA and studied Earth Systems-Oceans at Stanford University. She drove 3,650 miles through 16 states and Canada by herself to arrive for AmeriCorps. She is excited to help kids discover how fun it is to be a nerd – and to experience winter!
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Amelia</b></span> is from Reading, MA and studied Early Childhood Development at North Shore Community College. She is a certified preschool teacher in Massachusetts. She looks forward to working with young children again after working with middle schoolers while she served with City Year last year.
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Anna</b></span> is from Hogansburg, NY and studied American Studies at Middlebury College. She grew up on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation in northern NY and is a member of that tribe. She is excited to be working with a team <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>to make learning and play more accessible to the surrounding community</b></span>.
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Ashley</b></span> is from Hummelstown, PA and studied Anthropology & History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh. She is most excited <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>to facilitate learning and encourage creativity through play during her year of service.</b></span>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Casey</b></span> is from Concord, MA and studied History at Mount Holyoke College. She is excited to bring fun, enriching Museum experiences to the kids of Providence and <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>to develop her skills in museum education.
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Hannah</b></span> is from Cambridge, MA and studied Studio Art and Politics at University of Virginia. She is most excited about <b><span style="color: #0b5394;">finding creative ways to integrate art projects into the Museum’s STEM programming.</span> </b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>James</b></span> is from Gary, IN and studied Biology at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. He is most excited to educate children about the world around them.
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Jordan</b></span> is from Great Barrington, MA and studied Community Arts Education and Theater at Lesley University and Cultural Studies and Arts Education at Bard College. She looks forward to charting her course <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>to becoming a culturally responsive educator.</b></span>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Lilia</b></span> is from North Kingstown, RI and studied Biology at Wheaton College. She recently spent 16 days living in the rainforest tracking monkey trips in Belize. She is excited to take time to serve her community.
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Olivia</b></span> is from Stillwater, OK but has been in the Providence area for the last several years studying Visual Art and Modern Culture at Brown University. She is excited <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>to develop creative approaches to education and learning</b></span> and to build relationships in the Providence community.
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Trinere</b></span> is from Worcester, MA and studied Architectural Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is most excited about working with a new age group and <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>growing her skills in youth development.</b></span>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Tristan</b></span> is from Baltimore, MD and studied English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He looks forward to getting to know Providence as deeply as possible.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67TgA5vQ9JgTrPOH4KPQ6gOq3CHTrr6HZZ7IkhteIbfINaslodiwKCG-MDupjFcNaEtAyCs2M4Qp6jRUG4pAgHydBut6SLPO_wxnU3lMYYu0vsIQGx62cBd5o8ZcQNvsDScwdg8-DeQ/s200/AClogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67TgA5vQ9JgTrPOH4KPQ6gOq3CHTrr6HZZ7IkhteIbfINaslodiwKCG-MDupjFcNaEtAyCs2M4Qp6jRUG4pAgHydBut6SLPO_wxnU3lMYYu0vsIQGx62cBd5o8ZcQNvsDScwdg8-DeQ/s200/AClogo.jpg" width="100" /></a><br />
To learn more about the Museum’s AmeriCorps program, please <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/ameriCorps.asp" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Museum’s AmeriCorps program is
made possible by the Corporation for National and Community
Service and Serve Rhode Island, with support from additional sponsors
for the <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/headstart.asp" target="_blank">Head Start</a> and <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/learningclubs.asp" target="_blank">Learning Club</a> programs. </i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-82017495117264692682016-09-30T19:52:00.000-04:002016-10-21T11:46:06.549-04:00Prototyping Coming to Rhode Island<span style="color: #666666;"><i>This post was contributed by Museum Exhibits Director <b>Robin Meisner</b> and Research & Evaluation Specialist <b>Suzy Letourneau</b>.</i></span><br />
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This spring and summer – well before renovations even started – the exhibits team created and tested a range of prototypes to try out some ideas and get feedback on activities, labels and components for the new <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> spaces. Such mockups – which are often made of scraps of wood, cardboard and tape – help the Museum’s design process by providing insight into how something might be used or interpreted by visitors, how it might look and feel, and how it might ultimately be made.<br />
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By prototyping, both in the Museum’s workshop and with visitors in the exhibits, the team is able to create a more thoughtfully developed experience for children and families. Some of the prototypes tested include:<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>A full-scale cardboard mockup of a section of the replica of Fort Adams!</b></span><br />
Through this process, the team explored the layout of the new space, made adjustments for visitor flow and children’s play, and discovered tricks for fabrication of the final wooden fort structure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO34HuRbKuQVmKC_1H2tBd2Zu-WlsmgnsEP7TDC_JbbY76WMdxqYjvuv4ZCkICPhi7OJUhLcAUz5HRw1CuZxukLHarlU6KOC1guJxjTIheeODASCNl1Ph0NKH0_W_XMytvadUCWdZ_w/s1600/Fort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO34HuRbKuQVmKC_1H2tBd2Zu-WlsmgnsEP7TDC_JbbY76WMdxqYjvuv4ZCkICPhi7OJUhLcAUz5HRw1CuZxukLHarlU6KOC1guJxjTIheeODASCNl1Ph0NKH0_W_XMytvadUCWdZ_w/s640/Fort.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>A self-portrait drawing activity with prompts to help visitors reflect on what’s important about themselves that can’t be seen.</b></span><br />
From this prototype, the team learned that visitors valued both sharing about themselves and reading others’ responses, so they added a portrait gallery to the exhibit. Most visitors wanted to leave their portraits behind for others to see, and one group said that looking at all the portraits was “like seeing the whole community.” Both children and adults thought carefully about what to write about themselves. One parent said, “It took me a minute to think of what was really important about myself, and that was surprising to me.” <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG1ZXS3dilB-BZVekWGf3tSz8hPvTigqw0IcSUGVVDwPHbaXzCvZ5kQpTw-CwxsALDcqwwgrAjKlmWVbCDxHdzGWENzaAbBjg-q6LCV_mfkCc6wAg3W8vu9XK8NCxSuelHmkSERwsMw/s1600/Portraits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG1ZXS3dilB-BZVekWGf3tSz8hPvTigqw0IcSUGVVDwPHbaXzCvZ5kQpTw-CwxsALDcqwwgrAjKlmWVbCDxHdzGWENzaAbBjg-q6LCV_mfkCc6wAg3W8vu9XK8NCxSuelHmkSERwsMw/s640/Portraits.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>A series of labels to help caregivers connect children’s pretend play with their developing social-emotional skills.</b> </span><br />
Initial prototypes drew on interviews with caregivers about the role of pretend play in children’s ability to empathize and take others’ perspectives. By testing multiple versions of the labels, the team was able to adjust the language and add concrete examples, ultimately helping caregivers find personal connections within the messages. Many caregivers said the labels made them think about how their own children like to pretend in the Museum (and at home), and how children learn to relate to other people, even those who live in a different time or place. One caregiver described the benefits of pretending by saying, “When kids put on those costumes, they really feel how people felt when they wore those clothes and did those jobs.”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0GJojuC8txs9QFenJX0sZgQ_1h4oVmbWnPE7KqzOD4SoC6apjzteJ9VxIH-hngz1JpzVfKIdrSDLnOBN6dcGxajLuqb7VBMK1Bd5dTWN6M4e1mYsZEUpIIJ7pktqDLbIh5ewJyGFqg/s1600/Label.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0GJojuC8txs9QFenJX0sZgQ_1h4oVmbWnPE7KqzOD4SoC6apjzteJ9VxIH-hngz1JpzVfKIdrSDLnOBN6dcGxajLuqb7VBMK1Bd5dTWN6M4e1mYsZEUpIIJ7pktqDLbIh5ewJyGFqg/s640/Label.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of September 30). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-85783084030990398642016-09-15T18:29:00.000-04:002016-11-14T10:59:16.449-05:00Coming to RI: Renovations are Underway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ3LNCl0427VbN_yf63Kju7_ydSLvX2fYUvwl4KVo5wzxT5byJmfTybkfYXUnmvV2zMKH4NB4QLPCpuj7PS_I1kldIA3YurYKiO47n11IRDZ7Swh3XBIpg4Go9HMsNGLYO4-2IeJrUg/s1600/Fort+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ3LNCl0427VbN_yf63Kju7_ydSLvX2fYUvwl4KVo5wzxT5byJmfTybkfYXUnmvV2zMKH4NB4QLPCpuj7PS_I1kldIA3YurYKiO47n11IRDZ7Swh3XBIpg4Go9HMsNGLYO4-2IeJrUg/s320/Fort+drawing.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
Last week we began long-awaited renovations to our time-traveling <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i> exhibit, which will reopen in November. The updates will include:<br />
<ul>
<li>A totally transformed “time tunnel” to guide visitors’ adventure through the story galleries. </li>
<li>A new interactive gallery that shares the story of an Irish immigrant who worked on the construction of Fort Adams. </li>
<li>And a completely reinvented “Story Center” with an array of intriguing new hands-on activities that explore culture and diversity.</li>
</ul>
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While there are a lot of changes in store, the new Irish gallery will replace only the French Canadian mill gallery – so no worries, the beloved English farmhouse, Cape Verdean packet ship and Dominican bodega will return in their current forms!<br />
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Before we could begin to install the new exhibit elements, the first step was demolition of the departing time tunnel, Story Center and gallery. Take a look at some scenes from the process!<br />
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BEFORE: Members of the exhibits team (Exhibit Developer Jessica Neuwirth, Exhibit Designer & Fabricator Chris Sancomb, Director of Exhibits Robin Meisner) looking like they mean business at the beginning of demo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfL8QlBDE0-6URBbW5U7gvyzzA9P8YZ7QsXwkzm7ilthSUo-gKPxxt0SkXywZovJGW4IR0EaGIDYWcjDmSrVOkf2i47BW2heHwtP1s3UWTZizQu-oFAJy0-qJmLNlWjZkHwS5doIfWg/s1600/1-Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfL8QlBDE0-6URBbW5U7gvyzzA9P8YZ7QsXwkzm7ilthSUo-gKPxxt0SkXywZovJGW4IR0EaGIDYWcjDmSrVOkf2i47BW2heHwtP1s3UWTZizQu-oFAJy0-qJmLNlWjZkHwS5doIfWg/s640/1-Before.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Taking apart the Story Center and time tunnel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogIiwAYPmtc4qRDkw8mivOA3K3susdogEA6pMV832zuThXJlpSROP8IwlTKOv_Sy19lyJVh2WYOI5zJwccmiD3kZZcy7U5wLT7IcB7W5iEyHTYf-MLr5GMRhxMf-oa-kd70hanSF2tg/s1600/2-Story+Center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogIiwAYPmtc4qRDkw8mivOA3K3susdogEA6pMV832zuThXJlpSROP8IwlTKOv_Sy19lyJVh2WYOI5zJwccmiD3kZZcy7U5wLT7IcB7W5iEyHTYf-MLr5GMRhxMf-oa-kd70hanSF2tg/s640/2-Story+Center.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Crew members James and Mark disassemble the mill...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLecEBIJ47SjGPYMH8VSoMRE39y0OGZDDFHja9csbi6DlQaQ4NA27omIDSxq8REx3YU3qfPAMcZfy9n23COjtspy4WpJhSkTwA5lvKs0YwJQXI3AUs2V3wKJJmRiea5sUNC83gN2QzQ/s1600/3-Mill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLecEBIJ47SjGPYMH8VSoMRE39y0OGZDDFHja9csbi6DlQaQ4NA27omIDSxq8REx3YU3qfPAMcZfy9n23COjtspy4WpJhSkTwA5lvKs0YwJQXI3AUs2V3wKJJmRiea5sUNC83gN2QzQ/s640/3-Mill.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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...and then the mill house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQQEaewV4GpWIQ2oAhOw4JnBHShKP_fZ0LF-Ih_-8_1WBVM48Xmwr05jGw5VTjHY1G2Y0OtyLO5IQt0gDzxpPbSVWwVSN8iWOoNML04YjrjmVv6jITWveRJn61NtqnRZ_ioV6jgXaFw/s1600/4-House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQQEaewV4GpWIQ2oAhOw4JnBHShKP_fZ0LF-Ih_-8_1WBVM48Xmwr05jGw5VTjHY1G2Y0OtyLO5IQt0gDzxpPbSVWwVSN8iWOoNML04YjrjmVv6jITWveRJn61NtqnRZ_ioV6jgXaFw/s640/4-House.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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The time tunnel and mill, almost fully dismantled.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QXcAIiaE9A8Zu_l3JZjnQ0uV8HH1xUFjeJmLEjQyumQ4sUr2aeyzK_vUpexDobU7FPCFj7eDDByoFFuxsnEPS3a7UO7e0r-EaUUr6AXleiwACMsJBEs2_LAWDPLtu6hMTfsakuserQ/s1600/5-Dismantled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QXcAIiaE9A8Zu_l3JZjnQ0uV8HH1xUFjeJmLEjQyumQ4sUr2aeyzK_vUpexDobU7FPCFj7eDDByoFFuxsnEPS3a7UO7e0r-EaUUr6AXleiwACMsJBEs2_LAWDPLtu6hMTfsakuserQ/s640/5-Dismantled.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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AFTER: The entryway, nearing the end of demolition. It looks quite different, doesn’t it?!<br />
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Stay tuned for more stories and photos of reinventing <i>Coming to Rhode Island</i>.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-72745749335043997702016-08-24T20:33:00.000-04:002016-12-05T11:48:24.705-05:00Celebrating a Year of ServiceThe Museum reached a major milestone as its 20th AmeriCorps team completed a year of committed service in mid-August. The 2015-16 AmeriCorps members served 19,000 hours as they:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRDRccEUGq21Lm5srcNwR3_O6N0NvtONosuEM_ChqIbX9QwW5WCPnYxqNIGmbbo_K0qDpUyphGVSy60KxLJQwLEFseB032EXw2bo-UQ5OA5_d8aJumlB-iO7f_SkmnVSYt7ZrCoruVQ/s1600/AC+activity.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRDRccEUGq21Lm5srcNwR3_O6N0NvtONosuEM_ChqIbX9QwW5WCPnYxqNIGmbbo_K0qDpUyphGVSy60KxLJQwLEFseB032EXw2bo-UQ5OA5_d8aJumlB-iO7f_SkmnVSYt7ZrCoruVQ/s320/AC+activity.JPG" width="225" /></a>
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<ul>
<li>Facilitated engaging problem-solving activities for 1,100 Head Start preschoolers</li>
<li>Engaged 200 elementary school-aged children with inspiring play-based math and science activities during after-school “Learning Clubs”</li>
<li>Welcomed 1,400 low-income children and family members to free Museum family nights</li>
<li>Engaged thousands Museum visitors in hands-on exhibits and developed interactive public programs</li>
<li>And <i>much</i> more! </li>
</ul>
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Tremendous thanks to our graduating AmeriCorps members for their year of dedicated service to children and families in need.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gKqFDBgCibkSWoi-2YMo5XJ8VYpZ9KwQQl6tOU3dJ67za5N7JR_Ov4b8EwQB3cLca6BHcsCW3-YS_tubVU_60P_7CHhcAN6tOLVg6nvNzKwVECh09DDb1T4NHTwKmG3SIYVh_ICQkw/s1600/AC+team.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gKqFDBgCibkSWoi-2YMo5XJ8VYpZ9KwQQl6tOU3dJ67za5N7JR_Ov4b8EwQB3cLca6BHcsCW3-YS_tubVU_60P_7CHhcAN6tOLVg6nvNzKwVECh09DDb1T4NHTwKmG3SIYVh_ICQkw/s640/AC+team.JPG" width="550" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67TgA5vQ9JgTrPOH4KPQ6gOq3CHTrr6HZZ7IkhteIbfINaslodiwKCG-MDupjFcNaEtAyCs2M4Qp6jRUG4pAgHydBut6SLPO_wxnU3lMYYu0vsIQGx62cBd5o8ZcQNvsDScwdg8-DeQ/s200/AClogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67TgA5vQ9JgTrPOH4KPQ6gOq3CHTrr6HZZ7IkhteIbfINaslodiwKCG-MDupjFcNaEtAyCs2M4Qp6jRUG4pAgHydBut6SLPO_wxnU3lMYYu0vsIQGx62cBd5o8ZcQNvsDScwdg8-DeQ/s200/AClogo.jpg" width="100" /></a>To learn more about the Museum’s AmeriCorps program, please <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/ameriCorps.asp" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Museum’s AmeriCorps program is
made possible by a grant from the Corporation for National and Community
Service and Serve Rhode Island, with support from additional sponsors
for the <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/headstart.asp" target="_blank">Head Start</a> and <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/learningclubs.asp" target="_blank">Learning Club</a> programs. </i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-13835738263065951422016-08-22T07:59:00.000-04:002016-09-12T08:41:50.432-04:00Mythical Creatures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQ4nNN3FNPHS15eN_5OM7s82t4XltS_cmXU_5HntBCCKZCnrlZEw8hHE1X1gd3PaDy3yXmAsRmTBX-utAUSNtaIT15ua5wxPD-7brurn4Ip0pKXjYif-8WVQaoK51CwwDthPLsv_zXA/s1600/Mermaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQ4nNN3FNPHS15eN_5OM7s82t4XltS_cmXU_5HntBCCKZCnrlZEw8hHE1X1gd3PaDy3yXmAsRmTBX-utAUSNtaIT15ua5wxPD-7brurn4Ip0pKXjYif-8WVQaoK51CwwDthPLsv_zXA/s320/Mermaid.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Peek into the atrium walkway window boxes to discover imaginative scenes showcasing the whimsical world of mythical creatures – artfully felted dragons, fairies, gnomes, mermaids and more, created by AmeriCorps members <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Filipa Estrela</b></span> and <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Rachel Storey</b></span>.<br />
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Filipa and Rachel gave a glimpse of how the delightful display came to be:<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Rachel:</b></span> “We wanted the boxes to be fun and imaginative. To do this, we combined my love of making tiny household objects with Filipa's fascination with mythology. Our inspiration was our mutual love of all things tiny and adorable. We wanted to create a theme that would engage all children and inspire play, and we decided that fairy tales were the best way.”<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Filipa:</b></span> “My fascination for mythical things is really more of a childhood obsession. I grew up reading folklore from various cultures.”<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Rachel:</b></span> “Filipa was in charge of the creatures and I made most of the scenery. Filipa used wool roving, polyester filling and pipe cleaners to create the creatures. The scenery pieces were made from a variety of materials – there was a lot of felt and fabric, papier mache (with paper towels), household odds and ends, tape and plastic drinking straws. One of the most interesting materials used for our design was the bamboo. I made them by placing strips of masking tape on a drinking straw and then covering them with green paint.”<br />
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<b><span style="color: #444444;">Filipa:</span></b> “My top five boxes are maybe the swamp, the gnome house, the desert, the bamboo forest, and the rainforest... and the castle. Wait that's six...”<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Rachel:</b></span> “I am especially proud of the Viking ship, canyon and tundra boxes. They are all so colorful and all of these boxes involved several hours of carving with an Exacto knife."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRegX-Xf6kmX0jXfCyStVRXwTHJ6GSeGsxQTF4UgRud3cHp21u_L7T-Ik_MoDqFMZTaDH1pdT3857eil7VzA2f7SND9UArxHOGtjZr8dIouwIOqzvuIfZWcVYfDIzUv9PPdQdHf60tNw/s1600/Dragon+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRegX-Xf6kmX0jXfCyStVRXwTHJ6GSeGsxQTF4UgRud3cHp21u_L7T-Ik_MoDqFMZTaDH1pdT3857eil7VzA2f7SND9UArxHOGtjZr8dIouwIOqzvuIfZWcVYfDIzUv9PPdQdHf60tNw/s640/Dragon+box.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
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Take a look and discover which is <i>your</i> favorite!
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-43161737508312187922016-08-12T08:38:00.000-04:002016-09-12T08:10:52.658-04:00Puppets at Play!Mischievous marionettes from the Museum’s historic <a href="http://www.childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/strings.asp" target="_blank">Betty Huestis</a> collection emerge from the pages of a storybook to frolic, play games and have other after-hours adventures at the library in a spirited scene recently created by AmeriCorps members <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Leigh Holmes</b></span> and <span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Hayley Munn</b></span>.<br />
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Hayley shared some details about their inspiration and process:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzVGDhotBRTUVIQ6ERAjItg93r2znlufYjVOZUweyCZwmiD6nSy80JUorZwLldrJR2GyB0psabYetRzVGm1Gi-rw8L-ys4fKtbbpW7dkweqcZSpqOZsgmeKGz53SEDCQbdyYqXNrOeA/s1600/Installation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzVGDhotBRTUVIQ6ERAjItg93r2znlufYjVOZUweyCZwmiD6nSy80JUorZwLldrJR2GyB0psabYetRzVGm1Gi-rw8L-ys4fKtbbpW7dkweqcZSpqOZsgmeKGz53SEDCQbdyYqXNrOeA/s320/Installation.JPG" width="250" /></a></div>
“The idea for the new marionettes case display came from the <i>Inkheart Trilogy</i>, where characters can be read out of the story into real life. Leigh and I liked the idea of a library scene with mischievous animals escaping from a book. We choose the puppets based on their appearance and how they might engage in playful, unlibrary-like behavior. The monkey was a given, the camel worked well with the open desert scene, the spotted pony added fun color and pattern, and so on and so forth.<br />
<br />
As for the bookshelf background, Leigh wanted to do a painting and we thought it would be fun to integrate real books. She also added in a sleeping kitty because she loves cats. The additional toys strewn about the books help set up the scene where the animals climb up the shelves, play Chinese Checkers and just make a mess.<br />
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The process of hanging the marionettes was very intricate and time-consuming. The puppets have very long strings that get easily tangled and must be handled carefully with gloves. It took a good deal of communication between who was hanging the string and who was holding the puppet in place to make the necessary adjustments.” </blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4yJ8EK8nZ93t71GOzUEjAK2LCXi_pbO29Up8yht_JIKTbT5tV_NAi22cdpRudhqMx6I27vN1qPcPPQDSwos3j_4H73-ka160vAGchhPdguLBNCzTHjx50BsydyLRbkzqg2UkHNYzQA/s1600/Full+Case.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4yJ8EK8nZ93t71GOzUEjAK2LCXi_pbO29Up8yht_JIKTbT5tV_NAi22cdpRudhqMx6I27vN1qPcPPQDSwos3j_4H73-ka160vAGchhPdguLBNCzTHjx50BsydyLRbkzqg2UkHNYzQA/s640/Full+Case.JPG" width="600" /></a></div>
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Take a peek at these playful puppets on your next stroll through <i>Strings Attached</i>!
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-64870498399797381312016-07-29T11:49:00.000-04:002016-09-18T18:36:38.079-04:00Coming Soon! <span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>BIG NEWS!</b></span></span> This fall, the Museum will unveil some major updates to our <a href="http://childrenmuseum.org/exhibits/comingRI.asp" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Rhode Island</i></a> exhibit, a time-traveling adventure through the state’s immigration history:<br />
<ul>
<li>Explore an imaginative interactive gallery that highlights the story of an Irish immigrant who worked on the construction of Fort Adams. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Discover a reinvented Story Center with an array of intriguing hands-on activities that explore culture and diversity. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>And navigate a reconstructed “time tunnel” that guides visitors’ adventure through the story galleries. </li>
</ul>
The Museum will be closed September 6-8 to begin these renovations, and the exhibit will remain closed until construction is completed in November. Check back for stories and photos of the intriguing process!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPnk_TPh4Qx3vrqh8mKdkT-Ax0ZqdXDioHl8LDEiA2MWNsUoIdNKuzApVKvyO1F51szZLMr61QkXpsmQ3NbvpLj2CT9ozn3Z38ARSVCoCUOsXumiQDRE35WHE1kaotHar35c0Et-U7A/s1600/CTRI+combined-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPnk_TPh4Qx3vrqh8mKdkT-Ax0ZqdXDioHl8LDEiA2MWNsUoIdNKuzApVKvyO1F51szZLMr61QkXpsmQ3NbvpLj2CT9ozn3Z38ARSVCoCUOsXumiQDRE35WHE1kaotHar35c0Et-U7A/s640/CTRI+combined-small.jpg" width="620" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhibit concept images by Museum Graphic Designer Valerie Haggerty-Silva.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-5540072632157792892016-07-05T17:37:00.000-04:002016-07-05T17:37:16.031-04:00Make Some Music!This summer, kids and adults will explore beats and rhythm and make some joyful noise on two vibrant interactive sound sculptures newly installed in our <i>Children’s Garden</i>.
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<br />
Original creations by our exhibits team, the playful sculptures were inspired by an installation they initially designed and fabricated for Harriet and Sayles Park last summer. Part of the city’s PopUp Providence initiative – an innovative urban place-making program that supported temporary and inexpensive artistic and cultural interventions to enliven neighborhoods across the city – the captivating musical components were well used and well loved.<br />
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Whether banging on drums or ringing bells, children inherently
respond to making and sharing music. Designed to accommodate a range
of physical abilities and skills, the sound sculptures invite children
of all ages to play a variety of inventive percussion instruments in
their own ways and create meaningful interactions with music and with
each other. Making music together promotes confidence and social
skills, as well as the development of language, mathematical and spatial
thinking – and it's just plain fun!
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<br />
By incorporating a variety of intriguing reclaimed objects and new materials, the sound sculptures offer kids a hands-on musical experience with both usual and unusual instruments, including bells and tongue drums fashioned from steel propane tanks, triangles and large wooden and metal chimes.<br />
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The sound sculptures will infuse the garden with creative exploration this summer and beyond, and inspire families to express themselves while discovering ways that everyday items can be playfully repurposed. Feel the beat!
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-46497192822251902122016-06-30T14:42:00.000-04:002016-07-07T14:31:06.156-04:00Play at the Park!For a fifth summer, the Children’s Museum is bringing playful hands-on activities to parks across Providence, building on our commitment to advocate for and raise awareness of the critical importance of children’s play, and our efforts to provide unstructured play opportunities throughout the community.<br />
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Join us to try a variety of playful open-ended activities – to build forts, blow bubbles, send rockets soaring, play parachute games, and more. Activities take place evenings in July and August from 5:00 - 8:00 PM during Celebrate Providence, the city’s Neighborhood Performing Arts Initiative performances, and are free to the public.
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<div style="background-color: #9fc5e8; color: #009900; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>PLAY AT THE PARK </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>with Providence Children's Museum!</b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">All events from 5:00 - 8:00 PM</span> </b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Thursday, July 7</span></b><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #009900;">Bucklin Park</span></b> | Bucklin and Daboll Streets</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Tuesday, July 12</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #009900;">Fargnoli Park</span></b> | Smith and Jastram Streets</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Wednesday, July 13</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #009900;">Harriet and Sayles Park</span></b> | Harriet and Sayles Streets</div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Thursday, </span></b><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">July 21</span></b><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #009900;">Dexter Training Grounds</span></b> | Dexter and Parade Streets</div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Wednesday, July 27</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #009900;">Harriet and Sayles Park</span></b> | Harriet and Sayles Streets</div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Thursday</span></b>, August 4</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #009900;">Billy Taylor Park</span></b> | Camp and Cypress Streets</div>
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Unstructured, child-directed play is vital for kids’ healthy growth and development, and the Museum is bringing play to public spaces to combat children’s growing play deficit and to make high-quality play experiences available to all kids and families. As a strong advocate for the critical importance of open-ended, child-directed play, we're excited to continue partnering with Providence parks to bring creative play opportunities to kids and families in communities throughout the city.<br />
<br />
Children’s Museum activities at the parks are part of its participation in Playful Providence – a citywide celebration commemorating Providence’s fifth consecutive designation as a <a href="https://kaboom.org/playability/playful_city_usa" target="_blank">Playful City USA</a> by KaBOOM!, which recognizes communities commended for prioritizing play. <span data-offset-key="ao5tg-0-0"><span data-text="true">Events are supported in part by Hasbro Children's Fund. </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118174844181569.post-53801102091123795902016-06-29T17:22:00.003-04:002016-06-29T17:22:58.590-04:00A Summer of Play with Providence PlayCorps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.playcorps.org/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHg7OcWqepwTGTXvZZvZqes4fGIzscKKpimyqxM8COrBQaF70VgABE_byTQbGseEGAM-iyHpybjRYq0zeWdymzhEmtv9QlM8dyaLWNDbpkyCzT4LyUwCgndFxp-fgVPqVnGDH2gTbWxw/s640/2016PlayCorps_Header.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.playcorps.org/" target="_blank">Providence PlayCorps</a> returns for a third summer of unstructured play at
parks throughout the city! We are proud to be part of this innovative
collaboration between the Children’s Museum, the City of Providence’s
<a href="http://www.providenceri.com/parks-and-rec" target="_blank">Department of Parks + Recreation</a> and <a href="https://www.providenceri.com/healthy-communities" target="_blank">Healthy Communities Office</a> and the
<a href="http://providenceparks.org/" target="_blank">Partnership for Providence Parks</a> to activate low-income neighborhood
parks across Providence with free play, art and creative exploration in
conjunction with the free federal summer meals program.<br />
<br />
Teams of trained play facilitators are a consistent presence at
community parks throughout Providence. They provide activities and
materials to engage neighborhood children in physically active play,
improving the overall safety of the parks while encouraging more
children to take advantage of free, nutritious summer meals. By working
in neighborhood parks, PlayCorps fills the gap when school is out to
ensure that Providence youth are active, safe and healthy over the
summer.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>PlayCorps activities take place from July 5 to August 19, 2016 (Monday to Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM) in these parks:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
Cabral Park (Fox Point)</li>
<li>
Bucklin Park (West End)</li>
<li>
Father Lennon/Camden Street Park (Smith Hill)</li>
<li>
General Street Park (Wanskuck)</li>
<li>
Harriet & Sayles Park (South Side)</li>
<li>
Joslin Park (Olneyville)</li>
<li>
Wallace Street Park (Silver Lake)</li>
</ul>
Join PlayCorps members for an exciting summer of play. Enjoy a free
summer meal (age18 and under) and build forts, blow bubbles, make art,
make music, explore nature, make friends and SO much more! <br />
<br />
To learn more and for updates and activity announcements, visit <a href="http://www.playcorps.org/" target="_blank">www.PlayCorps.org</a> and follow PlayCorps on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/provplaycorps" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Providence PlayCorps is a collaboration of the City of Providence’s
Department of Parks + Recreation and Healthy Communities Office, the
Partnership for Providence Parks and Providence Children's Museum.
PlayCorps 2016 is also supported by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of
Rhode Island, a Health Equity Zone grant through the Rhode Island
Department of Health, PODS and the Rhode Island Foundation.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0