Creating the Children's Discovery Library

The Children’s Discovery Library opened at Providence Public Library to rave reviews on Saturday – including in the Providence Journal! The exhibit team and other Museum staff enjoyed seeing how much fun kids and adults alike had exploring the space.

Take a look back at the process of creating some of the components of this imaginative environment:

The Forest

As mentioned, a birch tree came down in our garden last summer

leaving us with a lot of raw material to dry, peel and finish so it could be used to frame the area around the forest.

To create the tree trunk hideaway, the first step was putting wood together in this barrel-like formation.

It was then cut to the right shape and carved to create the texture of tree bark.

The finished tree trunk hideaway, inhabited by woodland friends!

Above the forest, it was quite a process to hang a mobile of translucent alphabet leaves. (You may recognize RISD intern Marianne from this earlier Journal article!)

 Alphabet boxes

Fonts were chosen and letters cut from wood.

The boxes were built – arranged here looking very much like a honeycomb!

The doors were attached to panels holding the boxes and then installed.

Items that were collected over many, many months were put into place in the boxes’ interiors.

The finished boxes.  Each one is like a mini-exhibit, and it’s delightful to watch kids as they discover what’s behind the doors!

Throughout the installation, stunning graphics, labels and hunts were added, brightening the room.

 Before the Children’s Discovery Library:

And happily ever after: 

The team celebrating the grand opening: Graphic Designer Valerie Haggerty-Silva, Exhibit Technician Hillel O'Leary, Executive Director Janice O'Donnell, Exhibit Designer & Fabricator Chris Sancomb, and Director of Exhibits Robin Meisner.