tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80972791496302284212024-03-13T16:56:56.146-04:00Living in KidcityA Blog with the Inside Skinny on KidcityJen Alexanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14821912486617604452noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-13315947672154105702022-10-11T13:27:00.003-04:002022-10-11T13:32:47.392-04:00Take a stroll in the Piazza!<p>After three-and-a-half years of construction....at a leisurely pace that would make a sleepy Italian village proud...our newest exhibit, "La Piazza" is finally open! </p><p>We luxuriated in the gift of time to let the details of this exhibit percolate gradually. The months of pandemic shutdown meant that we could avoid the rush to open the room. We started construction work in January 2019, and we opened to visitors for the first time in mid-August 2022. Yesterday, Cassandra Day from the Middletown Press came by and took some pictures and posted <a href="https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Kidcity-opens-realistic-Italian-piazza-room-17498728.php">an article.</a></p><p>There are a million little personal stories embedded in this room - waves of sadness and loss, moments when we got caught up in the beauty, bits of exhibit mechanics that we tested and rebuilt and tested again. Connections to history, like the myth of Arion, a teenage musician who rebelled by running off to Sicily to play music, then returning home on the back of a dolphin. Sicily is a place that has seen its share of conquerors - so we borrowed from the Roman, Greek, Arab and Renaissance traditions that pop up in the art and architecture of the island. And then there's Middletown, which is more than just a place, and somehow seems to have crossed the ocean to pop up in weird ways in our little village (If you peer inside the shutters of the cafe, that's a memory of Connie Marino, nee Vitale, whose bakery/restaurant on Ferry Street was one of the lost spots of Italian downtown culture that we wanted to remember). </p><p>Is it just luck that my partners in design, Matt Niland (maker/inventor) and Scott Kessel (artist/painter/sculptor), were just the right people to make these dreams come to life? I can't imagine trying something like this without you -- this room is filled with all the talent and good energy that you bring. And I have more people to thank for coming on this journey to the "Greek" side of Sicily. Sioux Wimler borrowed time from the front desk to dye endless batches of silk to find just the right mix; Liv Elmore & Clara Gainer spent months grinding bits of rubber to craft a "stone" cobblestone floor; and Chris Mathison worked with Matt to lift the floorboards and create the maze of pipes that makes the dolphin fountain work. And Lucia Pettruziello was there from the very beginning....I'm remember a day when she and Artemis Trowbridge-Wheeler (both in their early teens) spent the afternoon helping me chalk out an "idea" for a scarf fountain...all the way to opening, when (now in her late teens) she put off getting a manicure so that she could knot-tie dozens of scarves into tiny leaves for the olive tree. Everyone at Kidcity during these years touched this room in some way....thank you!</p><p>Finally, thanks to a certain spirit, or at least a lively memory, that inhabits our building (which used to be a convent for the St. Sebastian's Church, the center of the Italian immigrant experience in Middletown). To that spirit we say: we hope you feel the love that we put into this room, as we imagined the magical childhood remembered moments that must have been brought along from the old country - to then be shared and take on a life of their own among the people of Middletown, both those who were originally from Melilli, Sicily, and their new neighbors here in New England.</p><p>Come play!</p><p><br /></p>Jen Alexanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14821912486617604452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-15981679374852913422019-11-11T14:39:00.000-05:002019-11-11T22:31:47.836-05:00We Keep Secrets<style type="text/css">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m sorry, but we can’t tell you what is happening behind that closed door on the second floor of Kidcity!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sure, we might say, “We’re building a new exhibit where our party room used to be.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But we can’t tell you anything about it, and we definitely can’t tell you when it’s going to be done. That last bit is because we have no idea when it will be done.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And when it actually IS done, we won’t tell people either. We’ll just take the plywood off the door, some Tuesday or other, mid-afternoon, and let the next people who wander by be the first visitors inside, without fanfare. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anticipation and expectation change how people play, and that can be a good thing, but it can also be too much on a new exhibit. It’s such a pleasure to watch people explore a new room without the pressure of knowing they are the first. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We learn a lot by watching our visitors interact with the things we have built, which often leads us back to the drawing board for a re-design. For especially complicated bits of exhibit wizardry, like the wheel in Middleshire, the fog bar in the Space Age Roadtrip, or the conveyors in the Fishery, we continue re-designing for years after the exhibit is open, until we finally settle on something that is both playful and sustainable. From that perspective, is an exhibit ever actually done?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here’s the real reason we don’t tell what we are working on: it’s because behind that door, we are playing pretend, with chalk and cardboard and bits of things that we find lying around. It’s like a giant sandbox, where ideas and words and images pile up until they start to sprout into real things made out of steel and epoxy and wood and paint and whatever else will help us bring that pretend play into reality. But while we are building, the essence of the exhibit is just vapor, and if anybody looks at it too closely, it dissolves like Eurydice walking towards her Orpheus. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On a purely practical level, this unconventional method of exhibit design is made possible by two things. The first is that Kidcity is a nonprofit organization, run by a board of directors. Without their faith in this process, we would never get to enjoy the wonderful possibilities that emerge without the constraints of deadlines or exhibit plans or budgets or learning objectives. And the second thing is that, since around 2003, Kidcity has been able to pay our bills from our earned income, including new exhibit construction, so we don’t have to rely on fundraising. We are able to build what we want for our visitors, instead of worrying about what donors might want. It’s not that these two perspectives are always in opposition, but they can be, and it can really throw a wrench in the works of creativity. And of course there is a third thing that makes all this possible, which is the willingness and the many different flavors of genius on the Kidcity staff, especially our exhibit artist, Scott Kessel, and our exhibit maker, Matt Niland. It’s an amazing group of people to play pretend with!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even though we can’t talk about it, building an exhibit without imagining YOU playing in it would be meaningless! We can’t wait for that time to come. But both of us - builder and visitor - just have to be patient.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’ve ever baked anything, you know that there’s a moment when a certain aroma fills the kitchen and no matter what you are doing, you will stop and consider how delightful it will be to sit down and eat. But if you are the cook, you ignore that scent at your peril! Stop when it’s time to stop, even if you did not get to all of the sauces and side dishes you imagined back in those sunny days when you were sitting on the couch writing out menu ideas.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Remember this: although the moment when something delicious comes out of the oven is always sublime, there is no perfection in this work, and you will always be thinking about something new to try next time. In fact, all the possibilities that you didn’t get to explore are baked into that first bite. I think that if we ever actually finished all the ideas that bubble around while building an exhibit, the end result might be stale and overdone, and somehow, ordinary. Which is not to say that it is ever easy to stop when there is something else we would like to build.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I’ll leave you with two words: Dragon Hatchery. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No, that’s not what we are building behind that piece of plywood, but it might be someday! </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Here's an idea we played with in 2013...</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>And here it is in play, for real, a few years later. (image credit Sassy Mouth Photography)</i></span></span></div>
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<br />Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-1569957075731549632016-01-25T12:54:00.002-05:002016-01-25T13:44:19.878-05:00Anatomy of a Front Desk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For those of us who eat, sleep and breathe children's museums, there's an email listserv called CHILDMUS. It's a place to geek out about all the little details of our field. However, Childmus doesn't allow photos. So I thought I'd use this blog to reply to this question from Leanne Poellinger at the Children's Museum of La Crosse, Wisconsin:<br />
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<i><b>What is the set-up of your museum's front desk?</b></i><br />
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I told you it was geeky. You've been warned.<br />
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At Kidcity, with 100,000 visitors a year, the front desk has to do a lot. <br />
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• It's where visitors check in or buy a membership or book a party - it's the literal Point of Sale.<br />
• It's where visitors go to ask a question or get restaurant recommendations or an ice pack for a boo-boo.<br />
• It's where visitors (the tiny ones) come for the "goodbye" ritual of getting a hand-stamp on their way home.<br />
• It's where visitors (the grown-up ones) run when they can't find their child.<br />
• It's where our manager needs easy access to all information about the museum - schedules, money management, staffing, maintenance work.<br />
• It's where we keep a supply of all the brochures and printed pieces, plus stuff for making quick signs.<br />
• It's where we process all the orders for our tiny bookstore, which is so small it doesn't need a separate clerk - people just come around to the front desk to check out.<br />
• It's where we make memberships - laminating new cards and making member packets.<br />
• It's where we sort the mail and leave messages for each other. And, it's where the UPS guy delivers.<br />
• It's where all the floor staff come to sign in and get their assignments.<br />
• It's where we store a compact vacuum, a butler broom, all the keys (so many keys), and some cleaning supplies.<br />
• It's where we have technology, like our computer/Point of Sale system, our card swipe, our phone, our battery backup, and our walkie-talkies. <br />
• It's where we surf the web.<br />
• It's home base for our manager who runs the operations of the museum - delegating to floor staff, ordering supplies, making sure everything happens the way it should.<br />
• And finally, it's where staff share treats they brought from home - or bagel runs - or Neil's Donuts from Wallingford, CT (worth the trip, so they say).<br />
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So how do we have room for everything? One word: IKEA.<br />
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Just kidding.<br />
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The basic rule is "Everything Has a Place". And Ikea.<br />
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<i><u><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Layout</span></b></u></i><br />
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Like the rest of Kidcity, our front desk was built by artists who thought a lot about how it looks and feels - both for visitors and staff. Our amazing carpenter (the multi-talented Matt Niland!) used 3/4 inch birch plywood to build nooks for all our storage - we went with an orange and yellow palette since we were feeling sort of '70's that week. And our live-edge front counter is a work of art by <a href="http://www.city-bench.com/">City Bench</a>'s Ted Esselstyn. The canopy overhead, providing a little drama, is also by Ted.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Where the visitors stand, there's a high counter, with a card swipe machine, and racks for our brochures, and a pile of exhibit maps. </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">There's also a lower counter at wheelchair (and kid) height, with our hand-stamps and washable inkpads, a tissue box, a canister of wet-ones, some Purell, a rack of downtown maps and a binder with the menus of all the kid-friendly restaurants within walking distance. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">The back of the front desk is open to the bookstore, coatroom and our snack area - all somewhat visible to the person sitting at the desk.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGT2KKcImA0NORLEBqrMlrZV5DsohCgQn4J78_XK9YskbQqZncOuArNMWBh0tVQnCFo86W9rUgO_QaeqlYwYdDhpQPl7iEYAwyoG39rlZUVc-ZUEX5jjlGvqKYxBGlHFZooMhtbow1wIIb/s1600/Lobby+viewed+through+train+Kidcity+Sassy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGT2KKcImA0NORLEBqrMlrZV5DsohCgQn4J78_XK9YskbQqZncOuArNMWBh0tVQnCFo86W9rUgO_QaeqlYwYdDhpQPl7iEYAwyoG39rlZUVc-ZUEX5jjlGvqKYxBGlHFZooMhtbow1wIIb/s400/Lobby+viewed+through+train+Kidcity+Sassy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the lobby, viewed through the train layout designed by artist Scott Kessel. We built this train so that kids would have something to distract them while their folks are busy at the front desk. That's the coatroom to the right, and the bookstore and snack area behind the front desk. Click to make the photo bigger, so you can say hi to Cait sitting at the desk! (photo by Sassy Mouth)</td></tr>
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On a facebook comment, one of our visitors said it seemed like we have lots of staff at Kidcity, but maybe that's because you're never far from the person at the front desk. The museum's footprint is like a squat H, with the front desk in the center hall. So you pass it again and again during your visit.<br />
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<b><i><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />The Storage</span></u></i></b><br />
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<b><u>Drawers</u></b></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-OKx2IKiSXNkOUugIw_sICOf7al7JTYhihEO0Y08dOcIxaa-7V7lgFnnHydeohQraXIs-dz9bRTfVF5fF25XxeS_VVfd5H-4muUDtVr6XKty6Dxjn3VYIN5ubRfM6ZSMv8rZYufbKjkp/s1600/Helmer+drawer+ikea.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-OKx2IKiSXNkOUugIw_sICOf7al7JTYhihEO0Y08dOcIxaa-7V7lgFnnHydeohQraXIs-dz9bRTfVF5fF25XxeS_VVfd5H-4muUDtVr6XKty6Dxjn3VYIN5ubRfM6ZSMv8rZYufbKjkp/s200/Helmer+drawer+ikea.png" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">We use IKEA's awesome metal (and already-assembled) little drawers called the Helmer ($39.99). Each drawer is a bit bigger than a sheet of copy paper, and we use some drawers as "mailboxes" for staff, others to hold markers, scissors/staplers, brochures, old membership forms. We've got two in a stack - and we write labels on each drawer so you can find stuff quick.</span></td></tr>
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<b><i><u>Open Shelves</u></i></b></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgFLTN_yp6GGEuYP2Mj_oDn-1yNum-DwHYTGMYwjgy72NhfbU0LAk4RlBaPtIyGKAyVg6-OX2aXYQRvTubPnDtNKiuTTrRL821pP-pVzvD-0RmavLRqL6CweEVf-7lTG7ffNqiiAqdzaU/s1600/front+desk+built+in+shelves.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgFLTN_yp6GGEuYP2Mj_oDn-1yNum-DwHYTGMYwjgy72NhfbU0LAk4RlBaPtIyGKAyVg6-OX2aXYQRvTubPnDtNKiuTTrRL821pP-pVzvD-0RmavLRqL6CweEVf-7lTG7ffNqiiAqdzaU/s200/front+desk+built+in+shelves.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="p1">
<span class="s1">These are built-in shelves that hold the drawers and our binders. Binders with time sheets. Binders with birthday party schedules. Binders with front desk procedures - like how to sell a membership or change the outgoing phone message. Binders that hold the "Building Log" on everything that needs maintenance - the phones, the elevator, the HVAC system. Anything that won't fit in a binder goes in a wooden magazine holder (KNUFF at Ikea, $9.99 for two). Looks classy & hides the crap!</span></div>
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<u><b>Covered Shelves</b></u></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwasTiynop9C3l-OTElVi1ySbY0bI_dnzKnSP25nP6_UNgiqy2H2RH2AvV5M18DyqGFbWmNyRsKpyOk5SPUjpzo3x-r5VMPpeScusTLeOW3ukwLNeSk36c_oyhVrdUUd6NQagxd3Qz0Ry1/s1600/front+desk+orange+cabinet+open.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwasTiynop9C3l-OTElVi1ySbY0bI_dnzKnSP25nP6_UNgiqy2H2RH2AvV5M18DyqGFbWmNyRsKpyOk5SPUjpzo3x-r5VMPpeScusTLeOW3ukwLNeSk36c_oyhVrdUUd6NQagxd3Qz0Ry1/s200/front+desk+orange+cabinet+open.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">We have a few shelves in a cabinet that has sliding doors, for ugly stuff like mailing materials, bins of keys, oversize stationery supplies.</span></td></tr>
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<b><u>Bins</u></b></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RET-ti_A090EleHsrj-2ULAlOnGkIaeXssvMu4iTCsRloRUh9Qs5MhFm0lpyDh_MDBKbELkNGY77NXb_RnkYFO_80Ech8sc7LES6Bz633Z6SEMIKI6FQqCTbuuCQ2jIOcsoD2q4MZ4sN/s1600/front+desk+plexi+bins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RET-ti_A090EleHsrj-2ULAlOnGkIaeXssvMu4iTCsRloRUh9Qs5MhFm0lpyDh_MDBKbELkNGY77NXb_RnkYFO_80Ech8sc7LES6Bz633Z6SEMIKI6FQqCTbuuCQ2jIOcsoD2q4MZ4sN/s200/front+desk+plexi+bins.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="p1">
<span class="s1">We built some deep drawer bins with plexi on the front to hold bulky stuff, like supplies for making gift boxes for memberships. (We use shiny take-out food containers and fill with colored paper shred, and stick the membership card and brochure in there. Pretty!) Also, the bins have room for some personal stuff - coats, snacks, etc.</span></div>
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<b><u>Hooks</u></b></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZvy5FutDn2VbC1jaD6zMFRVZ2HUyINLPVWfHJSjq3Fsd2owzzR4cmyuJNhNR8Q5nYSMd_qH9GBff49Q1_2d7XZy-DiRVcElPANqFy5dBBs1JWVkHyaEabnMsY7Q3VA6mJM-u2OQPj71K/s1600/front+desk+task+cards.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZvy5FutDn2VbC1jaD6zMFRVZ2HUyINLPVWfHJSjq3Fsd2owzzR4cmyuJNhNR8Q5nYSMd_qH9GBff49Q1_2d7XZy-DiRVcElPANqFy5dBBs1JWVkHyaEabnMsY7Q3VA6mJM-u2OQPj71K/s200/front+desk+task+cards.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Our floor staff works from a list of tasks that change by day (in addition to the usual "picking up toys" part of the job). It's a cycle of tasks, like washing plastic fruits and vegetables, cleaning wall vents and baseboards, and washing windows that goes on a schedule to save us from letting something slip through the cracks. Once it's on these lists, it WILL get done. These heavy-duty laminated lists hang on a hook at the front desk so staff can come back and check off the stuff they've done.</span></td></tr>
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<b><u>The Closet</u></b></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhd7cBhHNvWE4CjrtJ4jz2oagmz7RuBD65lVe3iJHSvIh5-76CU1o9Ibi1RTE8lc0Lh8EE-0NFwVDaW_4bQ6fBQVR9DgKichSj8UQN2byUfqANo8cLKzC7wzMVs_Km_qgAh-XTRBGJ2Li/s1600/inside+front+desk+closet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhd7cBhHNvWE4CjrtJ4jz2oagmz7RuBD65lVe3iJHSvIh5-76CU1o9Ibi1RTE8lc0Lh8EE-0NFwVDaW_4bQ6fBQVR9DgKichSj8UQN2byUfqANo8cLKzC7wzMVs_Km_qgAh-XTRBGJ2Li/s1600/inside+front+desk+closet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhd7cBhHNvWE4CjrtJ4jz2oagmz7RuBD65lVe3iJHSvIh5-76CU1o9Ibi1RTE8lc0Lh8EE-0NFwVDaW_4bQ6fBQVR9DgKichSj8UQN2byUfqANo8cLKzC7wzMVs_Km_qgAh-XTRBGJ2Li/s200/inside+front+desk+closet.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">We built a tiny closet around an electrical panel at the front desk - it's about 4 sq. ft - but it gives us a safe place for a shallow shelf of cleaning supplies, and a rack of brooms/vacuums. Plus, it's where we hang the world's thinnest stepstool for reaching those high shelves.</span></td></tr>
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<b><u>Racks</u></b></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeL-MysFNd_rqDo6zmJlKlAQqvqxKUXRR7zIM4cNLhHwpu-oSmbORvyT8fGp6SspOsot88XiG3u7CV-b0GjNs2IWCHBnO2Xj82uac9VuSkEnPLLzfnMKIfynhcjQDlZfL99rOiFXd7mvM/s1600/new+membership+rack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeL-MysFNd_rqDo6zmJlKlAQqvqxKUXRR7zIM4cNLhHwpu-oSmbORvyT8fGp6SspOsot88XiG3u7CV-b0GjNs2IWCHBnO2Xj82uac9VuSkEnPLLzfnMKIfynhcjQDlZfL99rOiFXd7mvM/s200/new+membership+rack.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="p1">
<span class="s1">We built a rack on the wall to hold those memberships that someone buys...but then they go off to play. They come back later and pick it up.</span></div>
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<b><u>Counter Space</u></b></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN1sfj1woFGDkGzL9WGg9h4gAzuzrqe6Hb1skFe8dvT9B-CISAXZopofW7Hj-E9sotY9wte-5bF1xTyk79dk1Dcpk_Hn5cROQW4MqHLtFTUXc79YFpz22Wv7bA8FVMT7P4yLhfy1DPEaI/s1600/orange+cabinet+front+desk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN1sfj1woFGDkGzL9WGg9h4gAzuzrqe6Hb1skFe8dvT9B-CISAXZopofW7Hj-E9sotY9wte-5bF1xTyk79dk1Dcpk_Hn5cROQW4MqHLtFTUXc79YFpz22Wv7bA8FVMT7P4yLhfy1DPEaI/s200/orange+cabinet+front+desk.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">This is SO important. You need a little space for sorting whatever project you're working on at the desk. We don't have quite enough. It's especially handy when someone brings in a big tray of cupcakes for a staff birthday...</span></td></tr>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">In Closing...</span></u></i></b><br />
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Since our earliest days as a museum, we learned to put our best person at the front desk - it's not a job for the faint of heart. It's not just about running the cash register - it's about having someone who can respond to both crisis and serendipity (since nice things happen too, not just problems.) It takes someone warm and friendly - and also someone with the ability to chill. Oh, and did I mention a steel-trap mind and ability to organize the heck out of anything? Our manager - the amazing Cait Pierce (soon to be Cait Alexander!) - embodies these qualities, and most days, you'll find her at the desk. Plus, she has built a team of people who know how to communicate "Kidcity" to our visitors when they sit in that chair (Shout Out to Assistant Manager Carl Chisem - celebrating 10 years at Kidcity!). <br />
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Our front desk is Command Central at Kidcity. Now you know all there is to know!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-44586203868720808342015-05-16T09:55:00.000-04:002015-05-16T18:42:25.652-04:00The Indy 2015<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
Just got back from 4 days in Indianapolis at the 2015 children's museum conference called <b>Interactivity.</b> We were last here for ACM in 2005, so some things were familiar (one never quite forgets the sheer scale of the CM of Indianapolis) and some things were new.</div>
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<b>Small Talks</b></div>
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Back in Pittsburgh 2013, Interactivity started a delightful tradition of inviting interesting people from outside the field to give Small Talks, letting those of us at children’s museums borrow inspiration or ideas from their experience. A personal highlight was the <a href="http://www.dancekal.org/">Dance Kaleidoscope</a> lady who got a stage-full of conference participants (needless to say, non-dancers) to co-choreograph a dance about waking up, eating breakfast and showering. Exhibit designer <a href="http://www.scienceinteractives.com/">Clifford Wagner</a> distinguished himself with his enthusiastic rendition of what it looks like when he pulls on his pants in the morning; an image now indelibly marked on my brain.</div>
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<b>Sessions</b></div>
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I attended a packed session called “How to Swim and Win in Data” - as a self-declared numbers geek, I like to hear what other museums measure. One of the speakers, Blake Wigdahl, dazzled us with the news that his whole staff reports numbers daily by email to everyone across departments - and that’s at a museum just one year old, and part of the <a href="http://www.thanksgivingpoint.org/">Thanksgiving Point</a> museum/garden/farm complex in Utah (at the one-year mark at my museum, we were lucky to get our place cleaned up, the cash in the bank and the toilet paper re-stocked before the next day began, so clearly, they are doing something right out there.) Lindy Hoyer & Jeff Barnhart from the <a href="http://www.ocm.org/">Omaha CM</a> shared their experience with measuring the actual result (rather than the anecdotal “feeling”) on whether traveling exhibits actually drive revenue and attendance in proportion to their cost. After reading what the numbers said (which could be summed up like this: “meh”) they decided to occasionally build their own temporary exhibits, which energized their staff creatively and fiscally. Now they’ve settled into a mix of bought & built. Karen Coltrane, talking about her experiences both at the CM of Richmond and at <a href="http://www.edventure.org/">EdVenture</a>, gave this advice: Share all your numbers with everyone in your organization - which led to lots of enthusiastic nods around the crowded room.</div>
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I spent Wednesday afternoon at the CEO forum - which was limited to executive directors at open museums - and since the doors were locked and we agreed that everything said the room is now in “The Vault”, I can’t say what we talked about. Just kidding! We talked about fundraising. For four hours. But aside from that, I really enjoyed the guts-baring camaraderie around my table during the session. The best thing was seeing my fellows around the conference for the next two days- like we’d all just filmed our own version of The Breakfast Club and now we’d find out if we can still be friends out in the real world! Hey Tammie, Stephanie, Lara, Jeff, Mike, Rouleen & Karysia!</div>
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In fact, all of the sessions I attended this year were well worth the time. I learned a lot - or laughed a lot, as in the case of <a href="http://www.hofl.org/about.php">Kathy Gustafson-Hilton’s</a> session called “Mistakes were Made”. Kia Karlen from Madison CM took home the “Epic Fail” trophy for her story “GhostFire” about the time that she…well, you’ll have to get that one from her. </div>
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On the learning side, it turns out that children’s museums are perfect places to build Executive Functioning skills, which are Essential to Happiness and Success in Life, according to all research ever. If you’re not familiar with it, google the Marshmallow Test, and then think about all the moments in our exhibits that make kids slow down, think a bit, wait for a reaction or get someone else to participate for the biggest payoff. It turns out that all this is a Good Thing. This session - presented by Erin Ramsey from the <a href="http://www.familiesandwork.org/">Families and Work Institute</a> on their Mind in the Making project - is exactly the kind of the thing that the ACM conference does well: bring in an outside expert and let us learn from their work, and give us some room (rather than spoonfeeding) to think about how it relates to our museums.</div>
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In other news, I sat in on a session moderated by <a href="http://www.metarchdesign.com/#section/home">Aaron Goldblatt</a> on my absolute favorite topic: how to create a vibrant town (and how children’s museums can help). In other words, Urban Planning. A few of my favorite people in the industry narrated their photos of public places that have a sense of fun and CM-type spirit, and there were also a few cautionary tales about how hard it can be to get things done in the civic arena (as opposed to our own seamless organizations?), especially when the cave people show up to protest (that’s c-a-v-e, or Citizens Against Virtually Everything). </div>
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Michael Shanklin from <a href="http://www.kidspacemuseum.org/">Kidspace in Pasadena</a> led a roundtable about “Next Practices” about what the future looks like for the children’s museum field. I appreciated the chance to rant about some of my not-so-secret agendas. Here are three:</div>
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<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">How to encourage museums to create their own original exhibits.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">If everyone buys exhibits from the same firms, we start to all look alike and that’s professional suicide if we want children’s museums to multiply and expand.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> As Collette Michaud from the <a href="http://www.cmosc.org/home.html">CM of Sonoma County</a> noted, there's a place for exhibit firms and some museums need them, but more museums should feel empowered to try creating something of their own instead of thinking that's only for the experts (after all, we ARE the experts on how kids in our communities play and learn!) </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">At the table, we tossed around the idea of creating a “Tony Awards” for exhibit design - with nominations for “Best Revival” (a fresh rendering of an old chestnut), “Best Original Concept”, and “Best Engaged Play”.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">The prize would be bragging rights!</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">We need a committed return to regular and robust gathering of data by ACM about our museums.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">Until the mid-2000’s, there was an annual survey…then it puttered to every two years…now we’re still sitting on 2011 data.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">I know that probably no one else greeted that fat envelope survey with quite the same glee as me, but I think ACM should use it’s Moral Authority to say “Hey, this is important.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">We need accurate data on our own performance so that we can advocate for the support we need and show our impact.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">So no more whining!</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">Just do it!”</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">I hear that ACM will re-start that process soon, and maybe we should consider a suggestion that Michael Shanklin made:</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">let’s ask for help from IMLS to create a streamlined online survey for all the museum associations combined to combat survey fatigue - and each could have specific questions just for their members.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">Let’s expand the repertoire of organizational structures that can create and sustain children’s museums (in other words, could there be non-profit variations on the existing board/staff model?</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">How does the current structure lead to better museums and how does it limit them?</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">What is required by law, and what board practices are cultural?)</span></li>
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<b>The Zeitgeist</b></div>
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There are always a few trends or buzzwords at the conference, and I can say with relief that this year, it was NOT nano. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">The question of intellectual property was hot</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">- and whether you can really steal an idea like “grocery store” or “bulldozer” - so when is the line crossed from inspiration to lazy or malicious plagiarism.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">(My husband says, you can borrow my idea, but return it with interest!)</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">And there was some tussling over whether we should stick to words like “learning” and “education” in describing a children’s museum, or whether it was acceptable to ever utter the word “play” or “fun”. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">(Note to field:</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">doesn’t matter what you call it, that’s actually why people come, whether you like it or not!)</span></div>
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So that’s my wrap-up - I had a great time in Indy, seeing my ACM BFF’s and occasionally being a troublemaker (shout-out to Paul Orselli!) Next year the conference is in Kidcity’s home state of Connecticut at <a href="http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/">Stepping Stones</a> in Norwalk! So come play!</div>
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<i>(I leave you with photos of the most brilliant thing at the <a href="https://www.childrensmuseum.org/">CM of Indianapolis</a>…the rotating round lounging bench under the giant Chihuly glass sculpture. This was inspired magic and put everyone in the frame of mind that we seek to create at our museums: Anything is Possible!)</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><i>At this rate, I will have to change the name of this blog to “What Happened at Interactivity • the Children’s Museum Conference” - since apparently I only feel the urge to post after my annual trip to <a href="http://www.childrensmuseums.org/">ACM</a>.</i></span></div>
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<i>(pause for yet another mental vow to write more about what’s going on at Kidcity….ok, moving on!)</i></div>
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Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-69839958634669335682011-05-22T14:47:00.009-04:002011-05-23T14:04:06.983-04:00Lessons from Interactivity<div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">One last post from my visit to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ACM's Interactivity, </span></span></span></i></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">the national children's museum conference in Houston.</span></span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Here are some notes from the Interactivity conference sessions that I enjoyed:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Would you like fries with that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Maybe it’s not the most glamorous part of our business, but children’s museums need good computer systems for making sales (cash register), booking parties and events (calendar), running our shops (inventory), and keeping track of members and supporters (database & online communication). I was complaining about the lack of good options at last year’s Interactivity, and was delighted to find a session this year that went right at the question, led by Denver’s Mike Yankovich and Please Touch’s Concetta Bencivenga. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">While a few representatives from common ticketing systems watched, about 20 of us from children’s museums of all sizes and shapes made lists of what we want these systems to do, and how they fall short. Hopefully the vendors who were there appreciated their front row seat to an unvarnished customer opinion. As for the museums, we plan to compile our needs into a proposal, and if need be, work with the vendors to help them do a better job of serving our market, at a price we can afford. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">One big happy family….almost<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Most children’s museums participate in the national reciprocal program, selling a membership card that provides free admission to all the other museums in the program. In the past few years, it’s become clear that this system has some problems, and on Thursday, about 50 of us hashed it out over lunch. The problems fall into three main categories: pricing, geography, and abuse. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Price:</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> the rules dictate that museums charge at least $100 for the ACM card, but some charge much more and they can find their customers scooped (sometimes by online savvy customers) by museums at the lower rate. On this issue, there seems to be some consensus among those in the room that $125 or even $150 was a more practical price, given that it hasn’t gone up since the mid-1990’s, and the use of the card is so much more extensive (and therefore has a bigger impact on museums) than it did back then.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Distance:</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> Some museums feel that the card shouldn’t work on museums in close proximity to each other, instead having an exclusion clause for other museums within 90 miles. This is the system used by the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) for their reciprocal card. An on-going survey of reciprocal museums, though, showed that about ¾ would rather NOT have an exclusion (get those surveys in, folks!) In the past year or so, ACM has experimented with letting individual museums create mutual restrictions, which makes it a pain in the neck for card-holders, who have to wade through a lot of fine print just to be sure they can use the card. That hardly seems an improvement.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Abuse: </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> Some people have figured out how to game the system, and sometimes it creates more lost income than a museum can bear. Sigh... </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">My own perspective as Kidcity's director is that I hope we <i>Don't Throw the Baby out with the Bathwater</i>. Even though visits on the ACM card are a full 15% of our overall attendance - that means we don't get any income from that attendance - I still feel that the program benefits both Kidcity and the overall field. I am in support of a price increase though - because I think that the value would still be there for families at $125 or $130, especially in our region, where they can visit about a dozen museums within an hour or two's drive. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 0, 51); font-size:medium;">The ACM Board will be considering changes to the program at their meeting this summer, and then they'll give museums a year to decide whether they like the changes or want to opt out of the program.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 0, 51); font-size:medium;"><b>Oooh....Eye Candy!</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 0, 51); font-size:medium;">Maybe it's just me, but I think the most fun part of the conference is seeing images from other children's museums, especially the good ones! The new children's museum in Madison, Wisconsin looks amazing, with chickens wandering around on the green roof, a steampunk big-kid space, and a wiggly suspension bridge crossing the airspace of their early childhood room. After just a few minutes, I was pretty sure I wanted to move there. Then I saw the photos of an amazing tree-walk designed by Aaron Goldblatt for the arboretum in Philadelphia. Imagine a beautifully crafted boardwalk through the tree canopy, punctuated with occasional giant hammocks, all 50-feet up in the air.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51); "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_Uw81f51TsGyZ2GDo0xppxnyO92OjfVxpt4yix5dCt2MdNDFvFS-fTSUDirpdSem57D1N0Fj01aQ1Qvhj2iYjJRwPqfjiHxt_ejsmC7a8UEheQScepb64AfPmWetmivwZyFCqbnxOKUa/s400/philadelphia+arboretum+tree+hammocks.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609637295009510354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; " /></span></b></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51); "><b>I won't bore you with the details....</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">....but I'm incredibly excited about the new ACM benchmark calculator which debuts this summer. You can compare your museum with others of the same budget, or attendance, or staff size, or regional population.... ok, nap time's over.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51); "><b>A Really Interesting Idea</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">ACM again turned out an amazing keynote speaker with Steven Johnson, who wrote<b> Where Good Ideas Come From</b>. Johnson challenges the notion that breakthrough ideas come from some lone genius, instead pointing out the importance of connections between people as the root of innovation. That's good news for our current generation of social networkers - according to Johnson, they are uniquely poised to take advantage of each other's expertise and resources when it's their turn to create the future. I'm part-way through his book, and my new favorite concept is the idea of the Adjacent Possible, which means that innovation can only grow from what already exists, but it also means that innovation is always possible from what's in front of you right now (I find this especially interesting from an urban planning perspective: what do I want my community to be come, and what's the next step to get there. I wonder what can grow out of the elements which are already here?) </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 0, 51); font-size:medium;">I appreciated Johnson's optimism. Personally, I'm getting tired of all the doom and gloom about how we all need to focus on the economy and job training - I think it leads to a narrow focus in the education system and in business. I'd love to see more worrying about the quality of our ideas and less about our financing - that's true for the children's museum field and the whole country!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That's my wrap-up from Interactivity 2011. It was well worth the trip - next year, it's off to Portland, Oregon!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>P.S. I don't want to leave the impression that we worked ALL the time in Houston. To satisfy Kidcity Manger Caitlin Pierce's obsession, we tracked down a hipster food truck on the corner of Montrose and Willard, where I had the best burger of my life (along homemade ketchup, tipsy onions & sweet potato fries) Just something we'd love to see more of in Little ol' Middletown, CT.</i></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILyskalV3hPujWjasctk-5ue2ZeqSiKL2dQnF4821WCMW0obuNs98sGg8Eixq0eB6XrIRnM30Wt-9hzZJEcNRscSWA865S6sox-4BmGIkuo-PoEHTG7SBojdSdnHLxFEG7NNpDWifUcUS/s1600/Bernie%2527s+Burger+Bus.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILyskalV3hPujWjasctk-5ue2ZeqSiKL2dQnF4821WCMW0obuNs98sGg8Eixq0eB6XrIRnM30Wt-9hzZJEcNRscSWA865S6sox-4BmGIkuo-PoEHTG7SBojdSdnHLxFEG7NNpDWifUcUS/s400/Bernie%2527s+Burger+Bus.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609634292018944578" /></a></span></div>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-58615779593626633692011-05-21T15:39:00.011-04:002011-05-23T14:04:39.289-04:00Adult Swim<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CSPScrOaoMya1rokDpBLYl7pJJgBc-CPM7M5c_oXnB0-evU_y_iDkJPbxLlc3yy_EZzRu18l9CqdXuiok6215_nIhF1-U4MlzRmVrVLGnshma0Su2ffJdBSgJRlsHvEUqmXQ4YUzJvKs/s1600/adult+swim+photo+2011+acm.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CSPScrOaoMya1rokDpBLYl7pJJgBc-CPM7M5c_oXnB0-evU_y_iDkJPbxLlc3yy_EZzRu18l9CqdXuiok6215_nIhF1-U4MlzRmVrVLGnshma0Su2ffJdBSgJRlsHvEUqmXQ4YUzJvKs/s400/adult+swim+photo+2011+acm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609269981259874690" /></a><br />The last session of the 2011 ACM conference was about as raw and honest as any discussion I've ever heard among children's museums over the years. <div><br /></div><div>Kathy Gustafson-Hilton of Hands-On Inc. brought us together for a new-to-ACM format call <b>The Fishbowl</b>. She set the ground rules: People in the front row of a circle of chairs would offer a tale of risk from their museum - they would give up their seat when they were ready, and someone from the back rows could go for it.<div><br /></div><div>It was a little scary in the Fishbowl. Interestingly, the group seemed to be mostly executive directors and others in leadership in the field. People told stories of faith, trust, betrayal, deceit, glory....if you had to sum it up in a single word, I'd have to say "Passion". The details of each story weren't important, but the sentiment was: we love what we do. But for a moment - and this is hardly typical of the conference - the vibe was less of the self-congratulatory and more of the confessional.</div><div><br /></div><div>The topics ranged as widely as the museums themselves. Some museums are making hard exhibit choices - especially the question of whether traveling exhibits (a sacred cow in the industry) were really worth the money and loss of creative control for the hosting museum (um...can you tell where I stand on that issue?) Others were diving into challenging social issues where they felt driven to make a difference, but full of worry about the impact on their operations. </div><div><br /></div><div>A few were excited about new opportunities and expansion plans, and others talked about the role that their boards play. For non-profits, it's the board that sets the policy and strategic direction, and the executive director who follows that plan. I hope I don't shock anyone when I say that this is a complicated dance in the best of organizations, and has wrecked havoc in more than a few. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a great format for an ACM session - I loved the chance to hear directors talk so openly about the issues they face. Since we're in true confession mode, I'll say this: I often leave the conference wishing I'd spoken less and listened more. This format let me hear from many people I've met or known for years, but I'd just never heard them speak so clearly, and from the heart. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe it's because I came to be a children's museum director as a Mom fresh from the supportive atmosphere of the Playgroup circuit, but I really value hearing about how people feel about the work they do. In some ways it's less "professional" - but it also re-energizes us for the work ahead.</div></div>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-59496295180847990172011-05-19T15:32:00.011-04:002011-05-21T20:05:08.923-04:00Pecha Kucha 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>Dear Reader,<br />It's true I haven't been in touch lately on this blog - we've been busy on a top-secret project at Kidcity and I knew I'd spill the beans if I even opened my mouth. But we're almost ready to reveal what we've been up to - hopefully next week!<br /><br />In the meantime, I'm at the national meeting of the Association of Children's Museums in Houston, TX and I'll be blogging about the conference for a few days. Be back at Kidcity soon!</i></span><br /><br /><br />I'm seriously considering taking up the ukelele. You would be too, if you'd been at the Pecha Kucha session last night at Houston's Heritage Society.<br /><br />For the newbies, Pecha Kucha gives you 6 minutes and 40 seconds to show 20 slides and talk about what inspires you - it started in Japan and has spread all over the world, including the ACM conferences in <a href="http://livinginkidcity.blogspot.com/2009/04/pecha-kucha-at-interactivity.html">2009</a> and <a href="http://livinginkidcity.blogspot.com/2010/05/putting-muse-in-museum.html">2010</a>. This year, the ACM Pecha Kucha showcased 10 people from the children's museum field. As instigator <span style="font-weight:bold;">Paul Orselli</span> pointed out, it alternates between the sublime and the ridiculous: where on earth did <span style="font-weight:bold;">Erich Rose</span> find that photo - let's just call it </span><span style="font-style:italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Manequin Parts with Hose and Duct Tape</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. It was more of a "Don't" than a "Do".<br /><br />For me, the evening was a bit of a blur because I was so nervous about making my first ACM presentation - it was thrilling, even if I did accidentally press pause on the laptop part-way through my presentation.<br /><br />Oh, I wish I had pictures...but here's a smattering of what I remember:<br /><br />•<span style="font-weight:bold;">Becky Lindsay</span> captured the exhibit designer's quandry of the tension between the </span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-style:italic;">macro</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> exhibit (how it looks from the outside), and the </span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-style:italic;">micro</span></span></span> exhibit (the loose parts and tasks that actually engage your child visitors). Creating that outside WOW is important, but it's the micro level that leads to the sustained, imaginative play that makes a magical children's museum experience.<br /><br />•<span style="font-weight:bold;">Clifford Wagner</span> demonstrated the power of the Path of Least Resistance, and encouraged us to use it both in exhibit design and in opening potato chip bags.<br /><br />•<span style="font-weight:bold;">Paul Orselli</span> waved the banner - bless him - of why children's museums should develop their internal capacity to create their own exhibits. It's at least as important as having a snazzy cafe (where you just might find your visitors taking a nap.)<br /><br />•<span style="font-weight:bold;">Aaron Goldblatt</span> treated us to sort of mental yoga class. Suggesting that ugly things become beautiful if you look at them long enough, he showed us his photos of found and forgettable corners of urban life. We mulled them over in silence, a la John Cage.<br /><br />•<span style="font-weight:bold;">Sari Bowen</span> bravely and beautifully told us about her unexpected love affair with the ukelele - and how she dreamed of creating just such a "ukelele experience" for visitors in children's museums. When was the last time you fell in love with an idea and then let it move in? What makes that perfect combination of openess (you) and inspiration (it) that knocks you off your feet? After asking this question, she led us all in a sing-along of Ringo Starr's "You're Sixteen". We didn't sound too shabby!<br /><br />The room was packed, the bar was busy, and two lucky winners went home with door prizes! I'd like to suggest that ACM issue a special community service award to Paul Orselli (and his usual co-host Peter Exeley) for this new tradition. Pecha Kucha is a great way to start the conference!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-19424137369131570772010-09-24T12:37:00.000-04:002010-09-24T12:37:00.113-04:00Books, books & more books!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSBrmhr0YpcU6EzwUwLCRPWnH7Re3kUaMbGW9yEISoWIEmrYdbCrUdNRDl80i2yGvIGn3mayhyphenhyphen75EUTscugutPJH_XnZ2G-WOg9WwX2oipabwzHT9f1wH-LS91koVhixYlHSEN9syninT/s1600/museum+shop+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSBrmhr0YpcU6EzwUwLCRPWnH7Re3kUaMbGW9yEISoWIEmrYdbCrUdNRDl80i2yGvIGn3mayhyphenhyphen75EUTscugutPJH_XnZ2G-WOg9WwX2oipabwzHT9f1wH-LS91koVhixYlHSEN9syninT/s400/museum+shop+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520343278787660098" /></a><br />If you've been to Kidcity in the past few months, this is old news...<br /><br />...the new bookstore is open!<br /><br />There is a lot more room for reading, a corner bench and fun library stools to slide around on. And, of course, lots of new titles. (A book called <span style="font-weight:bold;">Chester</span> is the new staff pick, but we're also partial to <span style="font-weight:bold;">Binky, the Space Cat.</span>)<br /><br />We've separated the books into categories like "Small World", "Cool Science", "Things that Go" and "Busy Books". <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjrd1f81SqFHZn0_zhofMxrtw0-FuyuVUEEA8_vWJ42I79Z6-Iv8uFKIS8WWm-7gUBE3sr6PGg768fN4t_wMYL06d52smnU4bszHzF8vUbzZFJ0BbV_GGnwDA-9La2kPNVl_XU1NpFDmU/s1600/bookstore+closeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjrd1f81SqFHZn0_zhofMxrtw0-FuyuVUEEA8_vWJ42I79Z6-Iv8uFKIS8WWm-7gUBE3sr6PGg768fN4t_wMYL06d52smnU4bszHzF8vUbzZFJ0BbV_GGnwDA-9La2kPNVl_XU1NpFDmU/s400/bookstore+closeup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520339030033391218" /></a><br /><br />My personal favorite is the "Vintage" category. That means we have a special shelf for the books we loved when we were little -- they're now back in print for our own kids. So you can get <span style="font-weight:bold;">Harold and the Purple Crayon</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">A is for Annabelle</span> right here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_EJ7tePlZJP_utQsdz69MpLiX9lkCl_T8TOterOWx_kcLpcMTeToYziO30E5vAhMFDsUrTbBswscsIRY5Dc95q382s0N9YHKJzz7XDxjra080CkFHbI2Tust5LmbpiQMSedPfOX73UZI/s1600/tshirt+cabinet.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_EJ7tePlZJP_utQsdz69MpLiX9lkCl_T8TOterOWx_kcLpcMTeToYziO30E5vAhMFDsUrTbBswscsIRY5Dc95q382s0N9YHKJzz7XDxjra080CkFHbI2Tust5LmbpiQMSedPfOX73UZI/s320/tshirt+cabinet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520345433005248114" /></a>Matt built this nifty cabinet to hold 8 new styles of t-shirts - but we're still working on the designs. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> What do you think of this one...maybe on a bright purple tee?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmV-0I7Jp5SqyAFmPPz4Stp5koWsWYtfoZhENhK9w-p5b8-JZlpxCyzTUBP66WCoRab-V4uIeDIRDQQ2PNxIvfQdL9DyUTWg-NugsqO_1AMDxyaiJzOkvPNDQotI1wdp4JmDJLZj3AqYf/s1600/Kidcity+Pig+T+small.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmV-0I7Jp5SqyAFmPPz4Stp5koWsWYtfoZhENhK9w-p5b8-JZlpxCyzTUBP66WCoRab-V4uIeDIRDQQ2PNxIvfQdL9DyUTWg-NugsqO_1AMDxyaiJzOkvPNDQotI1wdp4JmDJLZj3AqYf/s200/Kidcity+Pig+T+small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520345850309241218" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />P.S. I'm crazy about the photo-fun carpet tiles in the new bookstore - they're from <a href="http://www.flor.com">Flor</a>!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-8043272209428006922010-05-26T12:58:00.010-04:002010-05-26T13:48:10.638-04:00The Merry Month of MayThe month of May typically means beautiful weather in Connecticut. Unfortunately, this year is no exception.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHBnz_DbopUzeeSYnZIv48CacNUq-FDANluDTh8sbp7IECTJ3Dbb1_F6UJrmEyDAiCA1N_JKmSTHMpAoKAPGnac_vw-tsCk5T7gCO5FhhegwxHrqWHR1UpnUcfof_hT2XAMSZrSyy-XHL/s1600/staff+plays+dressup+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHBnz_DbopUzeeSYnZIv48CacNUq-FDANluDTh8sbp7IECTJ3Dbb1_F6UJrmEyDAiCA1N_JKmSTHMpAoKAPGnac_vw-tsCk5T7gCO5FhhegwxHrqWHR1UpnUcfof_hT2XAMSZrSyy-XHL/s320/staff+plays+dressup+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475625381243645858" /></a>In other words, it's pretty quiet these days at Kidcity, since everyone seems to be playing outside instead. <br /><br />Here's a photo of folks on the Kidcity staff trying to stay busy by trying on dress up costumes. Lookin' good, guys!<br /><br />If you happen to be one of those families that hates a crowd, then please....come play!<br /><br />Meanwhile, we are making progress on our new museum shop. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0yR10m77q4kLb-ZetmzonzNZK9PXVYkFfE9hZNYkfF0H85YOaUPMyqGySogdl-jikdIKArjSbdDMb9_g34UXbQXA_bRJkjtIF7LV_s4Go4afe599u280Zwvfj3bAa3RWhbXruXX-GmJw/s1600/discussing+bookstore+shelves.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0yR10m77q4kLb-ZetmzonzNZK9PXVYkFfE9hZNYkfF0H85YOaUPMyqGySogdl-jikdIKArjSbdDMb9_g34UXbQXA_bRJkjtIF7LV_s4Go4afe599u280Zwvfj3bAa3RWhbXruXX-GmJw/s320/discussing+bookstore+shelves.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475633854685316658" /></a>Here's a shot of Matt and Scott as we debate building another cabinet (see the cardboard prototype). <br /><br />Instead, Matt built these steel "ladders" that fit between the joists, and then we lined the back wall with black beadboard. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcEWW1uw5Iwe7QGtoB0m-30Z8CPJIuj1nFdnwZs3brXUPUt9m6EFrxxlGVcte4SCTsW5Xj0F_20DpSQ_nGNu-X47SVORNWhbW9t4saI-Lh4KvesFUA-1rW2HkBMFOHDaxl_7GjirSlBgl/s1600/bookstore+steel+shelves+new.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcEWW1uw5Iwe7QGtoB0m-30Z8CPJIuj1nFdnwZs3brXUPUt9m6EFrxxlGVcte4SCTsW5Xj0F_20DpSQ_nGNu-X47SVORNWhbW9t4saI-Lh4KvesFUA-1rW2HkBMFOHDaxl_7GjirSlBgl/s200/bookstore+steel+shelves+new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475636664757742370" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlEQhfIve1VXZAdtRO9kgWhfZWyn2vOIaGXAOPod5cAQpPd2HVFLG3rI144KrM-pAD7eS2dJCYiY_klunqjq3C6h3GU1jm8JRDd6NxHhLmNLgozxnM_Y_uLdjgbfHWEP4FLS-LfbDDuiz/s1600/steel+bookstore+shelves+installed.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlEQhfIve1VXZAdtRO9kgWhfZWyn2vOIaGXAOPod5cAQpPd2HVFLG3rI144KrM-pAD7eS2dJCYiY_klunqjq3C6h3GU1jm8JRDd6NxHhLmNLgozxnM_Y_uLdjgbfHWEP4FLS-LfbDDuiz/s200/steel+bookstore+shelves+installed.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475636165880906802" /></a><br /><br />In other news, we picked out ceiling tile, got the carpet in, decided to wallpaper, decided not to wallpaper after seeing the samples, and Scott is now testing a linen faux-paint technique on the walls. <br /><br />Best of all, we got some new titles in, even though the new shop isn't ready for them. My kid loves this one:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitY1Nc3cPq4Cd6byidAh1Ha79vTO7iFgq9ZzDO3a-VM4wOWTwZb7oXTWRQZqHhM7hlG_g10NagZ51Jj9mltS8wayHFnAasYM_2bCUGbT5Jx0nBIjAoLl2fBJXeWPpXa-6wwB-B2hyphenhyphensliYO/s1600/Shark+vs.+Train.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 395px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitY1Nc3cPq4Cd6byidAh1Ha79vTO7iFgq9ZzDO3a-VM4wOWTwZb7oXTWRQZqHhM7hlG_g10NagZ51Jj9mltS8wayHFnAasYM_2bCUGbT5Jx0nBIjAoLl2fBJXeWPpXa-6wwB-B2hyphenhyphensliYO/s400/Shark+vs.+Train.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475635238456032066" /></a><br /><br />Enjoy the nice weather and come back and play soon!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-32204307655505623472010-05-07T11:56:00.026-04:002010-05-08T05:01:58.428-04:00Mental Floss<span style="font-style:italic;">To Kidcity's Visitors: I'm in St. Paul, Minnesota for the annual children's museum conference. I'll be back to blogging about regular Kidcity news soon!</span><br /><br />The annual ACM conference has never failed to serve up at least one Really Big Idea that sustains me long after I've returned home. One year, they engaged Jim Collins to talk about how his "<a href="http://www.jimcollins.com/">Good to Great</a>" philosophy could help children's museums develop their focus on their core mission, and I'm still carrying around the card with my hedgehog concept that I jotted down as he spoke. Another year, Greg Mortensen made us all examine whether we have really stretched ourselves to equal the importance of our purpose when he described his journey of building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan with "<a href="http://www.threecupsoftea.com/how-to-help/intro-to-central-asia-institute/">Three Cups of Tea</a>". And I will forever be grateful that I was in the room back in New York City in 1999 when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Postman">Neil Postman</a> blew the lid off any ideas I'd ever had about education when he listed the "Five Things we Need to Teach our Young" (which is inexplicably not available online, but was published in Hand in Hand, Vol. 13, #2.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMejnrLE33p1gXG_E8-WS8PaHY6ErtNHI1hxa9iXsI2BmIEQ-RA8mU2oBzQtSTaFVQZggvnIomdzJGyRjxNEMQuxIQYYak-L3LQ56wdIRonTMv1T6gGjjgVYBcwpeIpkF054zjx0Qll6Sj/s1600/uncharitable+book+cover.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMejnrLE33p1gXG_E8-WS8PaHY6ErtNHI1hxa9iXsI2BmIEQ-RA8mU2oBzQtSTaFVQZggvnIomdzJGyRjxNEMQuxIQYYak-L3LQ56wdIRonTMv1T6gGjjgVYBcwpeIpkF054zjx0Qll6Sj/s320/uncharitable+book+cover.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468815082381877074" /></a>Here's one more for the list: after this morning's presentation by Dan Pallotta, author of "Uncharitable", I will never see my work and the tools I can use in the same light. He argues that we've set our whole non-profit sector up for failure, even though-- paradoxically -- we already know how to make it thrive.<br /><br />The methods that make companies like Apple, Coke or Disney so huge, are the very methods that we won't allow our "helping" organizations to use. And isn't it more important to be successful in saving the world than in entertaining it? <br /><br />He notes our obsession with evaluating non-profits by the size of their overhead. Although that produces pithy ratings about "how much of your donation actually goes to the cause", it doesn't measure whether the organization is doing a good job or having an impact. He asked us to imagine walking into a shoe store and saying: show me the shoes with the lowest overhead! Yet that's often how we make our choices for much more important issues.<br /><br />Specifically, he pointed out five strategies of the for-profit world that we deny non-profits:<br /><br />•can’t use money to attract leadership talent<br />•can’t advertise on the same scale<br />•can’t take risks trying new sources of revenue<br />•can’t take the long term view by spending cash now for a return years down the road<br />•can't raise money through the stock market<br /><br />This guy was just genius. You have to read his book, or at least look at <a href="http://www.danpallotta.com">his website</a>, because these ideas are inevitably going places.<br /><br />Actually, I've encountered genius twice today, and it's not even noon.<br /><br />I spent breakfast wandering around the convention hall where the various exhibit designers peddle their wares...which I usually find to be an underwhelming experience. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVWX9rIhQLnk2x_4lLZLt2antgkHsQHdQ_vFSWnsnbatfc5qYH6xvdSPn0dWGv2Yu2OCZw3Vi1jLLTd5I1u0RzBxPvxwpV3iaa-SRJv2ZzGmmN2nP194S6IvQxXlnXGsBDuLuwIBFrf6l/s1600/sheep+at+skirball+acm+lexington.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 178px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVWX9rIhQLnk2x_4lLZLt2antgkHsQHdQ_vFSWnsnbatfc5qYH6xvdSPn0dWGv2Yu2OCZw3Vi1jLLTd5I1u0RzBxPvxwpV3iaa-SRJv2ZzGmmN2nP194S6IvQxXlnXGsBDuLuwIBFrf6l/s200/sheep+at+skirball+acm+lexington.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468633791558620146" /></a>Fortunately there is the occasional exception: I was rendered absolutely speechless (well, at least incoherent) by the images of the Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center of Los Angeles, particularly of the animals that were fabricated from found materials by Lexington, a fabrication and design firm. <br /><br />The craft, the whimsy, the bold re-imagination of form, and the flat-out invitation to play - this is just the kind of unique, artist-driven work that would be the best business choice a children's museum could make. In these days of multiple museums (at Kidcity, we've got 5 other children's museums within 30-minutes drive, plus a new state-sponsored science museum), how can the same old laminate and label philosophy of exhibit design cut through the clutter. The answer is art. That's not just about aesthetics and core values -- those are just bonus -- it's also the business insurance you take out against the very real possibility of a cookie-cutter neighbor scooping up your visitors. Walking away from their display, all I could think was "When are people going to realize that you always go to the Dunkin Donuts which is closest to the exit?" <br /><br />I wish I had a more eloquent way to express this, but here's the thing: I just get so excited about encountering excellence in any field. Dan's book, a twisted giraffe sculpture, or <a href="http://www.hotel340.com/">the perfect hotel we have in St. Paul</a> - somehow we don't have a word for this sort of stellar entrepreneurial spirit. I actually feel a sense of grace in it's presence - and it's worth the trip.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(here's the pig sculpture that drew me to the Lexington booth in the first place - how cool is this!)<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom7Y7MDXBWmPqhQBZCdK2NOLCwMaTcbQj_6a3v31n5K5qSGAzWI9tEGYgHa808Vn52AJsyAWmKkY0X9jzjazZLBNhAtvYuUk7ShZ998wmfm64KYEPZNLY57PT1BglMqP7ZAsMj3Sv0S_g/s1600/lexington+pig+sculpture+acm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom7Y7MDXBWmPqhQBZCdK2NOLCwMaTcbQj_6a3v31n5K5qSGAzWI9tEGYgHa808Vn52AJsyAWmKkY0X9jzjazZLBNhAtvYuUk7ShZ998wmfm64KYEPZNLY57PT1BglMqP7ZAsMj3Sv0S_g/s400/lexington+pig+sculpture+acm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468658761899554338" /></a>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-55410816516753693122010-05-06T13:32:00.007-04:002010-05-06T15:55:54.443-04:00Who's bored now?<span style="font-style:italic;">To Kidcity's visitors: I'm blogging from the national children's museum conference in St. Paul, Minnesota...I promise that I'll get back to regular Kidcity news soon!</span><br /><br />I just came from a session here at the ACM conference that was so boisterous that it was almost impossible to get a word in edgewise -- which is kind of funny since it's a topic that most people would consider a bit dry.<br /><br />It was about how to create financial reports for children's museums.<br /><br />That's probably why Mike Yankovich from the CM of Denver showed this slide of someone snoring...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bxeccvwTCuNa15zRGiYxpp946ZHOwAO6oLSGxk244h5qSZ6Y7KE56As8HZFejjVLOZAomp3ImtBk9ChSdfM6G1dcLVWFfn8hYVaN2lfg6kyTV9h5inZ6GxBHEdcjKqtRR9O-90D02Ods/s1600/key+peformance+indicators+is+a+snore+ACM.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bxeccvwTCuNa15zRGiYxpp946ZHOwAO6oLSGxk244h5qSZ6Y7KE56As8HZFejjVLOZAomp3ImtBk9ChSdfM6G1dcLVWFfn8hYVaN2lfg6kyTV9h5inZ6GxBHEdcjKqtRR9O-90D02Ods/s200/key+peformance+indicators+is+a+snore+ACM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468218926977271410" /></a>that was right before his presentation was pretty much hi-jacked by people in the room who kept jumping in with their two-cents.<br /><br />I know some people find this stuff dull, but for this crowd, it was like being in a room full of Star Trek geeks and then Leonard Nimoy shows up to chat.<br /><br />So what should be measured at children's museums? Is it just about ticket sales and gift shop income? Or how the fundraising does? Or whether there's enough in the bank to make payroll? (ok, that last one IS pretty important.)<br /><br />And who wants to know this stuff?<br /><br />My friends in the children's museum field know that I am a fiend for data - where are visitors from? How did this weekend compare to the same weekend last year, and what was the weather? Are we using more paper towels and less Purell? I really love this stuff. Basically, I think you can't have too much information when you are trying to understand why people might choose to come play at your museum.<br /><br />The folks in this session were my soulmates: at least 5 people weighed in on the question of whether to track the depreciation rate of exhibits. In other words, should you measure how quickly your exhibits are "used up" - and is that a question of whether something needs to be replaced because it's broken, or is it just that your adult visitors might wait to bring their kid to the museum until you are advertising something "new". A few people proposed that it's an opportunity to educate visitors about how repeat visits to the same exhibit are the best thing developmentally for kids. As Concetta from <span style="font-style:italic;">Please Touch Museum</span> in Philly said: "I gotta ask, how many times did you read <span style="font-weight:bold;">Good Night Moon</span> to your kid?" (Our exhibits at Kidcity are permanent for just that reason.)<br /><br />Personally, I've grown to love measuring depreciation - no matter why you need to change an exhibit, you should understand how much of your physical plant you are "spending" every day - and if you let your rate of investment dip below that level, well then you are running a deficit no matter what your bank account tells you.<br /><br />The springboard for all this conversation was the system that the museum in Denver is using to track their "Key Performance Indicators". They set a goal - like understanding their audience. Then they measure the diversity of their audience in both socioeconomic and ethnic terms - and not just by tracking zip codes. Their method of spending the occasional week asking every visitor to take a survey drew a lot of pointed questions - exactly how do they get a response rate of 70% - that's pretty high. Mike's advice was "keep it short." Their fire truck exhibit is visible from the door, and he said it's like it's a magnet and the kids are made of steel - there's no way that a grown-up is going to be able to answer more than a few quick questions. Also, he found that just explaining that the survey would help the museum do a better job serving its visitors was a motivator. After they've got the data, they compare it to their targets. For example, under the goal of Financial Sustainability, they had goals like "having 90 days of cash on hand", and having a ratio of earned to contributed income of at least 50:50.<br /><br />By the way, in Denver, with a staff of 42 FTE's, and 269,000 visitors in 10,000 sq. ft. of exhibits, they are claiming the mantle of "most crowded children's museum in the country." Sounds plausible. <br /><br />As we were wrapping up, Janet Rice Elman, the association's exec director, weighed in with her advice on how to make sure that all the people that need to know the numbers can get them - ACM uses <a href="http://basecamphq.com/">Base Camp</a>, an online system for sharing documents, which lets the association board members easily view all the financial reports, and also tracks who is actually logging on. That helps keep everyone in the same information loop. That's something I'll be looking into for Kidcity.<br /><br />It seems that a number of us are in pursuit of the Holy Grail - a simple but accurate set of indicators that would give you a real snapshot of the current and future health of your museum. A dashboard that would tell you at a glance - is this bus taking us where we want to go?<br /><br />On the other hand, though simple is good, I can think of lots of things we don't track very well at Kidcity - how many costumes do we go through in our dress-up room, how many people choose to buy a membership after spending a few hours with us, what kinds of things get in the way of families deciding to come play (I'm not even sure how we'd measure that, but I'd sure like to know!)<br /><br /><br />In my opinion, the mother of all data points is the number of people who choose of their own free will to come visit your museum, followed closely by how far they are willing to travel. You can have really terrific bookkeeping systems, and impressive grant reports, but if you have to advertise like crazy just to get people in the door, then I'd suggest that it's more important to have a fun and worthwhile museum than great reporting systems. The truth is, it's not an either or choice - if you make the numbers your friend, they help you make your museum thrive by any measure.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">P.S. Here's a tip for anyone in the business of making software for children's museums - like Vista, Blackbaud, Explora, and our own PayGo, a Filemaker program. Someone could make a lot of children's museums very happy if they would create a system that actually works well for running the cash register, connecting with the bookkeeping programs, tracking the donors, members and school groups, managing the gift shop inventory, keeping the calendar for parties and events and sending the occasional email blast. Is that really too much to ask? So far, the answer would seem to be yes!</span>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-28108936256342983602010-05-06T00:36:00.009-04:002010-05-06T02:38:38.265-04:00Putting the Muse in Museum<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBy1vbDd_MQwPziMVDoE2yENykdLO64ALilLn8DtTfQ2CxZh58VS9zDPuP-V_e3k4Fsn4WOdqSh4FWbX8JOB57WhPEaOK3cfafBt93szasDAZkr3JEy4dYM_JVMiC8JjihUoRGi1zHWD-/s1600/bookshelf+in+progress+for+bookstore.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBy1vbDd_MQwPziMVDoE2yENykdLO64ALilLn8DtTfQ2CxZh58VS9zDPuP-V_e3k4Fsn4WOdqSh4FWbX8JOB57WhPEaOK3cfafBt93szasDAZkr3JEy4dYM_JVMiC8JjihUoRGi1zHWD-/s200/bookshelf+in+progress+for+bookstore.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468014742443218066" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;">We're interrupting the construction of Kidcity's new bookstore for a visit to the national conference of the Association of Children's Museums! Over the next few days, I'll be writing about the conference, so my apologies to my regular Kidcity visitors - hopefully you'll find something interesting in these writings, but if not, don't worry. It will be over soon!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A great children's museum is like an advent calendar -</span> that, and the title of this post, were just two of the nuggets of gold that I extracted from Daniel Spock's 400-second Pecha Kucha rant this evening.<br /><br />Ok, I'll try to start at the beginning. (But don't you just love the idea of visitors leaning in and opening little advent doors full of surprises? I'd like to play there!)<br /><br />Right....the beginning.<br /><br />So, I'm in Minnesota at the annual ACM conference - with lots of people from children's museums around the world, including two others from Kidcity (that's Cait, our manager, and Matt, our exhibit builder).<br /><br />We're here for three days of informative sessions on the nuts and bolts of the children's museum industry - there are workshops on how to hire the right staff, how to do promotions, and how to evaluate exhibits.<br /><br />But before all that starts (Thursday morning), several dozen of us gathered for a Pecha Kucha session, organized by Paul Orselli and Peter Exley.<br /><br />Pecha Kucha (say pe-CHA-ku-CHA) is a concept that <a href="http://www.pecha-kucha.org">started in Japan</a> and has spread to cities across the world. Basically, each speaker gets 400 seconds to describe 20 slides, while the host periodically exhorts the participants to make more frequent visits to the bar.<br /><br />Kind of like going to a poetry slam or church service - you feel like a good stiff breeze just blew through your head.<br /><br />Here are a few moments:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Reverence:</span><br />Peter Exley lovingly pointed out the curved line of a favorite building, and Greg Belew offered up images of perfect steel pistons and crank shafts in the guts of an exhibit. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Risk:</span><br />With photos of the exuberantly crafted new climbing sculpture at the Children's Museum of Phoenix, AZ, both Becky Lindsay and Deb Gilpin talked about seeing the benefits of risk in play, not just the dangers. Or maybe Becky was talking about exhibit design when she said: <span style="font-style:italic;">Jump out of the window and make your wings on the way down.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sass:</span> <br />Aside from Daniel Spock's invigorating thoughts on liberating the play spirit, we got some of Paul Orselli's usual atypical common sense<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBywx42CuEBpAmNlKTjTtALFgNFJk3OgW3-sYFyxuuzjOMthnioJ8t2cg9XQaYJ4_K0hni9S0mMJxnH_h4ok92yABvk1-h5y7gajQmtNAJSceyMM9NR98rJO1KGxt3DQhACAOeGx_pHIch/s1600/paul+orselli+screen+on+screens+acm.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBywx42CuEBpAmNlKTjTtALFgNFJk3OgW3-sYFyxuuzjOMthnioJ8t2cg9XQaYJ4_K0hni9S0mMJxnH_h4ok92yABvk1-h5y7gajQmtNAJSceyMM9NR98rJO1KGxt3DQhACAOeGx_pHIch/s200/paul+orselli+screen+on+screens+acm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468030358238887250" /></a> on the topic of technology in children's museums. Sure there are exceptions - but mostly video screens just hypnotize and pacify us - which is pretty much the opposite of imaginative play and wonder.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Joy:</span><br />Brad Larson has been writing and tweeting his haiku, to capture his experience of nature. But Clifford Wagner thinks we should all take up the violin. Right now. There's a photo of him walking his dogs while fiddling. He says it's all about creating joy. <br /><br />I think that's a good theme to start this year's ACM!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho32LjThX_lE_Z3Mk6tFL2wPn3yIRDsDgyoD9LqI9Syuw-W3oZj9tyLhnELXRN4n3AbOBh91mfXzK2JwvHUH5rKCEy6hLTfgcgxVRDDaEdMlxFeUhKpxiuNgEjLfxVFxzy4mEcN0O3VSZi/s1600/clifford+wagner+and+dogs+acm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho32LjThX_lE_Z3Mk6tFL2wPn3yIRDsDgyoD9LqI9Syuw-W3oZj9tyLhnELXRN4n3AbOBh91mfXzK2JwvHUH5rKCEy6hLTfgcgxVRDDaEdMlxFeUhKpxiuNgEjLfxVFxzy4mEcN0O3VSZi/s400/clifford+wagner+and+dogs+acm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468030026173797906" /></a>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-66487898825177296922010-05-04T08:49:00.004-04:002010-05-04T16:05:33.062-04:00What's Next?Ever notice how construction causes a domino effect?<br /><br />Last Fall, we decided to create a space where visitors could have <a href="http://livinginkidcity.blogspot.com/2009/10/just-what-youve-been-asking-for.html">snacks</a>...so that meant we had to demolish the Red Party Room. Then we spent the Winter working on a new Red Party Room, with more space and light for better <a href="http://livinginkidcity.blogspot.com/2010/01/party-time.html">parties</a>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkcHoNu6gFXEzXVk4EtiVaXFxLTLkOpxT6I0qMlU7P1U4llHwPKH5m558NYAfGIVJQuvCSbNIsWU78N0CRaWB81LGprL9xTOYpHNnepHxCK9LUHREiidzQZih82uDmtn8IsydfRQa8YmS/s1600/Cait+at+Front+Desk.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkcHoNu6gFXEzXVk4EtiVaXFxLTLkOpxT6I0qMlU7P1U4llHwPKH5m558NYAfGIVJQuvCSbNIsWU78N0CRaWB81LGprL9xTOYpHNnepHxCK9LUHREiidzQZih82uDmtn8IsydfRQa8YmS/s200/Cait+at+Front+Desk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467283509224938210" /></a>Then we realized we had some extra space left over that could be used to expand the tiny bookstore next to our front desk, and that it would be even better if we redesigned the desk area first....<br /><br />You get the idea. <br /><br />So now we've finished the snacks, the parties and the front desk. It's time for the bookstore.<br /><br />The people who work at Kidcity -- myself included -- are a little bit loopy on the subject of children's books. Next time you're at the front desk, ask Cait about <span style="font-weight:bold;">Whangdoodles</span> or <span style="font-weight:bold;">Roxaboxen</span>. Matt swears by <span style="font-weight:bold;">Seven Silly Eaters</span>. I'm completely unreasonable on the subject of author Lauren Child and her Clarice Bean picture books. In fact, quit reading this blog and go get yourself a copy of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Guess Who's Babysitting, Clarice Bean</span>. Happily for you, it comes out in paperback this month.<br /><br />Now, where was I? Oh yes, our bookstore. Here are some photos of the old bookstore, and the construction in progress:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGJlVRp3lgHbN141MbyIq7CCNZ_KB8jeNns0qsPhnwukLNJor4fso1lpvM23YisPRGNU0quMtCQxbiXqnpI01wI9-yjugxTwYTCcoOvYDkhF8CTdP9lPsPFCbNHu_t_AU8XRe8D_pJWpM/s1600/old+bookstore+full.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGJlVRp3lgHbN141MbyIq7CCNZ_KB8jeNns0qsPhnwukLNJor4fso1lpvM23YisPRGNU0quMtCQxbiXqnpI01wI9-yjugxTwYTCcoOvYDkhF8CTdP9lPsPFCbNHu_t_AU8XRe8D_pJWpM/s200/old+bookstore+full.jpg" border="0"alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467290480110107730" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnI-MI56kjaXIH-MXzEqGxFq51GlvK0jTzCJ4gttFVwZorfD7xCr5Nnw_pSDmiGwU1BqQzM1wznQFYJqSPpNg2PXgVjcFlBly9Lacrvj3qlJoXBHyc3bFpLdeIrX2N_YtcBtw2Jui8KZz8/s1600/empty+old+bookstore.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnI-MI56kjaXIH-MXzEqGxFq51GlvK0jTzCJ4gttFVwZorfD7xCr5Nnw_pSDmiGwU1BqQzM1wznQFYJqSPpNg2PXgVjcFlBly9Lacrvj3qlJoXBHyc3bFpLdeIrX2N_YtcBtw2Jui8KZz8/s200/empty+old+bookstore.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467290713207348050" /></a>First we emptied out the old bookstore and tore down the wall.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjKmbpvH5VqM4mTzSxh9btOE3pBicbGquHkyHz4lPmwjzLn0oxJ0Ofh_SB1Hhyphenhyphen-a9cPXP8WlMXJngbQHt2HgPFe-iHfQdqdIQN4AE0FsWY4EvbCuhyKCcXY3WRncKKuOitLO0QHaAt8If/s1600/sketch+of+bookstore+shelves.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjKmbpvH5VqM4mTzSxh9btOE3pBicbGquHkyHz4lPmwjzLn0oxJ0Ofh_SB1Hhyphenhyphen-a9cPXP8WlMXJngbQHt2HgPFe-iHfQdqdIQN4AE0FsWY4EvbCuhyKCcXY3WRncKKuOitLO0QHaAt8If/s200/sketch+of+bookstore+shelves.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467291364124944898" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbc5BMAWkFIYkOdzPMjVJw419x7cKgoLp8auKFPc0w_zzecQEz1n2_xmlr6wH91Lc1zzykaMjybJq8XZXC3NOPlOBqHOHysThLkfTzv2ZaNgFcKQ60L-xiGv3w20d_K4emXG4Nma9yDjJu/s1600/bookstore+carpet+samples.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbc5BMAWkFIYkOdzPMjVJw419x7cKgoLp8auKFPc0w_zzecQEz1n2_xmlr6wH91Lc1zzykaMjybJq8XZXC3NOPlOBqHOHysThLkfTzv2ZaNgFcKQ60L-xiGv3w20d_K4emXG4Nma9yDjJu/s200/bookstore+carpet+samples.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467291608053088210" /></a>Then we began experimenting with shelving ideas and carpet samples.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOlwKggQuxEqXzhdC5a-SC-UPkb5TXbfMBUvZBGbs0SMh7At4i7Eh99YJ10_AyTxPE6XYG0wMmpv4vMwJfV8uYABXOf174Y7kzf5SS8y7IMzH3cGzr0TCg_Knq9B2ealqzDb2nJ5gA-2E/s1600/testing+bookstore+shapes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOlwKggQuxEqXzhdC5a-SC-UPkb5TXbfMBUvZBGbs0SMh7At4i7Eh99YJ10_AyTxPE6XYG0wMmpv4vMwJfV8uYABXOf174Y7kzf5SS8y7IMzH3cGzr0TCg_Knq9B2ealqzDb2nJ5gA-2E/s200/testing+bookstore+shapes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467293305503070482" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2BQZcnZoBxAdKrNXE2BIb5nZbDCPrjEaiy8d_B67xMFHyZp_lG9H_vRVtIhDGxgOhfWPB23v_AK63PUFF_1DCeS_YBY-IQYcKzcSqFXSime8sZ4Z-V1982IAZho0JnM1BmC1gi1vK2hZ/s1600/prototype+book+display+bookstore.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2BQZcnZoBxAdKrNXE2BIb5nZbDCPrjEaiy8d_B67xMFHyZp_lG9H_vRVtIhDGxgOhfWPB23v_AK63PUFF_1DCeS_YBY-IQYcKzcSqFXSime8sZ4Z-V1982IAZho0JnM1BmC1gi1vK2hZ/s200/prototype+book+display+bookstore.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467293535505142114" /></a>Then we worked out the room layout and prototyped a few different book display ideas.<br /><br /><br /><br />Last week, Matt started building the shelves! Stay tuned.<br /><br />And since you asked, here are just a few of the children's books that I think everyone should have "read out loud" to them, repeatedly, between the ages of zero and ten (listed here from youngest to oldest). We do carry these at Kidcity, but you can also find them at your local library!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Charlie Parker Plays Be Bop</span>, by Chris Raschka<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Going to Bed Book</span>, by Sandra Boynton<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blueberries for Sal</span>, by Robert McCloskey<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A is for Salad</span>, by Mike Lester<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">When I was Young: A four-year-old's memoir of her youth</span>, by Jamie Lee Curtis (yes, THAT Jamie Lee Curtis)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Bunny Money</span>, by Rosemary Wells<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">When Dinosaurs Came with Everything</span>, by Elise Broach<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Clarice Bean, That's Me</span>, by Lauren Child<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Weslandia</span>, by Paul Fleischman<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Glinda of Oz</span>, by L. Frank Baum (but only after you read the first 13 Oz books)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Trumpet of the Swan</span>, by EB WhiteJen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-17876531043219776392010-05-03T14:22:00.000-04:002010-05-04T00:12:22.957-04:00The Red Room is Ready to Party!We finished the Red Party Room back in early March, but I never shared my "before and after" photos. Of course, this being Kidcity, we don't actually feel like we are done with this project, and someday we plan to add a few more colorful accents around the room. That's the biggest problem we have...trying to decide when to move on to the next thing!<br /><br />In my last post (a few months ago -- ahem), we'd just done the layout of the curved wall. The next step was to create windows that would let light in, but give party families some privacy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJNo4OFPG1XWePqu6BRbBdFXghOtkbTSzc10FOvCXipcaRu3EJXFTEPltueGOETzr2-TPJC2rve6TIYSd67idVYkOw3XjBuQOzeYi4aoz6nM3JfPBlsz0WIpy1-FisZD1HjKkq1a4OYeg/s1600/curved+wall+construction+new+red+room.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJNo4OFPG1XWePqu6BRbBdFXghOtkbTSzc10FOvCXipcaRu3EJXFTEPltueGOETzr2-TPJC2rve6TIYSd67idVYkOw3XjBuQOzeYi4aoz6nM3JfPBlsz0WIpy1-FisZD1HjKkq1a4OYeg/s320/curved+wall+construction+new+red+room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467119323433509010" /></a><br /><br />Matt and Scott came up with these tiny openings, and then created handmade windows of glass beads floating in casting resin. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFGh-ziHfsx7UnmRUSGPqH6jgI8wnQP_vY-8mmKKF4R0nNNmle_xKO2hr4-RuJcCUUf92tyKwu0DknhDoLs9n3VJc-MnNiEp9uKzjnH1qK0se2GB60qsCNGr-n_Z-Iazc-KA5aFK8MSdf/s1600/cast+resin+window+new+red+room.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFGh-ziHfsx7UnmRUSGPqH6jgI8wnQP_vY-8mmKKF4R0nNNmle_xKO2hr4-RuJcCUUf92tyKwu0DknhDoLs9n3VJc-MnNiEp9uKzjnH1qK0se2GB60qsCNGr-n_Z-Iazc-KA5aFK8MSdf/s200/cast+resin+window+new+red+room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467119868328070754" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijse3SJ8RUv7cghGrBDB8bxb5o5bS74oAlGx7FX7QEsWsZ71jVmUmHOlVv_QUydvcOadtcUdHxpylSmfBCgaWXteDxPUwlCqEcvC09xuVx5bHHtsGuDY5ED9ljLn8O2X0ML7h34aHdXTt/s1600/cast+resin+window+side+view+new+red+room.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijse3SJ8RUv7cghGrBDB8bxb5o5bS74oAlGx7FX7QEsWsZ71jVmUmHOlVv_QUydvcOadtcUdHxpylSmfBCgaWXteDxPUwlCqEcvC09xuVx5bHHtsGuDY5ED9ljLn8O2X0ML7h34aHdXTt/s200/cast+resin+window+side+view+new+red+room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467120251585143330" /></a><br /><br />When the room was almost finished, we decided it needed more color -- a lot more color! So Scott designed this cool mural of a Frosting Factory run amok, spewing silver frosting all over the room. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMm-b5XpUuonx2LkfPZID3hkWe_ElaI1_h9dMO-cFW90M8vvhR1ELhTgkwcf6D2VSH4l34x3bqMuZ_IzBptChXVD21xu8hcDcuNCdKi9HVxCHdmHlJd3mpacrl-idrIq2w_-LIVzBkBo9/s1600/frosting+factory+new+red+party+room.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMm-b5XpUuonx2LkfPZID3hkWe_ElaI1_h9dMO-cFW90M8vvhR1ELhTgkwcf6D2VSH4l34x3bqMuZ_IzBptChXVD21xu8hcDcuNCdKi9HVxCHdmHlJd3mpacrl-idrIq2w_-LIVzBkBo9/s400/frosting+factory+new+red+party+room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467121225518283170" /></a><br /><br />It's really funny if you get up close and see the stuff these guys are doing:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSeyV4UlEytF_5T_-LyresKLBL0rLaiycK40VnibZSvAtISTlt0w_UD73VbavRx1TIEQSFVFCr5w0KJvNUPtcSCqBv_o41yMwVhR_yT8_iWpJioj8UVV3UmXoPY9rkdbSVxtQpSWmL3Ic/s1600/frosting+factory+closeup+new+red+party+room.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSeyV4UlEytF_5T_-LyresKLBL0rLaiycK40VnibZSvAtISTlt0w_UD73VbavRx1TIEQSFVFCr5w0KJvNUPtcSCqBv_o41yMwVhR_yT8_iWpJioj8UVV3UmXoPY9rkdbSVxtQpSWmL3Ic/s400/frosting+factory+closeup+new+red+party+room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467121424361494738" /></a><br /><br />Finally, here are a few shots of the room as it looks now:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V4AwNa409qmLwIqLFyqG4-Lj17TZ0MVotUvQNAmfg_L9-vNGEdkRcTqgJhJ4ULm6qg8Jpa9Hn29qi6Z61z5jRUaPOfj4D-oEul6zL7kBnjPzhjKxd-bn0PPdOApme-bFbpuWa2tG57GS/s1600/new+red+room+table.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V4AwNa409qmLwIqLFyqG4-Lj17TZ0MVotUvQNAmfg_L9-vNGEdkRcTqgJhJ4ULm6qg8Jpa9Hn29qi6Z61z5jRUaPOfj4D-oEul6zL7kBnjPzhjKxd-bn0PPdOApme-bFbpuWa2tG57GS/s320/new+red+room+table.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467251186378379522" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmukgJhudvOvaw3FKw1gbQxMCHuaUNwntBosP02gQRi0P4A4ByoJE203DobTlUzJD3Rcb5wXZzdEqIht_0bhDE9rMWCIi_GOr8BMbudcMSjYbacmPVbKCFnO3Vx8gFBKoZbgamw6zKuQ_f/s1600/new+red+room+from+Fridge.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmukgJhudvOvaw3FKw1gbQxMCHuaUNwntBosP02gQRi0P4A4ByoJE203DobTlUzJD3Rcb5wXZzdEqIht_0bhDE9rMWCIi_GOr8BMbudcMSjYbacmPVbKCFnO3Vx8gFBKoZbgamw6zKuQ_f/s320/new+red+room+from+Fridge.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467252033042237362" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaIcFN47eUkpGcxCsrgH4Bu-HA_c83Zw2I7JiIQbxQsDGVSYi0-ViYZ22Pp4PfcRx36LIMgTiDqKfLwDdEG8G-Im8fVEiEQXmkxgwWPOEp5OwN_TkVVNPgPyR7a_thXH5MLXTbPCbpXdX/s1600/new+red+room+view.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaIcFN47eUkpGcxCsrgH4Bu-HA_c83Zw2I7JiIQbxQsDGVSYi0-ViYZ22Pp4PfcRx36LIMgTiDqKfLwDdEG8G-Im8fVEiEQXmkxgwWPOEp5OwN_TkVVNPgPyR7a_thXH5MLXTbPCbpXdX/s320/new+red+room+view.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467252558461007394" /></a><br /><br />Come take a peek next time you are at Kidcity!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-76040769341616142222010-02-28T08:19:00.001-05:002010-02-28T08:31:00.406-05:00Kidcity in the CourantThe Hartford Courant came by a few weeks ago. They took some photos and posted them <a href="http://www.courant.com/features/hc-kidcity.artfeb27,0,7552823.story">here</a>. Be sure to click on the photos link on the left side.<br /><br /> I love the face of that kid going down the toddler slide!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-32737845762032140332010-01-15T16:52:00.000-05:002010-01-15T17:28:21.729-05:00Party Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgCyABbxxwA6BW4sSjXqHVoulmMtnWlXUPwmjVsivwYFKZg5Y9535sUEVmhE-7THwuYNCOCKn3vDj4WBWKFNIHe_NnvwlrEG0us4X6zTg_N1gFIKKCp32dujvNIheAAkajr0miEwFvzll/s1600-h/green+room+party.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgCyABbxxwA6BW4sSjXqHVoulmMtnWlXUPwmjVsivwYFKZg5Y9535sUEVmhE-7THwuYNCOCKn3vDj4WBWKFNIHe_NnvwlrEG0us4X6zTg_N1gFIKKCp32dujvNIheAAkajr0miEwFvzll/s200/green+room+party.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427094694641992866" /></a>If you've ever had a birthday party at Kidcity, then you probably know that we've had one big, bright party room upstairs (called<span style="font-style:italic;"> The Green Room</span>), and one tiny, windowless room downstairs (called <span style="font-style:italic;">The Red Room</span>). It seemed like that smaller room was always too crowded for the large, family-style parties (with lots of aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.) that come to Kidcity.<br /><br />When our recent renovations to the coatroom <a href="http://livinginkidcity.blogspot.com/2009/10/just-what-youve-been-asking-for.html">swallowed up the old Red Room</a>, we decided to create a new party room in the empty space next to the first floor elevator.<br /><br />Since we had so much fun in the coatroom with swoopy shapes of metal, we decided to do a wainscot of galvanized steel that will hold up to the splashes and knocks that are inevitable. So far, we've moved one of the murals in the Space Age Roadtrip to create a new hallway, and built a curved wall that will give the party room some privacy, but still let light in through some tiny, fun windows. Here are some photos of the work this week: they progress from our first sketches of an outline for the room, to putting tape on the floor to show where tables and walls will go, to this morning's chalking of the design on the new curved wall next to the elevator.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5Jd5HIhS98SsWhi2g6qKEWZkyL5iwYD6qJ28da0Q1256xMR1iM0ZxCLUU0zi9ler415uUQfUSEDctc6fIZjQkhz8Dhpw1EfvBOIyO990fj2H6l4_O8MV16VGkLC2LfPus5F1L90agf-u/s1600-h/corner+near+elevator.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5Jd5HIhS98SsWhi2g6qKEWZkyL5iwYD6qJ28da0Q1256xMR1iM0ZxCLUU0zi9ler415uUQfUSEDctc6fIZjQkhz8Dhpw1EfvBOIyO990fj2H6l4_O8MV16VGkLC2LfPus5F1L90agf-u/s400/corner+near+elevator.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427094411888946706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjno1kNybBFENpM80DjYw5DVUYbtT4um-ROT3cXYdUot4QjdGSLv1lV75B3vYnNW2KyVMyo3MCnKVQYC6jI1eNslWnEhyphenhyphenMMqqckYYOvm_A2erixZF9SahfcuYbmHJ0lLnLH9ZWV6ACJC-fm/s1600-h/first+draft+party+room.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjno1kNybBFENpM80DjYw5DVUYbtT4um-ROT3cXYdUot4QjdGSLv1lV75B3vYnNW2KyVMyo3MCnKVQYC6jI1eNslWnEhyphenhyphenMMqqckYYOvm_A2erixZF9SahfcuYbmHJ0lLnLH9ZWV6ACJC-fm/s400/first+draft+party+room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427094188046936770" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP9fxjNQ6ovU0C3wu5C5pfqX4W9tEiqrWp-ODtqQIyWZk_uQGSwxgwQ33f-_RzSym7-gyj-cFgc-UCYrwogizhda5nmzQVTbuX4_hmzaCa5U23XZiOk4Rz0N47gVRIhTB3YRI61AZ2zxT/s1600-h/new+party+outline+in+tape.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP9fxjNQ6ovU0C3wu5C5pfqX4W9tEiqrWp-ODtqQIyWZk_uQGSwxgwQ33f-_RzSym7-gyj-cFgc-UCYrwogizhda5nmzQVTbuX4_hmzaCa5U23XZiOk4Rz0N47gVRIhTB3YRI61AZ2zxT/s400/new+party+outline+in+tape.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427093883043377826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYYTG1DQWX7J4P3dLhYbkMuf80AxvecjBUpUC0UFmQqn2qukbvr2IQ-jYUyrsUBRr89TGtHx00iQPg-kxAC8fwWU78BCZWuVDqMl7d3f1w7QjwJcjW5JIcu3BE75gnQvcgMiV_z4QqKbI/s1600-h/inside+new+party+room+wall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYYTG1DQWX7J4P3dLhYbkMuf80AxvecjBUpUC0UFmQqn2qukbvr2IQ-jYUyrsUBRr89TGtHx00iQPg-kxAC8fwWU78BCZWuVDqMl7d3f1w7QjwJcjW5JIcu3BE75gnQvcgMiV_z4QqKbI/s400/inside+new+party+room+wall.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427093729353615922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVp_u1s4eax4XGklYCWQdQMrkAwrJPlel8vrbOn8ZchtEuqB0P3a_dF7jfElEY0ycC2wxQ9IrFJOD-YJMcz4TgFPyJnHyYThyVs8QxAE45VIMPjBiZjfmK8ncnZHcze34OxuuYy-_jsrh/s1600-h/new+hall+to+elevator.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVp_u1s4eax4XGklYCWQdQMrkAwrJPlel8vrbOn8ZchtEuqB0P3a_dF7jfElEY0ycC2wxQ9IrFJOD-YJMcz4TgFPyJnHyYThyVs8QxAE45VIMPjBiZjfmK8ncnZHcze34OxuuYy-_jsrh/s400/new+hall+to+elevator.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427093579973169458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13WNzAAPmeoMT3KffBIbieBzz6IpzF7RRtJ-xiKCYq4wNSNn5TNtT6vMEgLUGV6nUNOfrjQgdUtQ_JcLZSMWjnC4R11zYp2igQesxAd51NEf96vGtQCqDXs5_-NZlxvMFb8VQ7XtBSRgb/s1600-h/chalk+on+curved+wall+new+party+room.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13WNzAAPmeoMT3KffBIbieBzz6IpzF7RRtJ-xiKCYq4wNSNn5TNtT6vMEgLUGV6nUNOfrjQgdUtQ_JcLZSMWjnC4R11zYp2igQesxAd51NEf96vGtQCqDXs5_-NZlxvMFb8VQ7XtBSRgb/s400/chalk+on+curved+wall+new+party+room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427093422746850626" /></a><br /><br />If you have any ideas about how we can make our party rooms better at the children's museum, please chime in!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-56283565737442333862009-12-30T16:32:00.000-05:002009-12-30T16:43:56.406-05:00It's Snack Time!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVj8cHVEXjyXm1WpJeSzHcgCrwvYb0PKgZXxHStlKHIkd5uRWcNmyCXfuahbqnYoa0G9kF6nll6_o9dgCGZ716LzvhJ5zeTHM-Wdl2TDgWD31ImzhKcw1rzNlZUSW03GoJbEWajLuq4Hkg/s1600-h/coatroom+done+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVj8cHVEXjyXm1WpJeSzHcgCrwvYb0PKgZXxHStlKHIkd5uRWcNmyCXfuahbqnYoa0G9kF6nll6_o9dgCGZ716LzvhJ5zeTHM-Wdl2TDgWD31ImzhKcw1rzNlZUSW03GoJbEWajLuq4Hkg/s400/coatroom+done+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421146845046877474" /></a><br /><br />After two months of construction. the new section of the coatroom opened during one of our busiest weeks of the year! Here are some photos of families snacking during the holiday vacation. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicumSte8s1pX-O8I53FsvMOfg289Bsc-9Ri_Ng8z1ZIt7z-XDX50P0uF5lRD7X6BwATRy16JQRPcMXZsnxDob0fbohla0uimSLDMpqUpfsT6mEnfwu65HZagS1ihfFZKEMU3A5TkrC9pga/s1600-h/coatroom+done+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicumSte8s1pX-O8I53FsvMOfg289Bsc-9Ri_Ng8z1ZIt7z-XDX50P0uF5lRD7X6BwATRy16JQRPcMXZsnxDob0fbohla0uimSLDMpqUpfsT6mEnfwu65HZagS1ihfFZKEMU3A5TkrC9pga/s400/coatroom+done+4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421146633288488562" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1E9wKcuCKUUCHAn362oUMa2rTQJtw-QN0nWmdXtjXMal_cPA0pKJUd2kAzeKMyVvUgz8Ve-28dtHCd0Pd8Qmymf0ZP8vzA3_48SB7O31UC1O61aDYqwwtpP3UdbTAMzuKZdCsZg4PzBG/s1600-h/coatroom+done+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1E9wKcuCKUUCHAn362oUMa2rTQJtw-QN0nWmdXtjXMal_cPA0pKJUd2kAzeKMyVvUgz8Ve-28dtHCd0Pd8Qmymf0ZP8vzA3_48SB7O31UC1O61aDYqwwtpP3UdbTAMzuKZdCsZg4PzBG/s400/coatroom+done+5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421146302418387170" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAvPGKcMlAcZc7yo_AjsCgwCTcx_g96YhDAk1Jf7A6OBi5U6iwr4y6gUbzC8prKdP5iE-TZ6fa-9R_3_Jqaa3N9NjW4KE4mV_Qg8-RjVHgBxwYDCKMlK1lWc_TGrOcqsvBd0-0zEG_Mwr/s1600-h/coatroom+done+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAvPGKcMlAcZc7yo_AjsCgwCTcx_g96YhDAk1Jf7A6OBi5U6iwr4y6gUbzC8prKdP5iE-TZ6fa-9R_3_Jqaa3N9NjW4KE4mV_Qg8-RjVHgBxwYDCKMlK1lWc_TGrOcqsvBd0-0zEG_Mwr/s400/coatroom+done+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421147401056556162" /></a>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-24044557404225734292009-12-14T17:39:00.000-05:002009-12-14T17:54:21.925-05:00It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCk1nKMH9icrr2AT_0s82kY5cPuGU9AMwiz4fysTgaahri4y6hjbp9xoc8o061EIYCxPmH3SPvGdS-FRO9r7x4GM18Zo0rvI9FSEzfI7FtHtU7ZUppRe_gqUVo6leJ3s_DtAoHskTB8aS/s1600-h/yellow+counter+in+coatroom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCk1nKMH9icrr2AT_0s82kY5cPuGU9AMwiz4fysTgaahri4y6hjbp9xoc8o061EIYCxPmH3SPvGdS-FRO9r7x4GM18Zo0rvI9FSEzfI7FtHtU7ZUppRe_gqUVo6leJ3s_DtAoHskTB8aS/s400/yellow+counter+in+coatroom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415227362415714066" /></a><br />The new section of Kidcity's coatroom should be open by Christmas! <br /><br />Though it is a non-denominational seating area, it looks like the completion of the construction will coincide with the upcoming holiday. It's a good thing, too, because we continue to get a suggestion every few days that "Kidcity needs an area for having snacks!" <br /><br />Today, Matt and Scott propped up the new counters and stools so that we could set the exact locations. It was my job to make a fool of myself by squealing "It's so cute!" over and over, and then saying "ok, a little to the left". <br /><br />Here are some photo's from the day:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF36x2PringREJCVOqtMHkhyphenhyphenZBpRU8kiqy_7qEBNRweqIhAGK1zvVQBcMDyXFiCfRBoJecyJO9q2rUTkYRTXEVGIqbfpOfHNeEKZuspZa1NbYQS3lSHMnIL6331iqgHzCqMzeieQZiVLjK/s1600-h/sinks+in+coatroom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF36x2PringREJCVOqtMHkhyphenhyphenZBpRU8kiqy_7qEBNRweqIhAGK1zvVQBcMDyXFiCfRBoJecyJO9q2rUTkYRTXEVGIqbfpOfHNeEKZuspZa1NbYQS3lSHMnIL6331iqgHzCqMzeieQZiVLjK/s400/sinks+in+coatroom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415227970582847938" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp0BwjeDn6jNi3mibgd5kaayR8ja-4RDu_D2kobbN7Klm-y-I2NzJOntj8sojJUkYne-ful_T2sOE29OEcLsL04px6wpx8Ks4z2wagaC9HUIMSl97WNMxDOSbII92r2uWCFuqsNEVBTAg/s1600-h/coatroom+in+construction.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp0BwjeDn6jNi3mibgd5kaayR8ja-4RDu_D2kobbN7Klm-y-I2NzJOntj8sojJUkYne-ful_T2sOE29OEcLsL04px6wpx8Ks4z2wagaC9HUIMSl97WNMxDOSbII92r2uWCFuqsNEVBTAg/s400/coatroom+in+construction.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415228218530766434" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThXf42TApPOXIjHWU0_pJKhvCiMkdXWiNFHpR7vcOGxg4BJnf03Tmaqe1Pd7r9puv-k0Upk75iq_VHmdCCUMb-dYC2ikQJMZUhneCb1MQDjnSU9czxuimy1UPEFWGsAXfGMBteBgnAu3u/s1600-h/toddler+table+in+coatroom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThXf42TApPOXIjHWU0_pJKhvCiMkdXWiNFHpR7vcOGxg4BJnf03Tmaqe1Pd7r9puv-k0Upk75iq_VHmdCCUMb-dYC2ikQJMZUhneCb1MQDjnSU9czxuimy1UPEFWGsAXfGMBteBgnAu3u/s400/toddler+table+in+coatroom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415228651968317794" /></a>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-42688854928492787622009-11-23T23:05:00.000-05:002009-11-23T23:44:13.696-05:00Putting the Puzzle Together<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqJaomK9fz8SrDhdLpFyAgxR2PJGerJgULr12HfYNl_kq3iYQ6AbZevj-xM6AEuEb5GIoYu20yCb80ifN44cCBn_yuJZ9EtdnjUH0175KDg859-SWOl6bOfcsMuw2F7M_9O90HSOETbdt/s1600/coatroom+snack+part-way.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqJaomK9fz8SrDhdLpFyAgxR2PJGerJgULr12HfYNl_kq3iYQ6AbZevj-xM6AEuEb5GIoYu20yCb80ifN44cCBn_yuJZ9EtdnjUH0175KDg859-SWOl6bOfcsMuw2F7M_9O90HSOETbdt/s400/coatroom+snack+part-way.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407523627541610002" /></a>Construction at Kidcity is always a little complicated since our top priority is keeping our visitors safe - that's why we've installed a temporary wall in the coatroom while we create our new snack area.<br /><br />But Kidcity doesn't open until 11 am on Mondays, so we took advantage of the extra time to pop the fiberboard off the framing and take a look at our progress. The new spines have been professionally lacquered and installed in the room, and the walls got a fresh coat of white paint - but the rest of the project is still in the cardboard&chalk design phase. With the temporary wall down, we were able to make some key decisions about the placement of tables, benches and stools - and as usual, we wound up adding some cool new ideas that will undoubtedly make things take a little longer than planned. <br /><br />Here are some photos of this morning's session -- that's Scott Kessel drawing on cardboard, and Matt Niland's testing a layout for the countertop. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_gUQ6ozgi0mNv5W9uJ7izRQfifcZ_c2-ob1ldNMpKdUSIw4Ge4DElUiQ_2sZJ24OTbzEBPRXLReeCKPFs057oI5kIJP02u1W-jZjGojXNePhdwrkP4ZRZreGu8JO2JhsKICIbq8_ymE4/s1600/coatroom+half+cardboard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_gUQ6ozgi0mNv5W9uJ7izRQfifcZ_c2-ob1ldNMpKdUSIw4Ge4DElUiQ_2sZJ24OTbzEBPRXLReeCKPFs057oI5kIJP02u1W-jZjGojXNePhdwrkP4ZRZreGu8JO2JhsKICIbq8_ymE4/s400/coatroom+half+cardboard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407524315963091618" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFO68iD1UkTOwWq2DIsLPvUe_nAWux_Qo2Tmp2H_uF8DYNEsxGSen9XtwO-jYjjwR6lC3jCOUIn1XhNhaMnd02X3YtATyXpvkgq7y9DAdK_xXILcgMIRIpbEItgWahV3OmXiFKZjLz4TmL/s1600/scott+draws.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFO68iD1UkTOwWq2DIsLPvUe_nAWux_Qo2Tmp2H_uF8DYNEsxGSen9XtwO-jYjjwR6lC3jCOUIn1XhNhaMnd02X3YtATyXpvkgq7y9DAdK_xXILcgMIRIpbEItgWahV3OmXiFKZjLz4TmL/s400/scott+draws.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407524723278732194" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotQghoKhfGFwrd6l4td2V4JwAgcSSRAmkK8_iX2ddh8d9_xmZTUTHhI1qYpMtW6rCGpRtiSnbCHD5__ln9iwDmjPFatIL6hyphenhyphenXrLAdT43kehtJEDYTCP-TI0-ZCVhE_lnYuQNGN9LEiFJK/s1600/coatroom+chalk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotQghoKhfGFwrd6l4td2V4JwAgcSSRAmkK8_iX2ddh8d9_xmZTUTHhI1qYpMtW6rCGpRtiSnbCHD5__ln9iwDmjPFatIL6hyphenhyphenXrLAdT43kehtJEDYTCP-TI0-ZCVhE_lnYuQNGN9LEiFJK/s400/coatroom+chalk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407524202430458386" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHO0FZhy6QmrpRDIccbyqyjIBfRGcqxWrDHxnmoq99oGCXic5KBL9X4I0-LXuePcCW0WFvVk9elF5qbuni8o1PEBj0DRMer1abjflgQYcWQ6GFnGTjU0hyphenhyphenS9DQQ-9Zp-pogtpJhNRy2yn/s1600/Matt+tests+counter+idea+in+coatroom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHO0FZhy6QmrpRDIccbyqyjIBfRGcqxWrDHxnmoq99oGCXic5KBL9X4I0-LXuePcCW0WFvVk9elF5qbuni8o1PEBj0DRMer1abjflgQYcWQ6GFnGTjU0hyphenhyphenS9DQQ-9Zp-pogtpJhNRy2yn/s400/Matt+tests+counter+idea+in+coatroom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407525088044586514" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_JO8_CD-gFX2F39OfQxS_sKiih7hWlZsQ21S9mM46SLf_xmQQG6m390E69qt1j_opxf9ex3vNOGXkyRwwNtk6PJ8k1Xr00MhW-rJ97fMTEyD2aGpntPLiUknewOeizfPYDUtiosPj2-B/s1600/purple+tree+coatroom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_JO8_CD-gFX2F39OfQxS_sKiih7hWlZsQ21S9mM46SLf_xmQQG6m390E69qt1j_opxf9ex3vNOGXkyRwwNtk6PJ8k1Xr00MhW-rJ97fMTEyD2aGpntPLiUknewOeizfPYDUtiosPj2-B/s400/purple+tree+coatroom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407524019673791538" /></a><br /><br />So when will it be finished? Oh please don't ask me that!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-24192475269134458872009-11-14T07:39:00.000-05:002009-11-14T07:51:37.871-05:00Colors!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL694BXfnUTzfOQcN9QapX_pZ4KA9SdTx2ZqaIh8UE9vp9VyJFNd8mPq1AKf0abjbuWcBGuxnlL2cLT_aI_48IbJmqKO-YsEkhhjQ-5m6OWHK77ryunbzDds2eLWaUsQtH9N-QV9nFgaiC/s1600-h/colors+on+coatroom+spines.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL694BXfnUTzfOQcN9QapX_pZ4KA9SdTx2ZqaIh8UE9vp9VyJFNd8mPq1AKf0abjbuWcBGuxnlL2cLT_aI_48IbJmqKO-YsEkhhjQ-5m6OWHK77ryunbzDds2eLWaUsQtH9N-QV9nFgaiC/s400/colors+on+coatroom+spines.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403940584233566466" /></a><br /><br />The new spines, all in a pile. Shiny topcoat next!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-73916871334311432272009-10-30T10:40:00.001-04:002009-10-30T11:37:34.035-04:00What's behind the wall?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsKiFwx7tAICkPJJyDA3BIiE6Zp7jsn0c2UPaEZSvfYxBejLKJ9eqL8Sbs1yezswGNvpumnnzgO0AuQ-8ZZJV4rnDYIOJwlZRpOxG8kkpCsTlZHD32po7lurn47ciqlagq5C6W4HlF4ay/s1600-h/cardboard+wall+coatroom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsKiFwx7tAICkPJJyDA3BIiE6Zp7jsn0c2UPaEZSvfYxBejLKJ9eqL8Sbs1yezswGNvpumnnzgO0AuQ-8ZZJV4rnDYIOJwlZRpOxG8kkpCsTlZHD32po7lurn47ciqlagq5C6W4HlF4ay/s400/cardboard+wall+coatroom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398405875332297874" /></a><br /><br />We are 18 days into the transformation of our old Red Party Room into a snacking nook off our coatroom. Here are some photos of the work in progress.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQHQ2W7ZEs3LmW7BC5GaE6R59_HzxOmU3t4JMyz856bjk_Wjjepfds0HRJBx2faWwRkqnAqB4oGfRsXcJMxlr_JAHK0l8pHBrsCtfMjBXNbasBVrbW7srqR65hNG5PeM7mmqnxqTaoLBx/s1600-h/coatroom+cardboard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQHQ2W7ZEs3LmW7BC5GaE6R59_HzxOmU3t4JMyz856bjk_Wjjepfds0HRJBx2faWwRkqnAqB4oGfRsXcJMxlr_JAHK0l8pHBrsCtfMjBXNbasBVrbW7srqR65hNG5PeM7mmqnxqTaoLBx/s400/coatroom+cardboard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398413762950378546" /></a><br />First, we worked out the floor plan - we always start with outlining our ideas in chalk or masking tape right on the floor - then we walk around in it and try to imagine how it will flow with our visitors. Next we move to cardboard. In this case, we knew we wanted to keep the crazy colorful forest theme of the coatroom, so it was just a matter of figuring out how to incorporate some seating and coat storage amid the spines. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoGJgqkaVhUxEeDCWn_JVQfpyqOEcA_nvYQG96a1Jre0bKXIV8nVKfpMrXq1mxi36XCmlaQmIrBTH-B1xK-wwNNViOSDfM_66Y79SxdGsL8YfJarQDDct4-IteVM1rnSKaCS5BI8bGjIo/s1600-h/coatroom+cardboard+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoGJgqkaVhUxEeDCWn_JVQfpyqOEcA_nvYQG96a1Jre0bKXIV8nVKfpMrXq1mxi36XCmlaQmIrBTH-B1xK-wwNNViOSDfM_66Y79SxdGsL8YfJarQDDct4-IteVM1rnSKaCS5BI8bGjIo/s400/coatroom+cardboard+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398414179121480290" /></a><br />We know there won't be enough seating for all our visitors at one time, but we are trying to create a variety of options. In the end, there should be some kind of space for every kind of family. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMqCXaYq8Rr50S2wCZsSaO2oPWE12lkq92RMWPBX3fo0W1Z3iNBgHvMJQLQE3h-w9mdmIPgPd0XQMj2BLd_1x6m2zsLyPz3p4LGSXVhDMvoc6w4obKkYDPnAms7N2jvoaAg-5I5wWW-Vp/s1600-h/coatroom+spine+prep+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMqCXaYq8Rr50S2wCZsSaO2oPWE12lkq92RMWPBX3fo0W1Z3iNBgHvMJQLQE3h-w9mdmIPgPd0XQMj2BLd_1x6m2zsLyPz3p4LGSXVhDMvoc6w4obKkYDPnAms7N2jvoaAg-5I5wWW-Vp/s400/coatroom+spine+prep+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398414599575415378" /></a>Next we cut the shapes out of birch ply and sand and prep them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYM4qS6Kai1eXtxj8h_I2P8Yf_b9ugNK1CHYkNxPYYPzDFrI7dBpzJD3HhLTfdvF7dis8Rs23Pfwz7syQmf5tCSWPgS0si6hwkebLkNUgqjvbxrj9cCqkGeocgRL2JRWsh6gSI6Fi4TWQ8/s1600-h/coatroom+spine+prep+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYM4qS6Kai1eXtxj8h_I2P8Yf_b9ugNK1CHYkNxPYYPzDFrI7dBpzJD3HhLTfdvF7dis8Rs23Pfwz7syQmf5tCSWPgS0si6hwkebLkNUgqjvbxrj9cCqkGeocgRL2JRWsh6gSI6Fi4TWQ8/s400/coatroom+spine+prep+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398417396235511634" /></a>Next step....colors! Coming soon.Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-46853008945546758872009-10-14T12:07:00.000-04:002009-10-15T13:30:33.492-04:00Just what you've been asking for!The number one suggestion that we get at Kidcity goes something like this: <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Please! Make a place where I can sit and give my kids a snack!<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br />I'm happy to announce that we have finally begun construction on a snack area. The coatroom will grow a new wing (the red party room is rapidly being demolished as I write) and we'll have some extra coat storage, along with some seating areas that are perfect for serving snack. Plus a drinking fountain and place to wash up.<br /><br />Things will be a little crowded (and occasionally noisy) over the next several weeks as we do our construction. Hopefully, by the time the Holidays are here, it should be a little easier to give your kids some crackers and cheese and a juice box before heading back into the museum to play.<br /><br />Here are some photos of the work in progress...but they look a little like <span style="font-style:italic;">Before and After</span> shots in reverse. We had to take down a really sweet bench to make room for the new space:<br /><br />Here's what it looked like Wednesday morning:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNn4ei-Yz_NgDxm5EBtZSw0AicTJ2kmmfprnJFA70sIUTdJt7Hmifinr4W8LT43mnjnpEzS4KNTxnEeBRb4QQiN1EC98gAbQLlLbWcVPVcn8ydEl26Mh3AKvwD14cyHNT1X0S8BtEdUJVc/s1600-h/Coatroom+before+demo+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNn4ei-Yz_NgDxm5EBtZSw0AicTJ2kmmfprnJFA70sIUTdJt7Hmifinr4W8LT43mnjnpEzS4KNTxnEeBRb4QQiN1EC98gAbQLlLbWcVPVcn8ydEl26Mh3AKvwD14cyHNT1X0S8BtEdUJVc/s400/Coatroom+before+demo+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392877562963228626" /></a><br /><br />Here's what it looked like Thursday morning:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcbZoqvhZa1TwD7sulz0ItWNiXvPHSx3iqoKCSjxzNzFCYoHJEtvsviC5AfWSOdmnPhXwlsN8GKzHRG0cor8U2Qz0z3IqNcYw8w1nyHP-5k0tSTUjggtfzzhkkJDQHcu9Ybzqker4Kn2v/s1600-h/Demo+Red+party+room+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcbZoqvhZa1TwD7sulz0ItWNiXvPHSx3iqoKCSjxzNzFCYoHJEtvsviC5AfWSOdmnPhXwlsN8GKzHRG0cor8U2Qz0z3IqNcYw8w1nyHP-5k0tSTUjggtfzzhkkJDQHcu9Ybzqker4Kn2v/s400/Demo+Red+party+room+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392878256666827762" /></a><br /><br />By the way, we always welcome any suggestions at Kidcity! In fact, we just built a new suggestion box in the lobby area. Can you guess what the very first suggestion in the new box was? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-WG7UhyIBHCno1VGPzmBu9dDoWIBG-uIewk1IUQGGHXSK1kmlw5DZo1faqKmMc6O0DwOE80nD-PKGp4y8hg1Ni6Z42UMbNDxcy1MrBvx1cuxoAamWSpIxVr1LyH7hpp05mLTryXP6aiE/s1600-h/suggestion+box.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-WG7UhyIBHCno1VGPzmBu9dDoWIBG-uIewk1IUQGGHXSK1kmlw5DZo1faqKmMc6O0DwOE80nD-PKGp4y8hg1Ni6Z42UMbNDxcy1MrBvx1cuxoAamWSpIxVr1LyH7hpp05mLTryXP6aiE/s400/suggestion+box.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392879925442505970" /></a>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-231556953115122092009-07-08T12:15:00.001-04:002009-07-08T13:13:08.781-04:00Gone Fishin'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQjll48VZpjFn4MF8NxY4yfdhtp7QYCTL6Upno_xTl-ulPFlhQyFX5awykhBJUEMDLqxfSqlFtUVNOUQQs0nzeq_KPrGvqw6k-1F07UPTAq6oJf8IqCYa5eKdEUv4NmxaT_PzTMrag5-r/s1600-h/mermaid+swordfish+mural.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQjll48VZpjFn4MF8NxY4yfdhtp7QYCTL6Upno_xTl-ulPFlhQyFX5awykhBJUEMDLqxfSqlFtUVNOUQQs0nzeq_KPrGvqw6k-1F07UPTAq6oJf8IqCYa5eKdEUv4NmxaT_PzTMrag5-r/s400/mermaid+swordfish+mural.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356128414064167538" /></a>Since early May, we've had the Clipper Ship section of the Fishery room closed as we repaired some old murals and added some new fish play. Last week I took a few pictures to show you what's been done, and what we're still working on.<br /><br />For many years we've been planning to do a tiny mural that could be seen through the telescope on the ship's deck (actually, it's the nozzle from an old firehose, not a telescope at all, but we thought it served our purpose!) Scott Kessel created this mermaid and swordfish dance that is just the right size. At the same time, we repaired the old walls and refinished the floors where our visitors "walk the plank". <br /><br />One of our goals was to create new ways to move fish around, and the "Crank n Chum" does just that - you can toss back some fish and feed them to the sharks!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D8XytMoq4sz9AEHKvpztv2uCYeq1yGg0t1w573eznR56V8xm1AOjywu0rRcCKuR4nPvoK_aCEzeB46_I62yLBBYiEF1eyVQ-qgG5wdrFq66R7SIjMSnr5BsWucygDAQI6pacQXidfLt-/s1600-h/crank+n+chum+full.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D8XytMoq4sz9AEHKvpztv2uCYeq1yGg0t1w573eznR56V8xm1AOjywu0rRcCKuR4nPvoK_aCEzeB46_I62yLBBYiEF1eyVQ-qgG5wdrFq66R7SIjMSnr5BsWucygDAQI6pacQXidfLt-/s400/crank+n+chum+full.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356128097290222418" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmwqoLcD6Uj-jo8iMMOahG_r0d1P4hP5rWGf21LfWklk0b0FLo1oUeSHCBKSRSUT6N76RExnVJZpFZDJ_cfomjHRTSzEo21hascsfrdGxIJJoA5NDM50F7r4o1QPp9EwgEcBCQRmGXqKY/s1600-h/treasure+chest+corner+kidcity.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmwqoLcD6Uj-jo8iMMOahG_r0d1P4hP5rWGf21LfWklk0b0FLo1oUeSHCBKSRSUT6N76RExnVJZpFZDJ_cfomjHRTSzEo21hascsfrdGxIJJoA5NDM50F7r4o1QPp9EwgEcBCQRmGXqKY/s320/treasure+chest+corner+kidcity.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356124928793722114" /></a> This area under the captain's deck used to hold a treasure chest - which looked cool but didn't do much. In the photo below, you can see our exhibit builder Matt Niland thinking through some ideas about how to get the fish down to the "brig" and then back out again. It involves a new treasure chest with a secret compartment.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Speaking of secrets, I'm not giving them all away in this blog post! But here's a hint: when the room opens, you'll have a new way to be seen and not heard, and visa versa.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j5HbqTdK2BoWNoXIDOOIs6KF94cMoCo0uQQf5opSmt3_5URg8y6QYOB7S6N09dCs1USLfo11j4G4VAXC-pQOWrbnqwXSgjDozrJ9Ylyi-m7zwvxJDcdhbrk0wVQN72VpQZ-HJRMYN97Z/s1600-h/Niland+sketches+treasure+chest.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j5HbqTdK2BoWNoXIDOOIs6KF94cMoCo0uQQf5opSmt3_5URg8y6QYOB7S6N09dCs1USLfo11j4G4VAXC-pQOWrbnqwXSgjDozrJ9Ylyi-m7zwvxJDcdhbrk0wVQN72VpQZ-HJRMYN97Z/s200/Niland+sketches+treasure+chest.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356130910994897218" /></a>Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-8131045358162922072009-05-03T08:15:00.000-04:002009-07-08T13:10:00.215-04:00Not just bowling aloneAt Interactivity, I loved hearing Jane Werner from the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh</span> stand up and say:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“Things have been going pretty well at our museum, so we started thinking how we could leverage our strength to improve our neighborhood.”</span> <br /><br />For me, that was a big WOW. Maybe I need to get out more, but that’s the first time I’ve heard that kind of talk from any other children’s museum (other than using educational programs as outreach and social service). She mentioned interesting ideas like covering the local highway underpass with art, and stimulating connections between the various parks and cultural attractions in her area through the Charm Bracelet project. Since my motivations for starting Kidcity were more about quality of life in our community than about education, this was right up my alley. <br /><br />As Kidcity’s director, I spend a significant amount of time working on Middletown. Although I can’t say I planned it this way, I find that my focus on the community helps the museum in two ways: first, there is a direct relationship between Kidcity’s appeal and the quality of our town – as Middletown goes up or down, so goes our draw as a destination. Second, my work builds social capital for Kidcity, and I know that we owe our existence and growth more to social capital than to financial capital. Social capital builds when you contribute to the life of the community (I love Robert Putnam’s book “Bowling Alone” for a very persuasive argument on this topic). Briefly put, having social capital means that when you want to get things done, the credibility and friendships you have developed are just like money in the bank. As an additional bonus, it’s fun.<br /><br />So what does "Building Social Capital" mean on a daily basis? That would be different for everyone, but here are some of the things that I've been working on in the past year or so in our little town of 42,000 souls (other than my administrative and design work at the museum):<br />•helping establish "Creative Juice", a council for people in the arts and creative industries at our local chamber of commerce, co-chairing the first year; <br />•chairing the Downtown Business District (now 8 years old). The DBD is a group of 140 Main Street businesses that agreed to tax ourselves. I helped write our operating plan, which starts with the principle that Middletown has to be "clean, safe, and civil" before businesses can thrive -- we run a variety of maintenance, beautification projects, as well as providing strolling downtown guides.<br />•writing about city meetings and other stuff for a new hyper-local news blog, www.middletowneyenews.blogspot.com, which began in response to the decline of our local newspapers.<br />•being active on a 15-month study of the parking in our downtown, and lobbying for a new municipal department to manage it all.<br />•trying - and mostly failing - to find a resolution to the onslaught of graffiti around town, hopefully including a managable system for reporting and quick clean-up.<br />•helping various local non-profits with fundraising (sometimes at Kidcity and sometimes independently) and being active in the PTA of the Title 1 school in our neighborhood, where my 1st grader is a student.<br />•going to stuff! Supporting the dances, performances, meetings, potlucks and instigations of my neighbors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslgZN0lpRlf94l5SbDQygEXjQQUyx2yHvSX1LpdQpAjHS0aWmnQtm2F6WCR0p4DO7jCyf3hob42XOJSdkVRLtqsV9EYfveTufU-kqBDOgaedY7wRsX1KZB4nSg870YrII9Rs4Dihpa2BI/s1600-h/wayfinding+philly.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslgZN0lpRlf94l5SbDQygEXjQQUyx2yHvSX1LpdQpAjHS0aWmnQtm2F6WCR0p4DO7jCyf3hob42XOJSdkVRLtqsV9EYfveTufU-kqBDOgaedY7wRsX1KZB4nSg870YrII9Rs4Dihpa2BI/s320/wayfinding+philly.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331575070459061842" /></a>Over the next few months I expect to be working on the design of a grant-funded wayfinding system (our downtown signage is truly awful - here's a photo of the excellent wayfinding system I saw in Philadelphia) and starting a dialogue with other arts/entertainment venues to talk about a possible joint branding and promotion campaign. I'd love to hear more people in the children's museum field talk about ways that they are connecting to others throughout the community, not just in direct partnerships, but in ways that "leverage the strength" of the children's museum to help the community in diverse ways.Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8097279149630228421.post-69003013141651801032009-04-30T22:10:00.000-04:002009-05-03T05:48:55.089-04:00What's your brand?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUThu-OPibpzSPIQRUE8DzfAy0mFYksK1CvjJu3UUkmsJGAc4W-bQwg7ZBLYfWgucoc72Q1IyugY2HGS42iFU6QCuC0-d-qdrvVc0jt93RquaUgWidnqbopc-v-vMra29y4oBA8YXKTJuc/s1600-h/brand+session+at+acm.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUThu-OPibpzSPIQRUE8DzfAy0mFYksK1CvjJu3UUkmsJGAc4W-bQwg7ZBLYfWgucoc72Q1IyugY2HGS42iFU6QCuC0-d-qdrvVc0jt93RquaUgWidnqbopc-v-vMra29y4oBA8YXKTJuc/s200/brand+session+at+acm.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330674647738184210" /></a>I love it when Interactivity brings people from outside the children's museum field to give us a fresh perspective on our business practices. Wednesday's session with a company called <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.brandchamps.com">“Brand Champs”</a> </span> was a great learning opportunity for any children’s museum that wants to have more clarity about who they are and how they communicate that to the world. <br /><br />Fran and Bill Lytle, the married couple that is Brand Champs, started with the message that your children’s museum has an identity and you can analyze first what that identity is, and then understand whether you are sending the right message about it to the public.<br /><br />What follows is the first part of their step-by-step process, which they peppered with examples both from the children’s museum field and national brands that we all know. If you work at a children's museum (or you are trying to start one), you should get a pen and paper and treat this like a quiz. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. Determine your brand personality.</span> Fran and Bill believe that all brands fall into one of these five categories. (The words in italics are just examples of that main quality – it’s not a complete definition, but it can help you figure out where you fit.)<br /><br /> a. Sincerity <span style="font-style:italic;">(down to earth, honest, wholesome, cheerful)</span><br /> b. Excitement <span style="font-style:italic;">(daring, spirited, imaginative, up-to-date)</span><br /> c. Competence <span style="font-style:italic;">(reliable, intelligent, successful)</span><br /> d. Sophistication <span style="font-style:italic;">(upper class, cosmopolitan)</span><br /> e. Ruggedness <span style="font-style:italic;">(outdoorsy, rough)</span><br /><br />Of course, if you’re like me, you’ll be saying that you can’t fit in just one box – I’d say that Kidcity has a little bit A, B, and D, and none of C or E. But when really pressed, I come down to words like “authentic” and “quirky” which (I think) fall into the Sincerity category. I think of us as something like the World’s Largest Ball of Twine – you’d have to be crazy to collect that much string, but hey, you gotta hand it to them for commitment.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Next, identify what kind of Brand/Visitor relationship you have.</span> Again, you can only pick one.<br /> <br />a. Passion <span style="font-style:italic;">(expectation, powerful, full of anticipation and satisfaction)</span><br />b. Intimacy <span style="font-style:italic;">(when a company says: We know something about you – if it is a good thing, you will be more of it if you use us, if it is a bad thing, we can help.)</span><br />c. Nostalgia <span style="font-style:italic;"> (based on a longing for something that happened in the past. Mixed feelings of happiness and longing evoked by past experiences)</span><br />d. Partnership<span style="font-style:italic;"> (if your museum can say to the visitor: I ‘m working with you toward one single goal.)</span><br /><br />These were easier to understand when Fran gave us examples: <span style="font-weight:bold;">Curves</span> understands that women want to get in shape, but they don’t want to feel self-conscious while they are exercising – that relationship is Intimacy. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Dove</span> understands that we want to live in a world where women have a healthy body image, and their campaign about real beauty helps us do that – that’s Partnership. <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Holocaust Museum</span> covers a topic that people feel passionate about and you know you will see and feel something intense when you go there – that’s Passion. <br /><br />In my case, Kidcity’s brand/visitor relationship is definitely Intimacy. I know that my customers -- in other words, parents -- have certain beliefs about parenting and childhood (and I happen to agree with them!) We give them a place where they can be closer to their ideal. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Identify your Brand Dimension.</span> For someone who isn’t familiar with your museum, this is the shorthand that tells them what to expect. It manages their expectation. You'll be happy to know that you can pick more than one.<br /><br />a. Continuity <span style="font-style:italic;">(they can expect to find the same type of thing each time)</span><br />b. Distinctive Recipe <span style="font-style:italic;">(really different from all of its peers)</span><br />c. Quality <span style="font-style:italic;">(I may not know how to choose gems, but when I see that little blue box, I know all I need to know – it’s from Tiffany’s)</span><br />d. Signaling <span style="font-style:italic;">(Bill gave examples of Harley Davidson and Apple, but I’m not sure I get this concept yet. Perhaps it’s when the brand signals a whole lifestyle, that you either belong to or you don’t)</span><br />e. Incumbency <span style="font-style:italic;">(when your brand is so dominant that it becomes synonymous with the product – Kleenex, google, xerox.)</span><br /><br />Fran suggested that there probably aren’t any museums that could claim Incumbency, but I think the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Exploratorium</span> in San Francisco might come close, since they are virtually synonymous with a certain kind of hands-on science experience. As for Kidcity, our Brand Dimension would have to be our Distinctive Recipe of creating our own eccentric exhibits with local artists (which is a good thing, since we have five other children’s/science museums within 30 minutes drive.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4. Define your True Product</span> Explain the core of what your customers get from you in 20 words or less. They gave the pithy example of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Ellis Island</span>, which defines its true product as being “the symbol of American immigration and the immigrant experience.” I’d say they got that right. <br /><br />So far, here’s what I’ve come up with for my museum: <span style="font-style:italic;">At Kidcity, families exercise their imagination, playing pretend together in inventive and whimsical theme rooms created by local artists.</span> That’s only 19 words! It's not perfect, but I don’t think I could have gotten so much of our character into one sentence if I hadn’t done the other three steps first! <br /><br />----<br /><br />After taking us through these four steps, Fran and Bill finished the session by sharing a few ways that you can evaluate your logo and your website to see if they truly express your identity – but since I can’t do it justice, I’ll just direct you to their website: <a href="http://www.brandchamps.com">Brand Champs</a>. <br /><br />Hope you learned something new & useful!Jen from Kidcityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672372228278108927noreply@blogger.com0