tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317052042177627905.post4416064231571975054..comments2023-06-10T10:09:21.134-04:00Comments on ExhibiTricks: A Museum/Exhibit/Design Blog: Exhibit Design visits The CircusPOW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)http://www.blogger.com/profile/05111591384018210698noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317052042177627905.post-85837535214454129202010-01-15T15:02:10.879-05:002010-01-15T15:02:10.879-05:00When I worked for the Smithsonian Early Enrichment...When I worked for the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, I was constantly bringing interactive "objects" to the museums with me. I taught toddlers, and on our daily trips to the museums we would often visit museum objects that are not conventionally "toddler-friendly" such as paintings or historical artifacts. I used simple bring-alongs to help the children relate the abstract visuals to concrete objects that were familiar to them. For example, I brought plastic toy fruit to sort into buckets when looking at still life paintings of fruit. Once while doing a musical instrument theme and looking at a pianting with a piano, I brought a paper piano cut out with keys they could touch just like the lady in the painting. When the kids lifted the top flat of the paper piano they exposed the strings I had taped underneath and could feel and pluck them.<br /><br />It's those kinds of interactive components that you describe in your post that are necessary to make many museums accessible to the very littlest of audiences.Allinoreply@blogger.com