You've probably seen
this article about the toddler who knocked down the statue in the recreation center. Things like that can make parents shy away from taking their children to museums like the Chrysler, but there is an answer for that. Opening this weekend, Chrysler Museum's new Wonder Studio is an interactive space for families.
The current exhibit's theme is the Human Figure, and they show that in lots of different ways. The first, and most exciting for R, was the Colorscape. Picture a half-pipe with an explosion of color. There are digital projectors and cameras that track each person's movements and turn them into splashes of color. The projector reacts to different types of jumps, twirls, and turns. R was here for an entire 40 minutes, and he would have stayed longer if we didn't bribe him with food.
The second exhibit is the Artquarium. The best thing about this is that the art is in a clear case, so no knocking it over! It's at a toddler's eye level, and they make sure there is no frontal nudity. (This might not seem like a big deal- but for teachers who have brought a pack of fourth graders to this museum, you know where I'm coming from.) There is a large collection of artwork here in different mediums and from different time periods.
The third exhibit is The Studio, which uses touch screens to allow children to create their own piece of art from pieces of other famous artwork. These will randomly pop onto the screen, so children may see their artwork on display.
The Wonder Studio will open tomorrow during the Chrysler's free Family Day. They will hand out tickets for timed slots, but you can
order them online or grab them from the welcome desk when you arrive. The Chrysler Museum is always free for the public, and they have a
Tickle My Ears program just for toddlers. They also regularly have their family days. We plan to return to the studio when they change the exhibit, which will be semi-regularly.
