The New Childrens Museum

Programs: The new childrens museum (the museum) is a new model of childrens museum whose mission is to stimulate imagination, creativity, and critical thinking in children and families through inventive and engaging experiences with contemporary art. As a california, not-for-profit corporation funded by admissions, memberships, and community support, the museum empowers children to think, play and create through participatory exhibitions, engaging art-making activities, open-ended play, and in-depth educational programs. Incorporated on march 21, 1981, the original childrens museum opened its first facility in 1983 in la jolla, and relocated to a downtown warehouse at 200 west island avenue in 1993. At that time, the museum became childrens museum/museo de los nios san diego. After nearly ten years in the warehouse space, the doors were closed in 2002 to break ground for a new building at the same site. The museum operated without walls during the closure, providing community outreach activities throughout the region. The museum reinvented itself and opened a new environmentally sustainable facility in downtown san diegos marina district in may of 2008. Designed by robert wellington quigley, the 50,000 square-foot building houses expansive galleries, open studio environments, and an arts education center providing enriching and informative school visits and in-depth camps. As a reflection of the new building and new programs, the museum changed its name to the new childrens museum. The museum brings families together in a rich educational environment that fosters creativity, blending elements of art museum and childrens museum. The museum is the only childrens museum in the united states dedicated to commissioning leading contemporary artists to create works for its audience rather than reinterpreting existing works of art or applying an artistic element to a hands-on childrens activity. By asking artists to create pieces with tactile, physical, and participatory components, the museum opens a world of art and creativity to children through opportunities to think, play and create. Serving a wide range of ages, the museum takes a unique approach to the environments and opportunities designed for and presented to children. The museums visitors interact with the exhibitions in a hands-on way, which may include climbing in, running through, rearranging and manipulating, stacking, driving, riding, painting, and examining the pieces. These interactive experiences are enhanced with on-site engagement by trained museum educators who are always present throughout the museum; these individuals are artists and educators. The museum also provides a variety of hands-on art making activities for all visitors throughout each day; some are self-directed, and others are led by staff members. The objectives of each of these offerings are to stimulate the imagination and provide open-ended opportunities to explore the world. As a result, the museum cultivates innovative thinking, nurtures collaboration, develops problem solving skills, and encourages risk taking. In 2017, 269,951 people had an opportunity to experience the museum, including visitors, members, school visits, birthday parties and events. Over 1. 6 million individuals have visited since its re-opening in 2008. Each year the museum welcomes over 15,000 students and chaperones through the museums innovative education and school visits programs. Camp attendance continues to increase, with over 1,000 children participating in spring, summer and fall/winter camps in 2017. As a community-based organization, the museum is committed to offering access to families from all economic levels with its innovative and expanding community access program. In 2017, 26% of visitors attended the museum free or at a discounted rate through the following programs:*free title 1 school visits 7,191*free check out ncm program at city and county libraries 8,559*discounted admission on target second sundays 9,567*mass creativity workshops and event 2,828 (mass creativity day)*partners in creativity 2,062*discounted or free for military families including blue star program 18,412the museum regularly commissions one-of-a-kind works of art by leading contemporary artists. These works are intended for thousands of children and families to engage and play with each year. The majority of the artworks exhibited at the museum are temporary works of art commissioned as part of rotating exhibitions for a limited amount of time. The works are returned to the artist at the close of the exhibition. While we are not a collecting institution, from time to time, the museum has identified opportunities when acquiring a work or art furthers its mission. In addition, an acquired or permanently loaned work of art provides lasting enjoyment of a beloved piece as well as opportunities for deepened understanding. These result in connections across generations, deepening visitors engagement with the museum. Since re-opening in 2008, the museum has launched seven exhibitions. Childsplay (2008 - 2009)animal art (2009 - 2011)trash (2011 - 2013)feast: the art of playing with your food (2013 present)eureka! (2015 present)the wonder sound (2016 present)sketch aquarium (2017 present)in october 2015, the museum launched eureka, an exhibition that explores the state of california through playful, multisensory, immersive experiences created by commissioned artists. Through eureka, the museum engages children and families around many timely topics, including californias history, the environment, water challenges, cultural heritage, and focus on pop culture community. In addition to using contemporary visual art as a vehicle for presenting these ideas, the exhibition touches upon music, history, geology, and design in novel and engaging ways. Through eureka, the museum offers a wide range of hands-on art-making studios, education programs, workshops and celebratory events, all designed to provide an ever-changing menu of enrichment opportunities for our visitors. The museum opened the wonder sound in june 2016. Created by wes sam-bruce, an artist with deep roots in san diego, this popular exhibit draws its inspiration from tree houses, canyons, plants, animals, mountain ranges, stories, histories and languages. In march 2017 the museum, in collaboration with the artists and engineers at teamlab of japan, launched its newest exhibit, sketch aquarium, an immersive, interactive, ucommunity outreach:mass creativity: mass creativity is a means for the museum to extend its innovative approach to supporting and cultivating creativity in the community. These collaborations provide art-making opportunities to residents who, due to economic constraints or lack of transportation, may not visit museums or have regular access to tools, materials and artistic instruction for creative expression. The mass creativity program took place in community centers and other non-traditional venues throughout san diego county, connecting with families in underserved areas. It included a series of hands-on art making workshops at six community centers in the san diego region (solutions for change vista, the san diego lgbt community center hillcrest, south bay community services chula vista, barrio logan college institute barrio logan, casa familiar san ysidro, southern sudanese community center city heights. )workshops were led by professional artists with the assistance of museum staff. The workshops culminated in an all-day celebration in june 24, 2017. Partners in creativity: working with ten local social service organizations such as the monarch school and the ywca, the museum provides an opportunity for at-risk children and their families to be in an environment that is designed for children and to experience a place that is uniquely tailored for their needs. Partners in creativity gives them the chance to use their imaginations, express themselves through art, explore new ideas, and just have fun in a safe, clean, and stimulating place. It also allows the childrens caregivers a respite and a chance to interact with the children in a new way. The museum aspires to enrich the lives of those it serves. Partners in creativity is the only program of its kind in the community. The museums distinctive approach of collaborating with community partners across the san diego non-profit sector to provide underserved and at-risk children with unique art experiences tailored to their educational needs solidifies the museum as a vital community resource. Educators night out: 2017 marked the 7th annual educators night out, a free evening event for educators from the san diego region. Teachers were invited to experience the museum firsthand and learn about the innovative programs available to them and their students. Educators were encouraged to bring their children to the event to enjoy performances, art-making workshops, artist demonstrations, opportunity drawings, and refreshments. The museum distrib