The museum's exhibit floor will contain many large, permanent structures that were carefully designed and are being crafted to represent each of the four distinct zones: River, City, Mill, and Rural. The fabrication process is already in full swing, and our exhibits are currently being built, bringing our imaginative design ideas to life! In the meantime, we have already commissioned some beautiful new custom pieces and made some exciting purchases for the new exhibit floor. Take a peek!
Giant Flowers and Spider Poop Balls We are thrilled to announce the successful delivery of the exhibit pieces created by the talented children during our collaboration with
local artist Veronica Perez. The kids hand-drew flowers and printed their own fabric, which Veronica transformed into durable, giant fabric flowers, which will go into an urban garden in the new museum's City Zone. After months of anticipation, the fabric flowers and spider poop balls have finally been delivered to the Children's Museum.
We are immensely grateful for the generous support provided by the Colby College Arts Office, Museum of Art, and the Center for the Arts and Humanities. Without their contributions, this collaborative endeavor would not have been possible. We also want to express our sincere appreciation to the children who wholeheartedly participated in the creation of these remarkable exhibit pieces. Their creativity, enthusiasm, and willingness to explore new skills have truly made a difference in shaping the Children's Museum.
Makerspace Tables and Stools The museum absolutely loves the tables and stools that will
be used in the Mill MakerSpace! The solid wood tables and colorful, stackable stools are the
perfect plan to take a seat for some serious tinkering and creating. Take a look at the tables here- we used them for check in during the Tea Party! The goal of the Mill MakerSpace is to create a community where children and families identify as makers, with the idea that we as humans are more than just consumers; we are creators. You can expect a chance to program robots, sew a pillow, mix up some slime, watch a 3D printer in action, convert a 2D shoe form into something that fits your foot, and more! We can't wait to pull our Mill tables out of storage and into the new exhibit!
Builder Boards Earlier this year, a local craftsman built us a set of beautiful builder boards, perfect for fort-building! Made from birch wood and sanded smooth, these interlocking pieces create a sturdy way to build forts big enough to crawl into.
The building set will be incorporated into the museum's Rural Zone exhibit, allowing children to build shelters inspired by the way animals in the wild build their own shelters. From intricate burrows to elaborate nests, animals have honed their architectural skills over centuries of evolution. Just as kids use the versatile builder boards to create their own imaginative hideaways, animals use the resources available to them in their environment to design safe-havens. Whether it's the resourcefulness of a beaver crafting a dam with precision or the artistry of a bird weaving together twigs to construct a sturdy nest, animals inspire children to tap into their creativity and problem-solving abilities with the builder boards. Playing with the boards, kids not only develop their motor skills and spatial awareness but also gain a deeper appreciation for the wonders of the animal kingdom.
Fishing Poles Our hand-built, custom fishing poles are so fun! These reels have magnets on the ends for "catching" fish (and other fun surprises!) and include the ability to actually reel them in.
We know that fishing is an important part of Maine culture, so we had to make sure it was included in our floor design. Did you know that the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Maine was an 11-pound, 10-ounce fish? That's the size of a large watermelon or bowling ball!
Collecting unique pieces and collaborating with talented artists and craftspeople continues to make this journey so much fun. Each carefully curated element will come together to bring the exhibit floor to life, and we couldn't be more excited! With anticipation building, we eagerly look forward to all that is yet to come. Stay tuned for more!