SXWS

Archive for December, 2009

A contemporary concern in most of these US museums is the environment. This being a Philippine concern, I gathered as much information as I could on the subject. The exhibits talk about garbage disposal, dumpsite areas, and how one can recycle to save the earth from more garbage.
In another environment exhibit, a rainforest is reproduced in the corridors of the Manhattan Children’s Museum. A number of “hands-on exhibits try to capture the child’s attention by allowing him to use his sense of touch, smell, hearing, and sight. There are flaps to be raised where children can smell forest scents such as pine trees and flowers. Sounds like chirping birds and falling rain can be heard at the touch of a button.
Every children’s museum I visited seemed to be a noisy and happy place. Adults seemed like little kids again, totally absorbed in these participative exhibits. Unlike the traditional museum where silence pervades as things are kept behind glass cases, children’s museums allow the kids to touch and wonder; sometimes, to create something new from what they see. In a way, these museums are like learning centers — except this time, with an element of fun. Children’s museums have gathered more interest than a passive classroom where tests and grades are the beginning and the end of learning. Children should have an opportunity to learn in an interesting and lively atmosphere. These children’s museums have become fun places for learning.