General Info

Children’s museums are for and about children, although about one-half of the visitors to most children’s museums are adults. The adult museum visitor plays a critical role in enhancing learning and play. Well-designed exhibits invite adults to be active partners in the museum experience. Adults encourage children when they encounter problems, make suggestions for new scripts or plans when the child has exhausted his repertoire, join the child as a playmate, observe the child in play, and talk about what the child has done. Adult-child interaction enriches the experience for both, and helps build strong emotional bonds. Perhaps most importantly, a children’s museum is a place that a community can be proud of because they helped build it.