What is a Children’s Museum?

While the concept of the children’s museum has been around for decades, there has never been anything of the sort located in North Iowa.  For years, you could only find such places if you travelled to a big city.

As we embark on this journey in North Iowa, there seems to be a bit of confusion as to what a children’s museum actually is, and the benefits of having one in the area. 

With the word “museum” in the title, I can understand how it’s easily confused with a traditional museum.  Traditional museums are storehouses of old artifacts, sculptures, objects, history etc. Patrons simply walk through the building and look at the objects collected. 

I remember visiting the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago when I was a child.  It was a massive building filled with some really cool stuff, but I wasn’t allowed to touch the items on display.

Playing with them was definitely out of the question!

So, how is a children’s museum different?

Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs to stimulate informal learning experiences for children. They are places where children learn through play and exploration in environments designed just for them. Reflecting their diverse communities, children's museums create playful, interactive learning experiences.

In other words – you can touch it all!  In fact, it’s encouraged.

Research has shown that all children learn differently.  Play has become an existentially important factor for early childhood education.

In fact, there are 7 types of learning styles:

·                     Visual

• When you retain information best by viewing pictures and respond best to colors

·                     Kinesthetic

• Learning by doing.  Role playing, flashcards, or physically doing an action helps retain information.

·                     Aural

• Learning by simply hearing it. Listening to a lecture or teacher.

·                     Social

• Learning by participating in group activities or being quizzed by another person.

·                     Solitary

• This type of learner works best alone.  They tend to make notes and recite them by themselves.

·                     Verbal

• Using tools like rhymes & acronyms to retain information.

·                     Logical

• When you use reasoning and cognitive analysis in order to learn. 

While the focus of a children’s museum is centered around learning, there is a hidden value in these institutions as well.

They are intergenerational. 

Instead of parents or grandparents simply taking their children to an activity and sitting on the sidelines while they play and exert energy, a children’s museum is a place to go and have fun together.  Where family and friends can spend a day at the Woodford Island exhibit, learning about its rich history and the wildlife who live there.  Kids can get charged up as they learn about electrical vehicles. You never know what might spark an interest in a future career. 

Our biggest goal is to make sure the North Iowa Children’s Museum has that “WOW” factor.  From the moment you walk through our doors, you’ll be hit with an onslaught of vibrant colors and grand exhibits.  A sense of wonder and excitement will swirl through the air as you take in the amazing sights. 

Another common misconception is that a children’s museum is a “one and done” type of activity.  While many of the exhibits will be permanent, we plan to bring travelling exhibits into the facility to create a new learning experience for children. 

For all you visual learners out there, here are a few photos that really encapsulate the essence of what we are trying to achieve right here in North Iowa.

Looks amazing, right?  We agree!  Our hope is to raise sufficient funding so we can build exhibits with this type of grandeur.  Something to attract families from all across the Midwest to North Iowa.  We all know once they get to Clear Lake and see the charm and beauty of our adorable tourist town, they’ll want to come back time and time again! 

Children’s museums have been gaining traction in popularity throughout the years.  While the first one was established in New York in the 1890s, it was simply one room within a current institution designated for the kids.  By 1975, there were approximately 38 children's museums in the United States. An additional 80 institutions opened between 1976 and 1990, and more than 130 opened between 1990 and 2007.  Since then, close to 100 more facilities have been opened across the country, proving there is a distinct need for this type of institution for our children. 

The largest children’s museum is in Indianapolis.  This massive facility measures 472,900 square-feet and sits on 29 acres, giving it bragging rights as the largest children's museum in not just the country, but the world.

While we won’t be building anything even remotely near that size in North Iowa, we do know that size is an important factor in creating a place of wonder and awe.  The North Iowa Children’s Museum will be a true destination location in the Midwest.

And we can’t wait for our dream to become a reality!

If you’d like to donate to this cause, you can do so at www.northiowachildrensmuseum.org. 

Every dollar is one step closer to opening our doors.