Help the Children's Museum - A Survey
The Children’s Museum of Tacoma has launched a survey to solicit community input into its site search and planning for a new building. The survey includes questions about the current museum, programming, early learning, and site priorities.
As a bonus – those folks that choose to leave their contact information will have the opportunity to win a $50 gift certificate to the Museum’s store.
Filed under: Arts
11 comments
C Christine May 26, 2008
Okay, honestly I haven’t been there. No kids = No reason to go.
I have heard several people who do have kids (coworkers) say that it is not a museum of any kind, more like an arts and crafts room with stories and such. I viewed the website and it looked like romper room. I suppose calling the interactive toys “exhibits” makes it a museum.
Many parents also complained about the price. I see on the website that it is $6 for all except those under one year. I didn’t see an income-based waiver of any kind, and it surprised me. I think this is what many children from poorer households would need even more than those children from better-off houses. Sort of like a “head start” program.
Also, I don’t think that the group is encouraging attendance by charging $6 for the adults. A person with two children is looking at $18 and I’ll bet coloring on color books from the dollar store makes a lot more sense to most parents. Fun, interactive, arty and a lot more affordable.
I’m not saying that I think the “museum” is a bad thing. It looks like a good idea for any area. I do hope it stays downtown, maybe near a park, but I don’t see a need for a giant, concrete-surrounded, new building anywhere. I could be snarky and point out that if it had been built on the East side of the Foss, it would have encouraged, less walking and a lot more driving. Not to mention the isolation!
Wait a minute! That’s how I prefer kids- far away. Maybe we should put it in the Shipwreck tavern building on Marine View Drive. That’s empty, zoned for a commercial gathering place and easily accessible by freeway. Field trips could be taken to local factories so kids could see how things are made! Hell, we could put some of them to work.
T Tammy May 26, 2008
Wow, Christine! You mentioned that you “could be snarky” but I think you pretty much nailed it!
It’s expensive to entertain & educate little ones. As a mom, I’m always thinking about which activities deserve our family’s dollars. Which is why I love the Museum! They offer a lot of free days-the first friday of every month and every Thursday in the summer in conjunction with the downtown Farmers Market. They also have a Play Pass that allows a family to play in the Museum for free. These passes can be found at libraries all over—Tacoma, Pierce County and I think on some of the military bases. And, of course, it’s cheaper than a movie. This “museum” is special to my kids because they can touch everything, nothing is behind glass, they’re never told to shhhhh!, it’s their place!
C Christine May 26, 2008
Thanks for the info Tammy. I have obviously never been there, and I didn’t know about the free passes and such. I do think this sounds like a great place for children, touching, doing, creating…it is so important for kids. I guess that’s why I question calling it a museum, because that’s generally a “no touch” term. But I suppose there’s not really anything else to call it. I just hope it stays downtown and doesn’t become a concrete-surrounded island.
I’ll have to borrow my nephew for a day and check it out.
I am serious about the field trips to factories though. Remember when Mr. Rogers would take us to see how things were made? Reminiscing and showing my age.
N NSHDscott May 27, 2008
This survey offers a good chance for everyone to encourage the Children’s Museum to look long and hard at the Elks Temple.
I don’t have kids so I honestly don’t care much about the Museum, but I do care about the Elks Temple, and I imagine there are lots of people like me. It seems that the Museum could get a lot of support from people who wouldn’t ordinarily care about them if they wanted to move in to the Elks Temple and fix it up.
M Mofo from the Hood May 27, 2008
When I was a kid my dad would often take me and one of my brothers or sister to the Ferry Museum on North Stadium Way. I totally enjoyed it every time—-Even enjoyed peering into the reference library—-this museum felt like an important place.
A few miles away was the Pt. Defiance Zoo which we also went to often. Within the zoo grounds they had a Children’s Zoo. Guess which part of the zoo I liked least—-Right, The Children’s Zoo.
Christine’s wicked humor @1 makes some sober points.
A Alison May 27, 2008
I do have kids, and I think the term “museum” is sort of accepted for such collections of kids’ activities, etc. The museum does feature themed ‘exhibits’ on different cultures, etc., and the website and promo materials make it pretty clear that their focus is on educational play. I did fill out their survey, and indicated some of the same concerns as you all over the lack of more challenging stuff for slightly older kids, as well as the need for the museum to address the needs of families who were unable to afford the admission and other programs, and to be accessible to those who need public transportation (I’d love to see something viable in the Elks building, which I have always loved and mourned). Frankly, affluent families can afford to take their kids farther, to more expensive stuff, and to buy more for their home—I’d rather see the fiscal decisions by the museum serve underserved families. That said, those goals take more money, which puts the museum, like so many other services, in a Catch-22.
And frankly, I can’t imagine why anyone without kids would even consider going to ANY children’s museum! Even I wish they had a sort of supervisory bar from which I could view—but only from afar—my offspring! ;) I am a big fan of adult-time.
E Erik B. May 27, 2008
This survey offers a good chance for everyone to encourage the Children’s Museum to look long and hard at the Elks Temple.
Alot of groups and individuals could really get behind the fund raising effort if they chose to relocate to the Elks Temple. It would open up a great many doors for them and bring the Children’s Museum up several levels from where they are now. However, they are going to have to think big.
T tom waits May 27, 2008
so we’re members of the children’s museum, and go there from time to time with our kids (ages two and baby). but i filled out the survey and found i was a bit negative.
let me first focus on the positive: that there even IS a children’s museum in tacoma. in a city that has 2/3 watefront but only a sukoshi of beach access, and where the best city playground is in fircrest (parents: you know what i’m talking about), a dysfunctional school district and an inordinate number of sex predators, let us be clear thjat this is not a mecca of childrearing. the museum deserves all of our support and then another 10%.
parents who raise your children in tacoma, you are troopers. or you send your kids to anne wright, charles wright, et cetera. or your options are limited, or you don’t care.
wow, i am grumpy tonight.
nonetheless. go to olympia and check out the kid’s museum there. now THAT is a museum for kids. the tacoma children’s museum in comparison feels like good intentions not quite realized. there are a couple of good activity areas, nice staff, etc. but some of the exhibits (korea sticks in my mind) are oriented towards parents and older kids; at least, this is what i surmised from the text-heavy interactive displays that were a foot above my daughter’s head.
frankly most kids that go to these places are learning to count, like imitating quotidian things like shopping, driving, and getting dressed, and could give a rip about korea or mexico or anywhere the haven’t personally visited yet. two year olds don’t even know adults can’t read minds, so teaching multiculturalism is a number of years down the road for them.
give us magnetic stuff, funny shapes and textures, and stuff to climb on. this all works through age five.
how to access funds? it was impressive to me how the olympia museum secured corporate sponsorships for nearly all of its exhibits (and relevant ones – the port of oly built a crane, for example).
so, the children’s museum could use some inspiration in their exhibit design and pedagogy, but i am glad they’re here. my kids will figure out how to play with a spoon and a roll of tape, so i appreciate that there is a safe place to play within the downtown area.
i don’t care where it is located really, but as an urban believer, i think it should be downtown or close by. really, it would be another nice feather if we could build an incredible regional children’s interpretive center.
think big: st paul mn has a science museum with THREE floors of children’s activities right on the old mississippi (sp?), and their downtown is almost as dead as ours. pacific science center, eat your heart out. that’s what i’d like to see in 10 years.
J J. Cote May 27, 2008
I took my three boys and the co-op preschool there about 15 years ago and I’m amazed that they are still open. The entire group of preschoolers was bored silly and the parents miffed at being hit up for four bucks to experience coloring and connect the dot pages. It doesn’t sound as though they have changed. If your kids can’t figure out how to play with a spoon and a roll of tape without you shelling out eight bucks for the experience, then they are being robbed of their educational experience. Spend the eight bucks at a local craft store on yarn, tape and paint and then spend the most valuable thing that you can spend: your time. Take a couple hours, spread some newspaper on the floor and have at it. No museum can provide a better experience than what you provide by spending time with your kids. Just painting, drawing or making a mess of the garage floor is the most precious thing that you can “buy” them. My sons have no memory of the Children’s Museum. They have fond memories of the time that we spent in the garage building a birdhouse.
M morgan May 27, 2008
A few random thoughts:
I also had an issue with the term “museum” but have grown to accept it. My vision of a great children’s museum included things like a life-size whale skeleton you can climb on (and in), a life-size dinosaur, and maybe a few mummies. Now THAT would be a museum!
Re: Olympia children’s museum –
What I find most interesting about Olympia’s museum is not only was each “exhibit” sponsored by local businesses AND individuals but that their exhibits are permanent. They don’t have costs associated with renting and building new exhibits every few months like Tacoma. Most amazing though is that Olympia’s exhibits appeal to children of all ages- my wife and three-year-old had a lot of fun with their “peg wall” while I preferred the “create a river” exhibit.
T Tammy May 27, 2008
I’m pretty sure I’ve noticed business names in the Tacoma Children’s Museum-for some reason Boeing and KeyBank are stuck in my mind..corporate support is definitely not unique to Olympia!