Brooklyn Childrens Museum Article Index for
Brooklyn
Website Links For
Brooklyn
 

Information About

Brooklyn Childrens Museum




The Brooklyn Children's Museum is a general purpose museum in Crown Heights , Brooklyn . Founded in 1899 , it was the first Museum in the world to cater specifically to children. The museum is currently undergoing renovation.


HISTORY

The Museum was founded on December 16 , 1899 in the Adams House at what is now Brower Park.

In 1929, the museum opened the Smith House annex. Eleanor Roosevelt attended the ceremony.

In 1930, the Works Progress Administration supplied hundreds of workers to the museum, which thrived in the Great Depression .

From 1968 to 1977, the museum was relocated as the Bedford-Lincoln Neighborhood Museum. This ended with the opening of the current structure at the original location on May 17 , 1977 .

In 2005, the museum was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation , which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg . [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/nyregion/06donate.html?ex=1278302400&en=93a1beabd4ede5b8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss] [http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html]


EXHIBITS


Traveling Exhibits

  • ''Pattern Wizardry'' encourages children to recognize, identify, create, and compare Pattern s.

  • ''Night Journeys'' is all about sleep.

  • ''Global Shoes'' explores world Culture through footwear.

  • ''Wild About Plants'' is about the role of Plant s in Everyday Life .



Permanent Exhibits

  • ''Totally Tots'' is intended for children younger than five years of age.

  • ''Together in the City'' honors many New York City landmarks.

  • ''Collections Central'' is a huge 27,000-piece collection of assorted artifacts and Specimen s.

  • ''Children's Library and Education Center'' contains thousands of books.

  • ''Animal Outpost'' features live animals, including a Basilisk and a Burmese Python .

  • ''Con Edison Greenhouse and Garden'' features plants, insects, and allows children to study Soil and Ecosystem s.

  • ''Music Mix'' features foreign Musical Instrument s.

  • The ''Visiting Exhibit Gallery''.

  • ''Mainstage'' allows children to put on their own "shows".



EXPANSION

The current renovation project will double the museum's size and is due to open in 2008.


SEE ALSO



EXTERNAL LINK

  • [http://www.bchildmus.org Official website]