The exhibit provides visitors with immediate real-world applications for these subject areas.
Norwalk, CT (PRWEB) September 10, 2015
Things break, that’s a given. From the Stone Age wheel to the modern computer, everything breaks down and requires repair at some point. So what must one do if something breaks?
Often times in this day and age, the answer is to simply discard the old and bring in the new. In “Broken? Fix it!” — a new exhibit opening at Stepping Stones Museum for Children — visitors will be challenged to embrace the broken. The hands-on exhibit, created by Long Island Children’s Museum and supported by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, will open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015.
“Broken? Fix it!” serves as a hands-on owner’s manual, helping children and adults to diagnose problems, then roll up their sleeves and get inside the repair process. Visitors enter a variety of repair settings featuring an array of everyday objects requiring attention — from cars to ceramics to toys. Families and school groups will be challenged to develop their repair skills using critical thinking, experimentation and cooperation. In each setting, tools, materials and resources are available to guide the diagnostic and repair processes.
“The appeal of this exhibit is universal and timely,” said Kimberly Kuta Dring, director of learning and experience at Stepping Stones Museum for Children. “The theme resonates across cultures and generations and serves as an exciting way to increase competence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects that are so vital to 21st century leaning. The exhibit provides visitors with immediate real-world applications for these subject areas.”
The bilingual exhibit (Spanish/ English) explores the vivid memories everyone can recall of something broken from their past — from a favorite toy to Grandma’s treasured teacup. But what happened after the break is where memories often diverge. For some, the memory is learning how to make a repair for a loved one. For others, the memory is watching a frustrated family member trying to tackle the fix or just the long wait until a repairman came. In presenting the exhibit, Stepping Stones Museum for Children seeks to provide visitors with resources to hone lifelong skills.
Visitors will be able to listen to experts discuss how they tackle the process of repair through a series of videos sprinkled throughout the exhibit. The videos provide visitors with inspiration and practical tactics that they can employ as they attempt a similar fix-it task. Recognizing the emotional aspects in the broken/fix it repair cycle, the exhibit includes a conversation area, including a “Truth Booth” that provides an opportunity for multi-generational visitor groups to discuss accidental breaks in their past. Visitors entering the “Truth Booth” can even select a “disguise” if they choose, before recording their “confession.”
Visitors of “Broken? Fix it!” learn to:
- Fix flat tires on cars and bikes
- Repair a light-up wand and fix a toy car
- Replace torn window screens
- Investigate temporary and permanent fixes
- Match tools to tasks
- Learn from repair experts
- Explore global and historical repair techniques
“Broken? Fix it!” will be open through Dec. 31, 2015 as part of a two-year tour that will take the exhibit to leading children’s museums across the nation through the Youth Museum Exhibit Collaborative.
About the Company:
Stepping Stones Museum for Children, celebrating its 15th birthday this year, is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501 (c) (3) children’s museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. Stepping Stones Museum for Children is located at 303 West Ave., Norwalk, CT, exit 14 North and 15 South off I-95. Museum hours are: Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday—Sunday and select holiday Mondays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. For more information about Stepping Stones, to book a field trip or schedule a class, workshop or facility rental call 203-899-0606 or visit http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.