The New Children’s Museum has recently introduced an 8,600-square-foot extension, which includes extra art studios on the third floor, a new educational area designed for class sessions, as well as increased exhibition areas.
This marked the initial significant refurbishment of the downtown museum since its construction in 2008. The structure was envisioned by architect Rob Quigley.
The size of the museum stayed unchanged. In order to make better use of the available area, administrative offices, storage zones, and backstage spaces were repurposed for visitor usage, thanks to architect Jim Brown. He was tasked with designing a minimal-impact plan that respected Quigley’s original concept.
“We’ve truly poured our hearts and souls into this new space,” stated Gabrielle Wyrick, the museum’s chief curator and director of audience engagement.
Artopia: NCM Creative Studios made its debut to the public on April 12th during an open-house event that attracted approximately 900 guests. This marked a novel opportunity for artistic creation within the museum premises, where children got hands-on experience with pottery wheels inside the newly established ceramics studio, engaged in painting activities in the spacious multi-purpose area, and participated in various workshops held in the educational common room. The expansive Artopia studio offers adaptability; it can hold up to 200 individuals in one extensive paint session or divide into separate sections allowing simultaneous instruction in different disciplines such as fiber arts, sculpting, watercolor painting, among others.
Earlier, the museum’s popular Innovator’s LAB was limited to just 10 to 15 participants per session. Despite offering four classes each day throughout the week, the demand exceeded available capacity, with all slots filling up rapidly and many individuals left on a waiting list.
Wyrick mentioned, “We were unable to meet the demand from young individuals eager to engage in the artistic creation process due to limited space.” She acknowledges that Elizabeth YangHellewell recognized the necessity to broaden the museum’s studio facilities upon assuming the role of CEO.
“As an institution focused on modern art, our aim is to highlight the creative process behind making artwork and provide everyone, including children and individuals of all age groups, with ample opportunities to engage in their own artistic endeavors,” Wyrick stated.
The newly established gallery area located on the ground level of the museum will offer greater chances for artistic expression and engagement. At present, the space is hosting “Miraj,” an immersive digital display created by the community group SOSO, which enables visitors to vocalize words that transform into dynamic light displays and projected visuals. In June, this exhibition will transition to one focusing on social-emotional development via various forms of visual art.
As the museum expanded its art workshops and artist-driven experiences, they established two new roles: one for a general manager of studio programs and operations, along with another for an art and creative learning manager.
How the new area will be utilized still needs to be determined. This space can accommodate private rental events which might host intergenerational community gatherings, yet it may also serve as a center for early childhood art initiatives. The decision on how this recently accessible space will be employed will partly depend on input and preferences from the attendees.
We aim for this area to serve as a sanctuary and a communal focal point,” Wyrick stated. “Our goal is for individuals from every walk of life to truly use this place as a wellspring of creativity.
To view a current selection of workshops at Artopia, please check out their website.
thinkplaycreate.org
.
