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Short version –
What I was not crazy about - no theme, felt disjointed and hodgepodge, multiple color schemes, what I felt was poor color choices, felt like done simply/basic - made it feel "garage made", poor spacing, walkways, distances and pathways, felt like too many exhibits – took away impact, not enough clear direction / maps, no clear footpath / travel path through museum, sad prisoner chickens
Good – library branch, colorful, lots of exhibits – even if child didn’t spend a lot of time at an exhibit – easily get 2 hours, shade sails covering back, nature area, “think tank area” with magnetic art pieces, memory game spinner wall, individual tables for puzzle solving, build your own ball run, footprint stampers, puppet stage
Use now – memory game, magnetic art pieces, ball run, footprint stampers
We also ran into Maeryta at the museum. She is sending RK & MP an email about an upcoming grant. She was so kind and sang our praises from the roof tops – “you’re so cutting edge”, “amazing”, and introduced us to a gentleman named Ben – working on CASE. He is about 30 minutes form Rancho and will be contacting us to talk to us. They worked together on the Los Angeles Science Center.
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Long / detailed version:
We arrived at the museum driving first by the parking structure (underwhelming) decorated only with a banner with children’s faces (also noticed children’s faces at pretend city). Would have liked something more personalized, theme based, eye catching. I think if the parking structure is the first thing people see – it should be as eye catching as the building to announce the presence of the museum.
We then drove around the block circling the museum to get a full view. The color scheme is a pastel color scheme – pale yellow, orange, mint green, with some spring purples and pinks thrown in. For some reason I felt like it should be brighter? It needed a theme (something local to Texas – maybe chili peppers, stars, red white and blue). Instead we saw, what looked like a wooden slat fence with an easter feeling design of flowers and birds of chain link.
The front of the museum felt a bit like cheesecake factory – the columns, colors, a mixture of Egyptian and other cultural themes. It just felt like an odd mix between cheesecake, spring easter slats, and the local plain faced Houston buildings. I think the scale seemed odd - that children should be greeted by such a large scale entrance. It seems like that would be intimidating for children who already view the world from a smaller vantage point. There is also a row of cutout children (see Margaret's blog).
Once inside the museum, we were greeted by very high ceilings with colorful arches (keeping with the rainbow pastel theme). The front had exhibit pieces that attracted donations, the ticket window booth, and a very long walkway – which for our benefit was filled with tables and our dinner stations. This brings me to my next complaint – spacing and footpaths. Renee, Margaret, and I all complained through museum about the odd space choices. Certain areas were given an exhorbitant amount of space, other areas had ridiculous amount of exhibits crammed together. So in this enormous hallway were smaller rooms (for birthday parties? Crafts?) and a library branch!
They are staffed library branch (museum staff, but there is a full time librarian. Collection stays on shelf, but can be transferred for holds to other libraries. 3 storytimes a day – no registration for families.
Families can leave their driver’s license at ticket booth to come in to library and not use museum. They also had the flip kits (themed book packs - with activities I believe) in mesh bags - available at all the Houston branch libraries.
Off of the giant entryway are two exhibit areas – A technology area – with a large robot made of phones, a phone booth, a cell phone chart, and several other exhibits. This area led into another area “The Think Tank”, which seemed like an early learning area. Great exhibit ideas – a magnetic wall with artistic shaped sculptural pieces that stick together, a large memory wall with rotating panels, and an s shaped table with lots of segments for individual puzzle projects.
There was then a building area above these two exhibits with a build your own ball run, periscopes, and more. The color scheme was odd – dark purple with a strip of yellow and black tape here and there, and a small piece of brick façade. Did not “feel” like a building area. It felt like a big colorful building with lots of toys set out - missing the special spark. At Minnesota and Denver – you “feel” like this is special place and you are special for being there.
Off of this area we went outside to the back patio. The famous waterworks station was out there. They had the area covered with shade cloth tied to poles (liked that – colorful – no sun). Water was everywhere, my pants were soaked. It seemed like they might have issues with proper drainage and sloping. That is *KEY* to remember if we want any water areas. They had a special coating on the floor out there. I think it was sprayed on – it didn’t look like mats.
I thought it was ok. Neat idea, everyone has a water area. I bet the kids love it. Again, it felt very simple, generic, no theme. It would have been so much more exciting to have a seuss stack of cups and odds and ends and dump out a fish bowl. Not that there needs to be a character – just that immersive quality, eye catching.
The nature area had a beautiful garden, looked like the pirates of the carribbean shack in the water. Inside was a hodgepodge – a poop picture on the wall, butterfly area, bug area, a weird incubater cage with eggs, and the worst – a weird incubator cage with live baby chicks!
These poor chicks are kept in a glass bubble – no parent chicken, and forced to stand on wire mesh all day. I found out later that they are "traded out" with the poultry farm when they are too large. I’m sure there entire day is spent with hoards of small children banging on the glass. Did you see finding nemo? Just say no - to imprisoned baby chicks. I think this is a great opportunity to use technology – or have a chicken coop – free range – outside, with a happy chicken family. What’s with the horrible prison?
Other gems from the outdoor exhibit -
Inside the exhibit areas – just kept coming! Great for parents and kids – bad for all you reading the blog.
Environmental area – one of the worst areas as far as space was concerned – one of the few areas that tried to create a theme or ambiance.
There was a fishing pond teaching about the bad things that are in water, along with a well, and a microcope area. An allergy exhibit in a tree – with 4 different exhibits inside as well as pinball lung machine.
There was also a moldy refridgerater and small hut with 3 more exhibits inside, as well as a ball exhibit. All this was in a space about the size of juvenile nonfiction at VG. This left not a lot of room to walk – certainly not if you have parents, kids, and strollers (as Renee pointed out). It was just too much. It took away the impact of the exhibit and learning. It would have made more of an impact if they had just done the water exhibit or all about squirrels house and allergies.
Then we traveled into a Mexican town exhibit based on Benito Juarez’s town - Yalalag. See Margaret’s blog. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Ju%C3%A1rez Coloful, again – just seemed disjointed. Why in this space? How tie in? Only a mexican café.
The rest of the space was more of a gallery. This piece was cool. Staff members actually traveled to Yalalag a purchased toys and artifacts and brought back. I think it would have been neat to make "kidtroplis" - there town into Yalala - tie it together (important to community, culture, and kids favorite activities of pretend play, market area).
Next – is really a blur. There were three other floors. Which did not all link, some had separate elevators. Again, without a theme – it felt generic, like “chuck e cheese” – as Margaret says. There was what seemed to be a math area – nothing mind blowing. A physical fitness area - with some good standouts – obstacle course, rock wall.
There was some neat tech stuff (felt chuck e cheese) virtual jumprope with a flashing light (neat), light up dance floor chase the light.
And – the show stopper …. The Luckey climber! Aaahhhhhhhh!
Super cool. I did go inside. Very sturdy, pockets of spaces adults can hunch over in, other spaces narrow to crawl. It humongous metal poles bolted together for strength. Very sturdy walking circle shapes, and a netting. I did get a little claustrophobic in there. I also felt like a wanted a hand rail a few times, but the mesh helped me. Awesome. Hated the grayish blue color scheme which felt like a lunchroom or gym. It had several entry points off of the bottom floor, middle of staircases, and top floor. Signage about shoes was only on the bottom floor – should have signs at all entry points. It is a crazy workout by the way. My legs were so weak from my climb, I almost fell down on the bus later trying to get out of my seat!
The tot area – Margaret and I agreed – felt more plain - painted walls (nothing making it pop to feel special).
This was entire floor off of a separate elevator. About the size of VG children’s area and ref desk. Refdesk and homework center area together about the size of opening /walkway to tot center shoe area. Felt flat, again like toys thrown in there. Spacing very odd again. Huge amounts of space in walkways. Exhibits for tots crammed together. Liked the light bright wall. Liked the spinner block wall (both of those on Margaret's blog). I did also like the small ball pits and the flowers.
There was also a basement level area called Invention Convention – which looked like Jason’s mecca. We lost him in there. Liked the theme – tons of exhibits. There was a rocket stomp, roller coaster, all run, art area, light table, and about 7 other exhibits.
They had a great gift store – but it was so packed and we had 5 minutes to get to the bus we had no time to buy anything.
So again – good museum. Happy for community. Just looking through critical eyes of what I think would and wouldn’t work for us here. Gad they are happy, successful, and helping children.
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