Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites™ Opens Sept. 25 at Minnesota Children’s Museum
Seven beloved children’s books come to life in literacy-based exhibit
SAINT PAUL, MINN. – Sept. 9, 2021 – Popular children’s books will come to life as “Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites” opens at Minnesota Children’s Museum on Saturday, Sept. 25. “Storyland,” an immersive exhibit originally created by Minnesota Children’s Museum, provides imaginative, book-based experiences for children ages 0 to 8, and models early literacy experiences to parents and other adult caregivers.
“Storyland” features seven beloved and award-winning picture books: “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter; “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats; “Where’s Spot?” by Eric Hill; “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” by Laura Numeroff; “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault; “Abuela” by Arthur Dorros; and “Tuesday” by David Wiesner.
Each story is transformed into a three-dimensional play space where children walk into and interact with the story and its characters. Throughout the exhibit, children explore literacy skills and concepts through imaginative, interactive experiences and dramatic play. Exhibit highlights include:
Families can immerse themselves in the world of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” one of the best-selling children’s books of all time. Children explore Peter Rabbit’s world as they build vocabulary and narrative skills while searching for Peter’s lost belongings, harvesting vegetables and playing in Peter’s burrow.
“The Snowy Day” welcomes visitors to Peter’s wintry world, where a young boy explores his neighborhood after a fresh snowfall. In addition to dramatic play activities, children can build a snowperson and explore wintry sounds and words.
The exhibit features an area based on “Where’s Spot?,” a well-known board book about the search for Spot the dog. Babies and young toddlers will explore sounds and images through busy wall interactives, highlighting for adults how literacy development begins at birth.
Bright, bold, cheerful colors and patterns surround three tropical islands where visitors explore the alphabet in “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.” Children sort and match letters and send them up the coconut tree, dip a paintbrush into a water-filled well to write letters and beat out rhythms with steel drums while singing along with the story.
Children are encouraged to reflect on their “Storyland” experience by creating a drawing inspired by the books and writing a caption, title or story. A digital drawing camera captures the paper image and adds it to an electronic gallery. Visitors can also email it to themselves as a souvenir of their experience.
“Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites” is presented by Target, with support from the State of Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. The exhibit will run through January 2, 2022. Tickets are available at www.mcm.org/tickets.