Byline attribution: Kohl Children’s Museum submission
News: Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago will host a monthlong pop-up satellite museum at Urban Edge, a 5,000-square-foot storefront gallery in downtown Waukegan. The pop-up museum will operate during February and will be free to school and child care groups during weekday hours and to families during evening and weekend hours.
News: Opening day ceremonies, that will include remarks from museum and city of Waukegan leadership, will take place beginning at noon on Saturday, Feb. 3
News: The pop-up Museum will include hands-on STEAM activities for children ages 3 to 8 and their families. Kohl Children’s Museum in Waukegan will be open about 20 hours each week during February, including free public hours from noon to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, and evening hours from 5-7 p.m. on Thursdays, Feb. 15 and 22. Free admission and free field trips are made possible through donations from the Gorter Family Foundation and the Golder Family Foundation.
News: Kohl Children’s Museum’s popular traveling exhibit “Chagall for Children” and a related art studio for creative exploration will occupy half of the Urban Edge space. “Chagall for Children” features 14 of Chagall’s works, each with an accompanying hands-on activity in a variety of media that encourage the visitor to explore and work with specific art principles such as color, composition, light and texture.
News: The remainder of the space will focus on open-ended experimentation with science, design and construction. Large wind tubes, an air maze, and a Bernoulli blower will encourage children to explore airflow, drag, symmetry and gravity. Imagination Playground blocks will offer a wealth of fun collaborative learning opportunities. The pop-up museum will also feature a fully-stocked art studio to promote creativity and dynamic play.
News: “Outreach to underserved children in Lake County has long been a priority for Kohl Children’s Museum,” said museum President and CEO Sheridan Turner. “In order to serve children in the Waukegan district, the museum has deepened its ties with North Chicago Community Partners and the city of Waukegan, providing exemplary educational outreach experiences to thousands of children, including through field trips, access to traveling exhibits, and programming at schools and libraries. With their assistance, we have been able to make this pop-up museum concept a reality that we plan to replicate later in 2018 at other venues in the Chicago area.”
News: As part of its commitment to ensuring that every child and family has access to a high quality children’s museum experience, the museum has also provided programming each summer since 2013 through Waukegan’s Campaign for Grade Level Reading, helping to ensure that children return to school in the fall ready to learn. Recently, the museum partnered with the United Way of Lake County in its Kindergarten Kickoff Summer Camp, held in Round Lake, providing in-school museum experiences benefiting children who did not attend preschool and who might be at a disadvantage when beginning kindergarten.
News: Information about Kohl Children’s Museum and local partners, such as the Waukegan Public Library and the Waukegan Park District, will be available on-site for families. Fun “Learn At Home” activities will also be provided to encourage families to continue the hands-on learning after they leave.
News: For information about Kohl Children’s Museum, visit www.kcmgc.org or call (847) 832-6600.