by Keair Geliga

Created on: March 03, 2007   Last Updated: November 25, 2008

In N.Y.C., some may know that there is an endless list of museums and galleries, but some are not children oriented. I learned my lesson by taken my then, 3 years old to the Museum of Natural History. There was an exhibit on dinosaurs and "I" thought it would be cool for both of us to see. Well it was not; she was crying and wanted no part of it. I think we waited on line longer than we actually spent in the exhibit. I understood right there that she needs something more geared to her.

I believe that the museum or art gallery should be an interactive one.

On a past visit to the Children's Museum of Manhattan (respectively called CMOM), they had a tribute to Alice in Wonderland. They dedicated an entire floor to the popular book and movie. You know the part when Alice drinks the potion that makes her big and small. The museum built a replica of the doors from small to large and the children where able to enter and exit each door.

The Staten Island Children's Museum had an exhibit on big games. There was a huge Connect Four, Checkers, Dominoes and a gigantic sized horseshoe game. My husband and I could not believe it ourselves so imagine how the children felt.

To encourage our children to enjoy art galleries and museums we as parents and caregivers must do our homework in researching them to see if the child would actually take part in the exhibit. This will allow him/her to have fun with it.

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