The Children’s Museum of Tacoma was a renovation project particularly focused on experiential learning. The 8,000 square foot museum has numerous play spaces with different themes and media. For example, one play space takes children across a path of stump steps into the “Woods.” Kids can climb, make forts, send supplies up and down on pulleys, explore light and shadow, or find a cozy nook for reading. Another feature, “Water,” features a cascading waterfall, streaming water and still pools with levers and cranks that allow visitors to experiment. The third feature, “Voyager,” is for soaring imaginations; children can climb into the vessel, load cargo, or pilot the structure.
A Studio room allows children to embrace for both artistic and scientific creative processes. Grab paint, clay, paper, or recycled objects to create something that supports children’s play in the exhibits, or work with visiting artists or museum staff on projects to adorn the spaces around. A “Construction” zone consists of blocks, boards, fabric, and tubes to use for large and small scale construction, dramatic play, and gross motor play.
