Brooklyn Children's Museum

infobox Museum
name= Brooklyn Children's Museum


established= 1899
location= 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, USA
visitors=
director=
website= [http://www.brooklynkids.org/ Brooklyn Children's Museum]

The Brooklyn Children's Museum is a general purpose museum in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York City, USA. Founded in 1899, it was the first museum in the United States and some believe, the world,Cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,760639,00.html|title=Laboratories of Patriotism|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1939-01-23|work=Time] to cater specifically to children and is unique in its location, predominantly a residential area. Housed in a multi-level underground gallery,Cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE6D71630F930A25753C1A96F948260|title=New Children's Museum Joins 2 Old Favorites|accessdate=2008-03-12|year=1989-10-13|author=Andrew L. Yarrow|work=The New York Times] the museum underwent an expansion and renovation to double its space, re-opened on September 20, 2008, and it is slated to be the first green museum in New York City.

Exhibits

The museum's collection and exhibitions reflect its long history as well as the changes in children's educational needs over time and the changing environment.Cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEFD9123CF93AA15752C1A961948260|title=A Children's Museum Adjusts to a New Brooklyn|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1987-11-29|author=Jesus Rangel|work=The New York Times] Its original focus was the presentation of natural science to children raised in an urban environment, but following World War II, technology and cultural awareness became more important. The underground gallery in which the museum was located following a 1975 move provided the ideal location for arranging evolving exhibits.Cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE4D81031F93BA35754C0A966958260|title=Sunday Outing; Museum is 90, but Young at Heart|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1990-07-08|work=The New York Times] The museum was not intended to solely attract the interest of a young audience, but rather to engage their minds from a young age.Children contribute extensively in the planning of museum exhibits, and have done so for a significant part of its history.Cite web|url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70E13F93458167B93C6A9178BD95F468485F9|title=A Museum Run for and by Children|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1942-10-04|author=Anita Brenner|work=The New York Times] Cite web|url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0617FC355E137B93C0AB1789D85F468685F9|title=Curators Sought|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1962-02-22|work=The New York Times]

History

The Museum was founded following a proposal from the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences (now the Brooklyn Museum) on December 16, 1899 in the Adams House.Cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=950DEEDF103EE733A25751C1A9679D946497D6CF|title=The Brooklyn Children's Museum Does Its Work|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1905-11-12|work=The New York Times] The museum operated under the direction of the Brooklyn Institute and received approximately $70,000 in funds from New York City each year to supplement the donations it received. Attendance grew quickly, with monthly visitation exceeding 13,000 by October, 1905.

In 1929, the museum opened the Smith House annex. Eleanor Roosevelt attended the ceremony. Fact|date-March 2008|date=March 2008 In 1930, the Works Progress Administration supplied hundreds of workers to the museum, which thrived in the Great Depression.Cite web|url=http://news.google.com/archivesearch?ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&tab=wn&q=%22Stef+van+der+Linden%22|title=Children Like Their Museums|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1939-01-08|author=Denslow|work=The New York Times] By October 1930, monthly visitation had reached 60,000Cite web|url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C10F9345C11738DDDAE0894DA415B808FF1D3|title=Brooklyn Children's Museum Wins Patrons With After-School Games in the Sciences|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1930-12-07|work=The New York Times] and by 1939, the museum had received move than 9 million visitors since it opened 40 years prior.

In 1975, the museum moved to an award-winning new space, housed underneath Brower Park following the demolition of the Victorian houses that served as its prior home. In 1996, the museum was once again renovated at a cost of $7 million to include miniature amphitheaters and a number of new galleries. Cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06EEDE1E39F933A05756C0A960958260|title=Lively Learning at the Renovated Brooklyn Children's Museum|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=1996-05-30|author=Elaine Louie|work=The New York Times] Two years later, it became a part of Heart of Brooklyn, a cultural partnership established to promote tourism to Brooklyn.Cite web|url=http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/arts/20010901/1/96|title=Heart of Brooklyn|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=2001-09|author=Simon Watson|work=Gotham Gazette]

In 2005, it was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/nyregion/06donate.html?ex=1278302400&en=93a1beabd4ede5b8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss|title=City Groups Get Bloomberg Gift of $20 Million|accessdate=2008-03-12|year=2005-07-06|author=Sam Roberts|work=The New York Times] Cite web|url=http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html|title=Carnegie Corporation of New York Announces Twenty Million Dollars in New York City Grants|accessdate=2008-03-12|publisher=Carnegie Corporation of New York|year=2005-07-05]

In the same year, work began on the $43 million dollar expansion that was to nearly double the size of the museum,Cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-118146519.html|title=Children's Museum Marks Construction Progress of $43m Expansion|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=2005-11-09|work=New York Beacon] and handle more than 400,000 visitors each year.Cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-106380684.html|title=Brooklyn Children's Museum Begins Expansion|accessdate=2008-03-14|year=2005-1-05|work=New York Amsterdam News] As part of its commitment to environmental integrity and energy efficiency, the institution has taken credit for being the first New York City museum to use geothermal wells for heating and cooling purposes. [Cite web|url=http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=725&storycode=3123209&c=2&encCode=00000000018268aa|title= Viñoly completes Brooklyn museum extension |accessdate=2008-09-23|year=2008-09-23|work=BD Online]

References

External links

* [http://www.brooklynkids.org/ Brooklyn Children's Museum]