Louisiana Children's Museum to add activities for teens
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The Louisiana Children's Museum is changing its mission to include activities for tweens and teens, officials announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: The New Orleans museum has catered to young children for almost 40 years.
The big picture: The museum will convert some of the current indoor space into an exhibit for children ages 8 to 14, said museum CEO Tifferney White.
- It's expected to open in 2029, she said, and is being funded with a $2.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment.
- The money also is supporting a multi-year teen mentoring program. Participants will get stipends as they contribute to developing the concept for the new exhibit.
- The museum had a pilot mentoring program last summer and will build on that, officials say.
Zoom in: It's common for kids to age out of children's museums around 8 or 9, White said. In other cities, they usually transition to science museums for programming through their teenage years.
- Since New Orleans doesn't have a science museum, White said the children's museum is hoping to fill the need.
- The programs and partnerships for students 9 to 18 are part of a new strategic agenda to address community needs, she said.
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Zoom out: The new exhibit will go on the second floor near the bubble experience, White said.
- It will focus on teaching civic virtues such as community awareness and neighborliness, while incorporating virtues like teamwork, curiosity and critical thinking.
- The concept hasn't been finalized yet, officials said, but it may include videos from musicians and chefs along with hands-on activities.
State of play: The Louisiana Children's Museum was on Julia Street for decades.
- It moved to New Orleans City Park in 2019. The former museum space now houses a members-only club called Common House.
- This is the museum's first attempt at testing out a new exhibit since it opened in City Park, White tells Axios.
Go deeper: 1st look at Common House
