At the entryway to Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM), a vibrant collection of nearly 400 self-portraits greets visitors, proclaiming, “We are Chicago Children’s Museum.” The faces of children, teachers, community leaders, parents, and caregivers from a variety of backgrounds are intermingled with mirrors so that all visitors are reflected in the museum’s community.
This collection is much more than a “monument” to diversity and inclusion. Each portrait was created by an individual as an expression of his or her personal story. The collection reflects CCM’s approach to community engagement
In this article, Wendy Pollock, ASTC's Director of Research, Publications, and Exhibitions, and J. Shipley Newlin, Program Director for Physical Sciences at the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM), discuss "Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life," an exhibit produced by a partnership between ASTC, SMM, and the Music Research Institute at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The unique design approach incorporated sound experiences for a wider range of users, including visitors who are blind or have low vision, as well as created an overall sound environment that was meaningful and