Part 2 of the Children’s Museum Series. (Reprinted from “The Switch to Children’s Creativity.”)

The Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA) is located in the SoHo neighborhood in southern Manhattan, New York City.True to its location in SoHo—an area lined with galleries and studios and home to many artists and designers—it is a museum dedicated to art for children. It primarily serves children from 10 months to 15 years old.

　The CMA’s philosophy is that “art fosters children’s confidence and ability to express themselves.”It is believed that, particularly through projects involving “collaborative art creation,” children can develop social skills that foster a sense of community—including respect for others, conflict resolution, and self-understanding. The museum also emphasizes that these activities help strengthen the bond between parents and children.

　　
©Children's Museum of the Arts

　When I visited, the first thing that caught my eye was the Art Lab. Crayons, paints, clay, stamps, slime, Legos, and colored construction paper—a wide variety of art supplies were laid out, and the walls were decorated with many children’s artworks. Children were stamping on paper, drawing on the walls, and playing with clay.Since I visited shortly after lunch, the younger children were making full use of the space, freely expressing themselves. After a while, some older kids appeared carrying a variety of percussion instruments. They read a story to the children and sang familiar songs a cappella. The children drummed to their hearts’ content.In that moment alone, everyone becomes one. Although we call them “older brothers and sisters,” they are actually professional artists. It’s a truly special experience. Art Lab consists of three parts—Art Time, Story Time, and Music Time—and offers programs open to children as young as 10 months old.

　
©Children’s Museum of the Arts

　If you go up the stairs, you’ll find a studio called the Media Lab. Its concept is collaborative storytelling using new technologies. It offers after-school programs for children up to about 15 years old. Specifically, they work on creating animations and films—designing characters and building background sets. The studio is equipped with computers and cameras for recording and stop-motion animation.I was told that the works they create are screened at film festivals. Large projections of these works were also displayed on the wall at the CMA entrance.

©Children's Museum of the Arts

In addition to providing art experiences with artists, the CMA also collects works by children from around the world and displays them in its permanent exhibition.Dating back to the 1930s, the museum has amassed a collection of over 2,000 works by children from more than 50 countries. When I visited, a special exhibition titled “face to face” was being held, featuring these children’s works. The exhibition encouraged children to explore themselves and their individuality through portraiture.Children view and create portraits—both still images and videos—using traditional techniques such as sketching and painting, as well as the latest technology. On the day I visited, elementary school students who were there as part of a class field trip were drawing portraits in front of portraits created by children from other countries.

　One of the CMA’s defining features is its commitment to integrating art-based learning into school education by hosting school visits, offering on-site workshops at schools, and providing training programs for teachers.

©Children’s Museum of the Arts

Now, the thing that caught my attention the most within the CMA space was the “Clay Bar” shown in the next photo. A counter with tall, round stools. A slightly dim, purple light. Standing behind the counter was a young man who looked like a bartender.Of course, he’s not a bartender—he’s a clay instructor. “Can I have some pink clay?” a child asks. “Sure, just a moment,” he replies, mixing red and white clay to make pink before handing it to the children. Today’s theme is “aliens.” The children sit at the bar counter and create their own unique aliens.Based on the occasional advice he offers, the children tweak their clay a bit, bringing expressions to their aliens or making them come alive with movement. His way of giving instructions is simply exquisite.
My 3-year-old son, who of course knows absolutely no English, was visiting with me—and before I knew it, he was ordering from the “bartender” in English, saying, “Blue!”

©Children’s Museum of the Arts