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The most popular objects will be on display in a “Kids Curate” Exhibition in February 2017

Children across the state are invited to “curate” a special three-day exhibition at the New York State Museum by voting for their favorite artifacts and specimens during the month of November. A voting ballot is available on the Museum’s website and in-person at the Museum for children to vote for which objects they want to see in the “Kids Curate” exhibition in February 2017. Voting will close on Wednesday, November 30. The online ballot is available at: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/kids-curate. 

The ballot includes 15 objects from the State Museum’s collections representing various areas including history, biology, paleontology, geology, and ethnography. The seven objects with the most votes will appear in a special exhibition on the 4th floor of the State Museum February 24 – 26, 2017. Children are encouraged to submit their comments on why they voted for a particular object; selected comments will be featured in the exhibition. 

“Kids Curate is an interactive way for students across the state to learn about unique historical artifacts, biology specimens, and fossils from the State Museum’s collections,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa. “I invite students to participate in this new program by voting and creating the first Kids Curate exhibition at the State Museum.”

“Kids Curate gives children the opportunity to step into the role of curator and select objects from the Museum’s collections for display,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “I encourage kids across the state to participate in Kids Curate by voting for your favorite objects during the month of November.”

“From a gigantic yellow jacket nest to a fossilized squid, children have the opportunity to learn about objects in our collections and vote for the ones they want displayed in an exhibition,” said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “We’re excited to launch this new program that invites kids to create an exhibition that showcases our world-class history and science collections.”

The Kids Curate exhibition in February 2017 will include the seven objects with the most votes as well as interactive, family-friendly programming. Curators, scientists, and historians will also be available to talk to children about the State Museum’s history and science collections and how exhibitions are created. More information about Kids Curate will be announced in early 2017.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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