Kansas City Museums united together on May 29th, 2020 for a Virtual Museum Day to share stories, resources, and experiences. The day consisted of videos shared from 24 institutions in the metro area, from large art museums to small historical sites, archives and libraries to museums about music. The content in our video library varies as much as the institutions themselves, with experiences for all age groups and interests. All videos are framed with a question to inspire curiosity and learning. Here are several Virtual Museum Day KC learning extensions on Explorable Places:
Dole Institute of Politics
What’s in an Archive
Archives have never been more fascinating! Go behind the scenes in the Dole Institute’s enormous archive and find related lesson plans on their Explorable Places Page. Learning is guided by the question, “Why are archives important?” As learners engage in that inquiry, they can create ways to archive this moment in history.
The National WWI Museum and Memorial
Victory Gardens
Did you know gardening has been a part of American war efforts? In this video, learn about how people have responded to times of crisis throughout history. Students can discuss what responses they see in our current moment of history and learn about how to start a Victory Garden. Find more amazing online resources for learning and discovery on their website.
Truman Library
Storytelling with an Artifact
Director of Education, Mark Adams, asks what we can discover from a single painting. Join in the discussion using visual thinking strategies and utilize this teaching companion. Learners will find connections from the moment depicted in Rockwell’s painting to how we process news and information today.
Kansas City Public Library
Coloring Kansas City
Learn about how some amazing women shaped Kansas City while learning about the creative process behind the KC Public Library’s new coloring book. While discovering how the book got made, learners can question how people’s stories get shared. What stories make up our shared history? What stories do you want to tell from this moment in history? Color along with downloadable coloring pages.
Toy and Miniature
A Family at Play
Learn about museum curation as you engage with the enchanting Nettie Wells Dollhouse. From miniature artifacts to meaningful family moments, this video experience offers a window into a different Kansas City time period. It encourages us to think about how crafts and projects we make today capture this moment in history.
Many more Explorable Places partners shared experiences in Virtual Museum Day KC - Check out the full library! Some highlights of engaging family learning activities include the American Jazz Museum’s Jazz Storytelling, Shawnee Town 1929’s Automobile History, and the Money Museum’s coin and craft activity.
If you want a voice in future Virtual Museum Days, share your opinion.