In Pasadena, CA, you’ll find Kidspace, a museum dedicated to kids that relies only on donations to operate. Beside the Rose Bowl, in the building formerly occupied by the Fannie E. Morrison Horticultural Center. Children’s emotional, intellectual, and physical development are all targeted by Kidspace’s playful, child-centered activities. All children are welcome at the museum, where they can play, learn, create, flourish, and experience the world in an atmosphere that encourages these qualities.
Kidspace Children’s Museum has been open to the children of the Pasadena neighborhood ever since it moved into its current location at Brookside Park in December 2004. More than 40 interactive exhibits, as well as outdoor areas, programs, and activities, are available to visitors of Kidspace Children’s Museum, all of which are aimed at fostering a child’s healthy development by allowing him or her to learn about the world around them, conduct scientific experiments, and express themselves creatively.
The Kidspace Children’s Museum first opened its doors at the California Institute of Technology in 1979. Kidspace, a community project of the Junior League of Pasadena, filled a void in the San Gabriel Valley school system by providing students with greater exposure to the arts, humanities, and sciences. In an effort to pique kids’ interests, some do-gooders put up a prototype interactive exhibit called “Making Senses” and offered it to the public. During its six-week run, the first exhibition welcomed more than 10,000 students, parents, and educators.
To get people excited about the forthcoming Arroyo Adventure, the first attraction, Pepper Tree Music Jam, debuted to the public in November of 2015. A public opening of Arroyo Adventure was held that same year, in April. Next to the 2012 installation of Galvin Physics Forest, this was the most significant change to Kidspace. The exhibit featured eight new activities that get kids outside, inspire exploration, and let them see the potential in everyday objects like pebbles, sticks, and water.
In order to encourage children’s creative expression through dramatic and visual arts, Kidspace updated Roberts Pavilion in November 2016 with a new section called Storyteller Studio. This section features four new exhibits that encourage children to use puppets, engage in theatrical play, read and create stories, and engage in visual arts.
In May of 2017, Kidspace played home to the InterActivity Conference for museum professionals hosted by the Association of Children’s Museums. Kidspace On The Road partnered with AEG’s Goldenvoice to bring a kid- and family-friendly atmosphere to the Rose Bowl’s first-ever Arroyo Seco Weekend music festival.
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