Children’s Museum
Ranked one of the Top 12 children’s museums in the U.S. – Forbes Magazine
Special Issue • Quarterly Update • Fall 2013
ArtWay Connects
Children with Art
and Artists
Art is infused throughout Port
Discovery, so a new program
designed to provide interactive
art experiences, strengthen art
appreciation, and support emerging
artists is a natural fit.
ArtWay, a new artist-in-residence
program launched last fall, challenges
local artists to design an installation
for the Museum’s entryway that
is original, interactive, and can
withstand the activity of hundreds of
children and their families per day.
The new program is transformative
– in more ways than one. It recreates
the physical gateway of the museum
into an interactive art experience and
serves as a gateway to art exploration
for our visitors with the help of
professional artists.
In April, artist Jenna Boyles
became the Museum’s first resident
artist. A Pittsburgh native with
a BFA in Painting and minor in
Creative Writing from MICA, Jenna
transformed the museum’s entry
space with her installation of a “Space
Garden.” Jenna’s work, inspired by
the large wooden propellers and gears
of Kidworks, the Museum’s 3-story
indoor urban treehouse, includes
extra-terrestrial looking flowers and
plants inspired by propellers and
circuit shapes.
Described as “flora-celestial-extraterrestrial-fun” on Jenna’s blog, the
focus of her art is the sensory and
visual appeal of different textures as
Interactive play meets art in Jenna Boyle’s “Space Garden” installation.
well as the power of action/reaction.
The installation includes a mural,
interactive panels, and 11 hanging
mobiles. Several panels incorporate
LED lighting, conductive thread,
and sensors to create interactive
segments that light up when touched.
Among the elements are Space Fruit,
Space Pizza, Space Paramecium,
The Bottle Cap Abacus, and the
Double Dodecapus (Jenna’s term for
a mobile that looks a little like an
octopus gone wild).
During the installation, Jenna
fielded questions from curious
children enthralled by the artist
in action. Since completing her
installation in April, Jenna has hosted
three art workshops to further help
our visitors explore the world of
creative art: creating space flowers,
textured printing with recycled
gadgets, and finger-weaving with
yarn. To view more about Jenna’s
art, visit http://artwayspacegarden.
blogspot.com. Better yet, stop in
for a visit. Space Garden will be on
display through December.
QUICK FACTS
Art enhances valuable
21st Century skills:
• Creativity
• Confidence
• Problem Solving
• Perseverance
• Focus
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Receiving Constructive Feedback
Artist Jenna Boyles in StudioWorkshop.
Where Purposeful Play and Learning Connect!
Things to Cheer About!
•
Thanks to a Management Assistance Grant from the Goldseker Foundation, Port
Discovery is set to embark on a Strategic Planning initiative that will allow the
museum to re-imagine itself for the 21st century.
• “Bringing Nanoscience to the Community,” an article documenting Port
Discovery’s 5-year journey to expand its STEM programming, by Director of
Education Nora Moynihan and STEM Education Enrichment Specialist Sarah
Zimmerman, has appeared in Hand to Hand – a publication of the Association of
Children’s Museums.
• On May 22, Port Discovery held its annual fundraiser – Play it Forward hosted
over 400 guests and raised over $270,000 for the Museum. This memorable event
honored Dana DiCarlo and Scott Plank as recipients of the Great Friend to Kids
award and marked the kickoff of the Museum’s 15th birthday. Thank you to all who participated!
Coming Up
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September 29, 10 am-12 am, Hooray for Play!: Explore the museum before it
opens to the general public, while enjoying special programming, activities, and
snacks. For more information on this VIP ticketed family event hosted by the
Explorers Council, please contact Bess Boswell at [email protected]
or 410.864.2672.
October 18, Target $2 Family Fun Night: General Admission is just $2 per person
from 4 - 8 pm, at the door only.
October 26, Falloween Family Festival: Dress up in your favorite costume and
join us for some fun, not-too-scary, family-friendly programs. Performances by
CoMMotion Dance and Here Comes Trouble children’s music rock band. Check
website for times and details.
November 16, Rocket Day: Bring your inner astronaut and join the Spaceflight
Institute from Volanz Aerospace Inc. for a special program where you can examine
spaceship artifacts, dress up in astronaut clothes and more.
Getting to Know...
The Explorers Council
The Explorers Council is an auxilary
board committed to increasing public
awareness, contributions, and visitor
attendance at the Museum. Under the
leadership of co-chairs Hima Reddy
and Lydia Travelstead and executive
committee members Jeremiah Albright, Hillary Arnaoutakis, Ben Ballard, Bruce
Chan, Maggie Kennedy, Melissa Malcolm, and Peter Winstead, these dedicated
volunteers focus on friendraising and fundraising. Council events provide great
networking opportunities for members and guests, as well as opportunities for
socially responsible individuals to give back to their community in a meaningful
and enjoyable way.
Interested in joining? Contact Bess Boswell at [email protected].
Ways to Help
To volunteer: 410.864.2683 or email [email protected]
To donate: 410.864.2672 or [email protected]
Visit portdiscovery.org for more information.
Thank you to our
Art Program
Funders
Eddie C. and C. Sylvia Brown
Family Foundation
Carnival Cruise Line
Citizens of Baltimore County
Goldsmith Family Foundation
Howard County and the Howard
County Arts Council
Nordstrom
PNC
Wells Fargo
Xerox
Partners in Art
& Culture
African American Quilters
of Baltimore
Baltimore Academy
Baltimore-Xiamen
Sister City Committee
Baltimore-Kawasaki
Sister City Committee
Bailes de Mi Tierra
Buffalo SoldiersMaryland Division
Chapel Hill Elementary
Singing Sensations
CoMMotion Dance Troupe
Gina Ling Chinese
Dance Chamber
Hee Kyung Traditional Korean
Dance Troupe
The Hellenic Warriors
Kohl’s
Make Studio
Maryland Public Television (MPT)
Misako Ballet
Mr. Gabe
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum of
Maryland
New Century School
Northwood Elementary School
Occasional Symphony
Pam the Kindersinger
Tuskegee Airmen
Uncle Pete
Port Discovery Children’s Museum • 35 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202 • 410.727.8120 • portdiscovery.org