The Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s March “Madness” month honors Women’s history, science, Dr. Seuss’ 106th birthday and more.
March Calendar of Events
New Visiting Exhibition: Tales from the Land of Gullah (produced by Children’s Museum of Houston – CMOH), through April 4: Step into the world of the Gullah people and discover how they held on to their songs, stories, and customs. Trace the history of common nursery rhymes and children’s songs such as “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore,” which the Gullah gave to American culture, catch shrimp and crabs with nets, plant okra in the garden, learn to tell Gullah time, and more. All programs are included with museum admission.
Blooming Babies Series: Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss, March 5-6, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sing Happy Birthday to none other than Dr Seuss. Spend a morning listening to cherished tales and create your very own super, Seuss-tastical party hat to take home. Ages 18 months to two years.
World Passport Workshop Series: Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ 106th Birthday, March 6-7, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Celebrate the 106th birthday of that master wacky wordsmith — Dr. Seuss. Beloved for his inspired stories and illustrations, Dr. Seuss’ books stretch the limits of language and imagination. Join BCM for a special workshop honoring Dr. Seuss and the magic of words. Hear your old Seuss favorites, make a Seuss hat, and compose a Seussical poem of your own. Ages six and up.
Kitchen Chemistry Series: Get off Maillard, March 6-7, 1:30-2:30 p.m. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Join BCM for their sixth installment of Kitchen Chemistry — learn about the Maillard reaction and what brown can do for you. Ages six and up.
Dyenamic Dyes, March 13, 20, 21 & 30, and April 1, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Learn about the powerful properties of natural plant dyes.To create colorful clothing, people dyed their own clothes using dye made from local plants. Grind and boil your own plant dyes and dip-dye your own sheet of wrapping paper to take home. Ages six and up.
MetLife Early Learner Performance Series: Xoregos Performance Company, March 20, 1-1:30 & 2-2:30 p.m. In honor of Woman’s History, enjoy two short plays by female writers Grace Cavalieri and Zora Neale Hurston. This amazing cast of five also includes a very talented 10-year-old. Sit back, relax and enjoy. All ages.
Play Lab Workshop Series: Petite Paleontologist, March 21, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Become a paleontologist and uncover the secrets left behind by dinosaurs. Examine real fossils from the museum’s collection and create your own fossil to take home. Pre-registration required — call 718-735-4400 extension 106. Ages five and under
Chase Wonder Why Workshop Series: Scope it Out: The Life Aquatic, March 27, 1:30-2:30: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step right up and meet the tiniest oxygen producer in the world. Take a closer look at the amazing world around us as and explore biodiversity and life under the microscope. Ages six and up.
March 27-April 6: Spring Break
Spend your “Spring Break” at Brooklyn Children’s Museum and participate in a museum-wide spring festival of special programs, family fun, and extended hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day from March 27-April 6.
During these 11 days off from school, the museum’s spring break will offer different programs highlighting the spring season; the animals and plants in the world around us; and our role in using, reusing, and conserving natural resources. With activities that explore art, architecture, culture and science, as part of our “green” theme, New York City’s first green Museum is definitely the place to be. All Spring Break programs are included with Museum admission.
Pollination Sensation, March 29 & 31, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Come find out what the buzz is all about by joining us in the greenhouse and exploring flowers from the inside out. Ages six and up.
Zen Wind Chime, March 30, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Soothe your sense of sound by learning about and building your own Zen wind chime. Bring it home and hang it up for good luck and to create a relaxing room away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Ages six and up.
Koi Wind Socks, April 1 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “Higher than the rooftops are the koinobori!” Learn about the Japanese tradition of making fish-shaped wind socks to fly for Children’s Day, and make your own windsock to soar in the spring breezes. Ages six and up.
Blooming Babies Series: Little Sprouts, April 2, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Spend a morning among nature and become a baby botanist. Learn what people and plants need to live and grow. The children will plant their own plant and journey into the museum’s garden and greenhouse. Discover where plant life begins and what plants need to live and grow. Sow a seed to take home and watch it sprout. Ages 18 months to two and a half years.
Pollination Sensation: Celebrate Sakura, April 2, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Come find out what the buzz is all about by joining the museum in the greenhouse and exploring flowers from the inside out. Ages six and up.
World Passport Workshop Series: Bark Painting, April 3, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Across centuries, people have been influenced by nature to create cultural arts. Encounter the earth and create your own Australian Bark Painting to take home. Ages six and up.
Kitchen Chemistry Series: Fungus-Amongus, April 3-4, 1:30-2:30 p.m. A mushroom, a loaf of bread, a wheel of bleu cheese, and bottle of penicillin were all competing to be captain of their football team, but, sadly, none of them were chosen. Said the mushroom to his friends, “I don’t know why they didn’t pick one of us…we’re fungis!” Haha, I apologize, that was in spore taste…Be a mycologist for a day and learn about the different types of fungi, both good and bad, that make their way to your table on a regular basis. Ages six and up.
Showing Your Colors, April 5, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Have you ever been scared? That’s OK, everybody gets scared every once in a while…and not just people, but animals, too. Explore a stash of strategies that animals use to defend themselves when facing their fears and incorporate these skills in a fabulous set of insect wings you can wear home. Ages six and up.
Kitchen Chemistry Series: Scent-sational Science, April 6, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Have a nose for botany? A scent-sational sniffer for science? Then get a whiff of this. Learn about plants and the art of aromatherapy and create a fabulous fragrance to take home. Ages six and up.
Ongoing Exhibitions at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
New Visiting Exhibition — Crown Heights Neighbors: Images from a photography contest reflect the architectural, cultural, and geographical diversity of central Brooklyn neighborhoods. The works from photographers ages 10-71 include compelling and captivating scenes from a barber shop, a block party picnic, a senior center, picturesque streets, and more.
New Permanent Exhibition — Totally Tots: Children five and under enter a whimsical world where kids are in charge. Splash in the stream, put on a play, build bridges with blocks, create a collage, make music, and so much more.
New Permanent Exhibition — Collections Central: Discover treasures from the museum’s collection and find out the stories they have to tell. Pilot a boat down the Amazon, reconstruct a shattered bowl like an archeologist, discover patterns in objects, and use touch alone to identify mystery objects.
New Permanent Exhibition — Neighborhood Nature: Take a trek through natural habitats found in the midst of the city, from woodland fields to ocean tide pools. See what a fish sees inside a pond, harvest play vegetables in the community garden, meet live reptiles, and discover who lives under an oceanside dock.
New Permanent Exhibition — World Brooklyn: Stroll down an urban street…and journey around the globe. Design a carnival costume for the West Indian Day Parade in the mas’ camp, make a pizza in an Italian restaurant, ring up groceries at an international grocery, and dance in the Chinese New Year parade.
General Information
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is located at 145 Brooklyn Avenue at St. Marks Avenue. Admission is $7.50 per person. Museum members and children under one year old are free.
For more, call 718-735-4400 or visit www.brooklynkids.org.
