AldrichPears Associates wins bid for National Children's Museum

AldrichPears Associates has been selected to develop exhibits for the new National Children's Museum, working with Pelli Clarke Pelli.

Scheduled to open in 2012, the new National Children's Museum is a 140,000 square foot museum to be built at National Harbor - a $2 billion, 300-acre, mixed-use waterfront development along the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. The new state-of-the-art facility will be designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, whose innovative designs have been recognized internationally by more than 100 awards. It will represent a significant addition to the growing number of children's museums around the country.

The Museum, which will target children up to the age of 11, will be divided into three core experiences: Being Me, Kids Nation, and Our World. AldrichPears Associates is currently developing the experiences for Our World, which aims to develop children's curiosity about geography, increase global literacy, and foster awareness of the similarities and differences between cultures, peoples and places. After entering the gallery through a sixteen foot world globe made by kids, visitors will have the chance to connect to other kids around the world, take a flight in a simulated plane, collaborate with other kids to find innovative approaches to world issues, and be immersed in the sights, smells and sounds of a rich diversity of cultures.

The Museum expects to attract 500,000 visitors in its first year and is planning to raise $130 million as part of a national fundraising campaign.

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