Museums are a great choice for families — they promise a fun, affordable, and memorable outing that brings the generations together. Scott Eberle, VP of Play Studies at The Strong National Museum of Play, share his thoughts on why museum visits are so beneficial (and playful!).
Families don’t need to search long for a reason to visit a museum. Museums promise appealing, affordable, valuable, enjoyable, and memorable experiences that bring the generations together. My early (and powerful) memories of mummies in glass cases, dinosaur skeletons, a medieval cloister, a space capsule, 007’s Austin Martin, and a dramatic diorama of a pride of hunting lions are touchstones that have lasted me a lifetime.
One place will offer a quiet aesthetic experience, another hubbub, bright lights, and interactivity. One person might like to commune with great art, feeling enriched after. Another will sample a scientific demonstration—learning a principle and feeling educated thereby. One more will re-imagine a momentous historical event or bring to mind a great individual, feeling touched and honored by the association. Granddads at the car museum might like to explain to a grandchild how he drove that particular muscle car on display, or at the hall of fame will recount how he played outfield with that same old-fashioned glove. Girls might see in the First Lady’s dress or the immigrant’s cape a glimpse of women’s lives past.