Canadian Children's Museum

Programs

A proud supporter of Canadian Children's Museum programming

For Canadian Children's Museum event information, pick up Passport to Adventure on-site, call us at (819) 776-8281 or visit http://www.civilization.ca/visit/cmcprograme.aspx.

Celebrating Families

On July 26, 2007, we had the pleasure of welcoming our 8-millionth visitor to the Canadian Children’s Museum — Congratulations to Margot Pope-Peluso!

Each year the Museum attracts over 500,000 visitors to its exhibitions, programs and special events — many developed with the help of various cultural groups within the community, and all designed to appeal to the wide variety of families who wish to share and enjoy a unique learning environment. Recently, in order to satisfy a growing demand from our visitors for more experiences and increased family participation, an expansion of the Canadian Children’s Museum was completed with the launch of two new permanent exhibition areas and a bigger Kaleidoscope gallery for special exhibitions. Additional activities, including those for older children, will provide more opportunities for visitors to create, learn and have fun.

This fall, beginning with National Family Week in early October and culminating with our celebration of the New Year in Japan, we will be presenting a full line-up of family and youth programs to complement the season. As well, we are bringing back Kids Celebrate, a temporary exhibit highlighting the diversity of family celebrations throughout the year and from around the world. I invite you to make plans to join us and discover why so many visitors make the Canadian Children’s Museum their favorite family destination.

Kim McDougall
Director, Programs and Canadian Children's Museum

Kids Celebrate! OPENING WEEKEND

October 6 to 8
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kids Celebrate! is an activity-packed exhibition about celebrations and how kids — and their families — celebrate special events throughout the year.

To highlight this new temporary exhibition and celebrate National Family Week, we are putting the final preparations on three days of events to celebrate the opening of the exhibit. You won’t want to miss

• special guests and their families in the Mexican, Japanese and Indian homes,
• a party in the Studio where you can create a unique party hat,
• a parade each day at 11:30 a.m.and 2:00 p.m.,
• family dance sessions on Sunday and Monday at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.,
• storytelling starting on the hour from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (French) and from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (English),

and much more!
! (Communiqué)

National Family Week

October 1 to 7, 2007 — Celebrating the Diversity of Families in Canada

This week provides an opportunity for us to celebrate families and reflect on their importance in our lives. The Canadian Children’s Museum is designed for families. We encourage you to mark National Family Week with a visit to the Canadian Children’s Museum to explore how families around the world work and play together, and to reflect upon what makes your family unique.
To find out more about National Family Week, please call FRP Canada’s toll-free number (1-866-637-7226) or check the National Family Week website at www.frp.ca/NFW. .

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Three cheers for 6-year-old Margot Pope-Peluso, who was the 8-millionth visitor to the Canadian Children’s Museum on July 26! Margot took home a package of goodies, including a sunhat, a t-shirt, a backpack and lunchbox, binoculars, a fishing rod and other fun summer toys. This was not Margot’s first visit to the Museum. When asked what she most wanted to do this time, she replied: “I’d like to be the driver on the bus,” meaning the Pakistani bus, one of the best-loved artifacts in the Canadian Children’s Museum. .

A World of Wonders

The Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) takes centre stage with the debut of A World of Wonders (WOW), a new family-friendly television series that allows viewers to become citizens of the world. The CMC is an official production partner of the series. The Canadian Children’s Museum provides the backdrop for WOW’s young webmaster, Vasanth Saranga, who provides clues to host Paula Lemyre as she circles the globe, taking viewers to four continents and seven countries, racking up an impressive 85,731 kms in its very first season.

Produced by Ottawa’s Genuine Pictures in association with TVOkids, A World of Wonders can be seen on TVOkids every Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m., as well as on The Knowledge Network and SCN (check local listing for times). .

Look Out! It’s an Art Attack!

Drop-in activities for ages 5 and up
Jumpstart your imagination and stretch your creative thinking skills in our drop-in workshops at the Studio. Themes change regularly and are designed to foster creativity. These programs may be pre-empted by special events.

Play with Shadow – make a puppet

Play with Shape – make a sculpture

Play with Light – make a collage

Kids in the Kitchen

Join us in the Studio on October 13 and 14, November 3 and 4, and December 8, 9, 15 and 16
for cooking experiences that are as fun to make as they are to eat!
Workshops are offered at: 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m.
For information, see What's On.

Just for You and Your Preschooler

On Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., we offer a series of adventures for preschool visitors and their accompanying adults, designed to help young children explore our exhibits. Suitable for ages 5 and under.
For information, see What's On.

Volunteers — We Couldn't Do It Without You!

At the Canadian Children's Museum (CCM), we have a loyal and hardworking group of volunteers who care for exhibitions, participate in the delivery of programs, travel throughout the region to help us maintain our outreach activities, and quietly work behind the scenes on special projects. Their contribution and commitment adds valuable assistance to staff and enriches the Children's Museum visitor experience. Thanks to all our volunteers. We couldn't do it without you!

Since 1995, over 850 young people have volunteered at the Children's Museum.

Members of our Youth Volunteer Program donate approximately 3,530 hours of volunteer service each year to the CCM.

When does the summer program begin? Training starts on May 18, 2007.

Call (819) 776-8287 to register for volunteer training.

Hours

May 1 to June 30, Seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(Thursdays till 7:00 p.m.)

July 1 to September 3, Seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(Thursdays and Fridays until 9:00 p.m.)

September 4 to October 8, Seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

October 9 to April 30, Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For information, see Visiting Hours.

Free Times:

• At all times for members and volunteers (except IMAX)
• Thursdays after 4:00 p.m.
• Sunday preceding International Museum Day
• Canada Day (July 1)
• Remembrance Day (November 11)

Tip for Parents

Want to avoid the crowds? A Saturday morning excursion to the Museum allows you to visit at a more leisurely pace. You can spend more time in your favourite exhibitions!

Tips for First-Time Visitors to the CCM

We asked visitors what their favourite exhibits are; here are four that they suggest a first-time visitor shouldn't miss. Drum roll please!

On the Nile
See a camel, explore a pyramid, and write your name in hieroglyphics. There's even a secret passage for you to find!

The Port
There is tons to do: you can move cargo from the boat to the dock using a crane, play a video game where you have to dock a ship in an international port, call the Shipping Company, or swab the deck.

Kids Café
There are lots of props you can use to pretend that you are the chef in a restaurant, as you learn about foods from different cultures.

Bonjour, Hello, Konichiwa!
Learn about Japan, make an origami crane, and try on a kimono.

Family Membership

FAMILIES! Did you know that Museum members always get in FREE?
Become a member today and enjoy:

• unlimited free admission,
• exhibition previews,
• special events, and
• discounts on IMAX^® tickets.

To find out more about the many other benefits and discounts, please call (819) 776-7100 or 1-800-555-5621; or e-mail membership@civilization.ca.

The Gift of Giving!

If you cannot send your own child to one of our programs, but would be interested in sponsoring a child from your community, please call (819) 776-8281.

Publications and Products

Current publications, all produced in Canada's two official languages, include a quarterly Calendar of Events, a Parent's Guide, Educator's Guide, and a variety of fact sheets. Products are made up for exhibits, programs, outreach and the Children's Boutique. They include passports and Adventure Pacs.

Teachers and early childhood educators!
Ask about our brochure on services for school groups, and give your students the world! For more information, please call (819) 776-7014 or 1-800-555-5621.

Outreach

The Children's Museum develops a variety of products to reach out to young Canadians across the country as well as abroad.

Services

Party! Party! Party!
Looking for a place to hold your next party? The Canadian Children's Museum is available for rent. It is the perfect location for parties, especially for children ages 4 and over.

Overnight Adventures
Bring the gang for a sleepover at the Canadian Children's Museum. Groups of 20 or more children from 7 to 12 years of age will love this unique experience – a perfect trip for Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, school groups and teams. "This has been one of the most interactive sleepovers we've been to as a group in years.". More information

AT&T Canada Adventure Pacs
These fun-filled, activity-packed kits are great for families to use during their visit to the Museum. A generous gift from AT&T Canada has gone towards the development of this product. Visit our Embassy to ask about how you can get one of these exciting pacs during your next visit. Rental fee: $5 per kit.

For more information, call (819) 776-8281 or enquire at the Embassy!

Partnerships

The Children's Museum forges partnerships with organizations and companies in the development of a variety of projects, including exhibits, products and programs.

Staff and volunteers

The Children's Museum employs forty staff for interpretation, exhibitions, programs and collections. A total of approximately one hundred volunteers, francophone and anglophone, serve as exhibition interpreters, workshop leaders and behind-the-scenes help. Fifty volunteer training programs are offered annually.

Professional Development Opportunities

The Museum offers regular placements for students enrolled in post-secondary courses for credit or further study in the fields of education and museology. Throughout the year, it also holds early-childhood education conferences and professional development days.

Youth Advisory Committee

Fourteen children, aged 8 to 14, advise staff on programs and exhibition development. They serve on the committee for two years and meet three to four times annually.

Affiliations

Member of the Association of Children's Museums; member of the Youth Museum Exhibit Collaborative, a joint venture of eight youth museums involved in the development of travelling exhibitions.