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[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"40221","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"China battle Melissa Cathy"}}]]Decisions, decisions. This summer, should you experience ancient China...or modern? How about both!
On May 10, The Children's Museum is opening not one, but two China exhibits—China's Terra Cotta Warriors: The Emperor's Painted Army, and Take Me There: China. But what makes them different? Our exhibit developers—Melissa Pederson and Cathy Hamaker—thought that their recent email exchange would help answer a lot of your questions. (And also help you decide to go see...everything!)
From: Cathy H.
To: Melissa P.
Subject: How goes it?
Hi Melissa! Haven’t talked to you in a while, what are you working on these days?
From: Melissa P.
To: Cathy H.
Subject: RE: How goes it?
Hey Cathy! I’ve been pretty busy with an awesome new exhibit about ancient China. What are you up to?
From: Cathy H.
Wait—I’M doing an exhibit on China too! Wow, what a coincidence. Wait, so what’s so special about “ancient” China, huh?
From: Melissa P.
Two China exhibits! How extraordinary is that?!
I think ancient China is special (that is, China about 2,200 years ago), because that’s when China was born. In 221 B.C.E., a king made China after he battled, conquered, and combined 7 smaller kingdoms. Then the king named himself Qin Shi Huangdi, the First Emperor of China.
What’s going on in your China exhibit?
From: Cathy H.
Well, my exhibit is all about MODERN China. Our visitors will be able to visit a marketplace, a tea house, a medicine shop—and see inside the homes of a Chinese family spanning four generations! They can even learn to speak some words in Chinese.
From: Melissa P.
That sounds pretty cool...but did I mention my exhibit has warriors?
Six-foot-tall warriors made of terra cotta clay. China’s First Emperor built an army of 8,000 of these guys, put real weapons in their clay hands, and placed them near his tomb to protect him in the afterlife. We're going to display eight of the real warriors in the exhibit!
From: Cathy H.
Wow, that sounds amazing—almost as amazing as the Chengdu Panda Reserve! In my exhibit, kids will be able to pretend-play helping the scientists at Chengdu feed and care for baby pandas. Warriors are nice and all, but baby pandas are adorable, don’cha think?
From: Melissa P.
Baby pandas are waaay cute. I would definitely like to pretend to feed tiny fuzzy baby panda…
But speaking of pretend play, in my exhibit, kids get to dress up in armor and pretend they are ancient Chinese warriors! They also get to sculpt and mold warriors out of clay. How would you like to mold a mini warrior and add it to a massive mini warrior army here at the museum?
From: Cathy H.
I—I’d kinda really love to do that, actually! Man, your exhibit sounds great. When does it open??
From: Melissa P.
May 10th! Your exhibit sounds super fun too—when does yours open?
From: Cathy H.
What?? You’re kidding, mine opens May 10th too! It’s almost like the museum planned it that way. Our visitors can learn about ancient China AND modern China together—it’ll be like time-travelling 2,000 years in just a few steps!
From: Melissa P.
Woah, it’s like we’re a time machine. But it won’t last forever—ancient China will only be here until November 2nd. After that, the warriors travel back to China. I really hope our visitors stop by this summer to experience modern and ancient China together!
From: Cathy H.
Take Me There:® China will be here for 3 to 4 years, so our visitors can see it again and again. I can’t wait for families to come see both these exhibits—this is going to be great!
Experience both exhibits beginning May 10!
Public tickets for China's Terra Cotta Warriors: The Emperor's Painted Army, are available for purchase beginning April 13.
Member tickets are available for purchase. Buy member tickets now.
