Tag: NSCM

Uncategorized

Mural Expanded

Sheila

My mural in the Construction Corner exhibit at the North Shore Children’s Museum in Peabody, MA has been expanded! This popular mural encourages kids to play with the building materials provided in the room: blocks, rocks, bricks, and more. There is also lots of opportunities for gross motor activities like climbing, sliding, and using a pulley system.

The original mural now fills a wall encompassing a Lego block activity center. Kids can build the wall as they imagine the mural wrecking ball is ready to knock it down. The activity includes many different shapes and colors of Lego blocks. Little Lego people are also part of the fun to inhabit what the kids build.

Here is some information on the Museum from their own website:

North Shore Children’s Museum brings together children, families, and their community with accessible, hands-on learning through play.

Our vision is to create inclusive, welcoming spaces and learning experiences that use the power of play to nurture the imagination, engage families, and strengthen the community.

Our History at North Shore Children’s Museum

North Shore Children’s Museum is located in Peabody, Massachusetts and serves children ages 2-8.

In March of 2019, the museum was piloted with a pop-up endeavor, CuriousCity, which was initially designed as a three-month pop-up exhibition to test the feasibility of a children’s museum in downtown Peabody. The Peabody Cultural Collaborative (PCC) received a creative placemaking grant from the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) in July of 2018 to activate community support for a children’s museum. This original investment in the project vision leveraged additional funding from the Lahey/J.B. Thomas Foundation, the City of Peabody Department of Community Development, North Shore Bank, Eastern Bank and the Peabody Cultural Council. The pop-up garnered such interest from the community, that its time open was extended several months longer – until the covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020.

Based on this success, the Peabody Cultural Collaborative and the City of Peabody turned its attention to designing and funding a permanent museum, in a new location at 10 Main Street, in the heart of downtown Peabody. The new museum opened on October 15, 2022 and features 14 exhibit spaces, a party room for rent, workshops, a gift shop, and much more.

The NSCM encourages children and families to learn through play and exploration. We support joyful, active, and exuberant play. We believe in allowing for mistakes and encouraging children to be creative. We ask guests to be kind, respectful, accepting of differences, patient, and understanding. We ask guests not to interfere with children’s playful discovery or try to “perfect” the play experience. 

Tickets are available in-person on a first-come, first-serve basis for all visitors, regardless of discount or membership used. Online ticket reservations are strongly encouraged for library pass users, as well as members and non-members alike due to our museum capacity.

www.nschildrensmuseum.org

Hours of Operation

Wednesdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Thursdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Fridays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Saturdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Sundays: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Please check the monthly calendar on our homepage for any schedule changes, such as holiday closures or special school break hours.

Exhibitions

New Kids’ Mural

Sheila

My newest mural is now complete at the North Shore Children’s Museum Construction Corner exhibit! It frames a new wall of magnetic pipes and gears that children can arrange and rearrange to their hearts content, forming new paths to roll balls into a tray at the bottom. This exhibit is also fun for the parents!

The mural depicts pipes in copper, steel, and PVC, intertwined and dripping along the top and sides of the large magnetic pipes activity. My pipes have an array of colorful faucets, gears, valves, and levers to inspire kids’ imaginations. At the very bottom right of the mural sits a goldfish happily benefiting from the drips from a faucet above. I like to add a little humor into all my murals.

The North Shore Children’s Museum is located at 10 Main Street, Peabody MA.

Here is some information on the Museum from their website:

Our Mission & Vision at North Shore Children’s Museum

North Shore Children’s Museum brings together children, families, and their community with accessible, hands-on learning through play.

Their vision is to create inclusive, welcoming spaces and learning experiences that use the power of play to nurture the imagination, engage families, and strengthen the community.

Our History at North Shore Children’s Museum

North Shore Children’s Museum is located in Peabody, Massachusetts and serves children ages 2-8.

In March of 2019, the museum was piloted with a pop-up endeavor, CuriousCity, which was initially designed as a three-month pop-up exhibition to test the feasibility of a children’s museum in downtown Peabody. The Peabody Cultural Collaborative (PCC) received a creative placemaking grant from the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) in July of 2018 to activate community support for a children’s museum. This original investment in the project vision leveraged additional funding from the Lahey/J.B. Thomas Foundation, the City of Peabody Department of Community Development, North Shore Bank, Eastern Bank and the Peabody Cultural Council. The pop-up garnered such interest from the community, that its time open was extended several months longer – until the covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020.

Based on this success, the Peabody Cultural Collaborative and the City of Peabody turned its attention to designing and funding a permanent museum, in a new location at 10 Main Street, in the heart of downtown Peabody. The new museum opened on October 15, 2022 and features 14 exhibit spaces, a party room for rent, workshops, a gift shop, and much more.

The NSCM encourages children and families to learn through play and exploration. We support joyful, active, and exuberant play. We believe in allowing for mistakes and encouraging children to be creative. We ask guests to be kind, respectful, accepting of differences, patient, and understanding. We ask guests not to interfere with children’s playful discovery or try to “perfect” the play experience.

Tickets are available in-person on a first-come, first-serve basis for all visitors, regardless of discount or membership used. Online ticket reservations are strongly encouraged for library pass users, as well as members and non-members alike due to our museum capacity.

Hours of Operation

Wednesdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Thursdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Fridays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Closed 12:00-1:00PM)
Saturdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Sundays: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Please check the monthly calendar on our homepage for any schedule changes, such as holiday closures or special school break hours.

Uncategorized

Outer Space Exhibit

Sheila

Come on down to the new, improved Outer Space Exhibit at the North Shore Children’s Museum! When the NSCM opened in 2022, I was delighted to be asked to paint two walls for an Outer Space exhibit, and the spectacular black light effects on the special fluorescent paint really sparked the kids’ imaginations. The museum invited me back to paint the rest of the room, creating a 360 degree outer space mural. Even better, they secured the students at the North Shore Tech School to design and build a hands-on space station.

The museum is operated by the City of Peabody and is the pride and joy of Peabody Square. It was inspired by the pre-Covid pop-up CuriousCity Children’s Museum which had a temporary home at the George Peabody Museum and Leather Museum. CuriousCity attracted over four times the number of visitors that were anticipated. Many of the ideas at CuriousCity have been carried over to the NSCM. For example, my mural of some iconic buildings in Peabody Square has been installed in the hall at NSCM. Other old favorites are the dress-up room, the sensory room, the bank and more. Lots of new ideas: Construction Corner, Comic Heroes, Baby Playroom, Craft Room, etc.

Check their website nschildrensmuseum.org, email for information, hours and tickets. Contact North Shore Children’s Museum at nscminfo@peabody-ma.gov, call at 978-538-5765.

Exhibitions

Summer Members Show 6/24-8/6/23

Sheila

The Marblehead Arts Association features the work of its Artist Members for the height of the summer season, and during the popular Marblehead Festival of Arts. With multiple galleries of MAA juried artist members, there is something for everyone.

My entry in the show is titled Starship Tripping. This happy little painting is an 11″ x 14″ acrylic that is “just for the fun of it”. Whimsical little green people are gathering on a little planet, all bright colors contrasting against the black outer space sky. This painting was the inspiration for the room sized outer space mural I did at the North Shore Children’s Museum.

The show will run from June 24 until August 6, 2023 at Marblehead Art Association’s lovely gallery on 8 Hooper Street, Marblehead, MA.

Opening Reception: Sunday, June 25 • 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm