There are elaborate plans for the re-opening of the newly renovated and restored mansion that houses the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, not the least of which are the 10 exhibitions that will make the most of the revamped and expanded exhibition space which includes four floors of exhibition galleries. The Cooper Hewitt, which will re-open on Friday, Dec. 12, was founded in 1897 and is the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design.
Families will love the digitization of the museum’s collections, which are now more interactive and engaging. For example, a hands-on “Process Lab” will emphasize how design is a way of thinking, planning, and problem solving, and will provide a foundation for the rest of the design concepts.
Families can also explore the museum’s collections and exhibitions using groundbreaking, interactive technology called “Pen,” which is a key part of the visitor experience. With it, visitors will be able to record their visit, which they can view and share online with the option to save and supplement during future visits.
I spoke to Sebastian Chan, director of digital and emerging enterprises, and Kim Robledo-Diga, deputy director of education, about the renovation, digitization, and family-friendliness of the Cooper Hewitt.
Shnieka Johnson: What are some of the noticeable changes to the museum?
Sebastian Chan: When the museum reopens, it will have four floors dedicated to exhibitions and public programs, all connected by a new public staircase and elevator. These facilities include a versatile, new 6,000-square-foot gallery on the third floor, which has never been used for public exhibitions; expanded gallery space on the second floor; and restored first-floor galleries; as well as a revolutionary interactive visitor experience.
SJ: Why did the museum go in this direction?
SC: We wanted to make design relevant and exciting to today’s audiences, invite people to join in the design process in order to understand design from every perspective, while maintaining the integrity of the historic Carnegie mansion that we call home.
SJ: Can you explain the “Immersion Room?”
SC: The Immersion Room features Cooper Hewitt’s extraordinary collection of wall coverings. Visitors can select from over 200 digital images of wallpapers or sketch their own on interactive tables, and then project them onto the walls at full scale to see their impact. The Immersion Room will give visitors the opportunity to see how the wall coverings were intended to be installed, as well as provide a high-tech design experience.
SJ: What is the interactive “Pen?”
SC: Symbolizing and embodying human creativity, the Pen is a key part of every visitor’s experience. Given at admission, it enables every visitor to collect objects from around the galleries and create their own designs on interactive tables. At the end of a visit, the Pen is returned and all the objects collected or designed by the visitor are accessible online through a unique web address printed on every ticket. These can be shared online and stored for later use in subsequent visits.
Shnieka Johnson: How will the Pen aid visitors with children?
Kim Robledo-Diga: Exploring, playing, and collecting are part of how children and family units learn and build meaningful experiences. The Cooper Hewitt Pen empowers children to design their own museum experience and make choices like they never have been able to do before in a museum environment. The intuitive nature of touching a screen is present at the time of a child learning how to walk and can be experienced as a family in our galleries. At the primary school ages, the Pen encourages children to script their own visit and deliver a more meaningful purpose to their exploration of the exhibitions and design interactives. After their visit, children can continue their Cooper Hewitt experience when they go online to view and share their story.
SJ: What age is appropriate for this component?
KR: Primary-school ages and up.
SJ: Do you anticipate new family programming incorporating the Pen?
KR: The Cooper Hewitt Education team is working on prototyping best ways to incorporate the Pen in family programming, which will be introduced in mid-2015.
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum inside Andrew Carnegie Mansion [2 E. 91st Street at Fifth Avenue in Carnegie Hill, (212) 849–8400, www.cooperhewitt.org. Opens Dec. 12. Open Sunday through Friday, 10 am–6 pm; Saturday, 10 am–9 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. General admission, $18; seniors and college students, $12. Members and children under 18 are admitted free of charge.
Shnieka Johnson is an education consultant and freelance writer. She is based in Manhattan, where she resides with her husband and son. Contact her via her website, www.shniekajohnson.com.
