My first year at The Children’s Museum
Oh my. Where do I begin? I hung up my job coaching whistle* a little more than a year ago and said goodbye to Gateway Services**. I traded it in for a dictionary (only Merriam-Webster will do) and a Digital Style Guide at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. And today marks my one year anniversary as the Digital Marketing Writer and Coordinator for the biggest and best children’s museum in the world.
Here’s a few random thoughts I’ve had as while pondering the past year at the museum.
Dinosaurs rock. So do paleontologists.
When I was a kid, I loved dinosaurs. They were my second-favorite thing to study after space (thanks, Star Wars). I had a book that discussed all kinds of dinosaurs. I think I wore out the spine on that thing. In second grade, we had to do a book report that included some type of creative presentation. I’m not sure which book I chose, but I remember that it was about dinosaurs and I made dinosaur paper bag puppets. One was an Allosaurus (because everyone already knew about T. rex for some reason+ and my second grade colleagues needed to expand their dinosaur knowledge). I’m pretty sure the other one was a Stegosaurus. And…don’t quote me on this…but I’m pretty sure they fought on stage.
It was epic.
I’m a bit sad to admit that my passion for dinosaurs had gone dormant for several decades. I know that’s probably how it happens with a lot of kids. It’s not hard to get excited about dinosaurs when you’re at the museum, though. The paleontologists are some of the most approachable people I’ve ever met. They can boil down some of the most complex concepts into nuggets of information that are easily digestible by children and adults. They love to share dino facts with children and their families – and it shows!
The Children’s Museum recently announced that we’re embarking on a 20-year mission to Wyoming to bring back some recently-discovered fossils from the Jurassic Period. I got to see some of these fossils as they were brought to the museum on a semi this past summer. These things are HUGE. Ginormous, even. And let me tell you, that dinosaur-loving spark that had been buried down deep inside my soul for far too long? It’s re-ignited. And it’s starting to spread. When we sit around in planning meetings and discuss the potential findings of this Mission Jurassic endeavor, I can literally# feel my face light up. I do my best to contain my excitement during some of those meetings.
I usually fail.
But I’m OK with that.
We are story tellers. And story keepers.
There’s a special place in the museum that is quite solemn. It tells the stories of three children who made a lasting impact in the 20th century: Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Ryan White. When things feel like they could be spinning out of controlx, I find myself visiting The Power of Children: Making a Differnece®. It’s a place where I can refocus. It’s also a place that helps me keep everything in perspective.
All of their stories are moving. I usually linger a little longer in Ryan White’s room. He was an Indiana kid. He was just a few years older than me. His room looks a lot like mine. While he just wanted to be a regular kid like everyone else, fear, ignorance, and injustice prevented that. When I walk through Ryan’s room, it breaks my heart. But it also reminds me to do better…to be better.
That’s really how I feel when I walk through the entire gallery. Anne and Ruby also challenge me to push past prejudice. In one voice, they cry out to us that we are all part of the same family. No person should have to hide from their government because of their race. No person should face such hatred and vitriol simply because of skin color. That’s especially true of children.
I hesitate to say that their stories are sacred. But they’re pretty close. Part of my responsibility as the digital writer is to make sure their stories are told. We’ve been given a solemn duty to not only keep their stories, but to share them. We must continue to share their stories because…well…look around. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.
This is not a responsibility that I take lightly. Whenever I write about Anne, Ruby, or Ryan, I find myself poring over each word I choose. As keepers of their stories, we have an awesome responsibility to share their stories.
Because the children shall lead us to a better tomorrow.
Bumblebee is still pretty cool.
Every morning, Bumblebee greets me for work. That will never get old.
And I can go hang around with Spidey any time I want.
And yes, I regularly tell him to “hang in there.” Would you expect anything less?
Visiting The Children’s Museum? Stop by and say “hi!”
I love running into people I know. So if you’re ever visiting The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, let me know! I don’t really have anything special I can give you – no special discounts or swag or secret entryways – but I can give you a hug. If you want one, of course. And maybe we could even take a selfie. If you want one, of course.
But be sure to say “hi.” Much like Aaron Mahnke (of Lore fameo), I like it when people say “hi.”
Endnotes/tangential thoughts
*Oh man. I wish they actually gave us whistles at Gateway Services. That would have been epic.
**It’s really not the end of my relationship with Gateway. I’m helping them with their fundraisers. And if there comes a time when Mihret needs a job coach, guess who will provide those services.
+Remember, this was almost a decade before Jurassic Park. Yep. I’m that old. But we’ll not focus on that too much right now.
#That’s right. Literally. Don’t question my word choice here. I know what I’m saying.
xReal talk: Yup. It even happens in dream jobs from time to time.
oLore is probably my favorite podcast right now. Just sayin’.
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