Have you visited the new Kids’ Gallery at the Surrey Museum? If not, now is the time! In the Fall of 2015, the Museum unveiled a hands-on, interactive gallery just for kids. Not only are the exhibits targeted at kids they also focus on various components of sustainability; it is all about making learning fun. The first theme, ENERGY, teaches kids about how it is created and how energy works for us. Now, because the folks at the Surrey Museum know the importance of changing exhibits fresh and interesting for kids, a whole new theme has been introduced. WATER has flooded the Surrey Museum Kids’ Gallery.
While popular components of the gallery remain (the tree fort and farm house), cool new water interactives will make quite a splash. It is now water’s turn to take centre stage in the Kids’ Gallery. Don’t worry mom & dad, the kids will be learning about water and not actually playing in it. You don’t have to pack a change of clothes.
Children love the feature wall covered in clear piping. Colourful scarves flying through the tubing help explain how water travels through the pipes in our homes and under the roads. A fun, interactive activity is the spinning wheel which explains how much water is consumed by the daily activities in our homes.
Has anyone else had their children pester them with questions about what happens to the water after the toilet is flushed? (Yes, I have boys.) They will delight in the 3D cartoon map that shows where water comes from, how we treat it, what we do with it and where it goes. In the mid-March a pinball game explaining the water cycle will arrive at the Surrey Museum.
After the seemingly endless months of rain we have experienced this year, kids might find it odd to be learning about the importance of conserving water. However, Greg Yellenik, Curator of Exhibits for the Surrey Museum, explains that everyone needs to know “how important [water] is to our lives. Surrey uses 200 million litres of drinking water each DAY!” After the mini-drought we experienced last summer, the more we can learn about water conservation the better.
The Kids’ Gallery at the Surrey Museum is a permanent exhibit. In 2017, when the Museum expands, the Kids’ Gallery will more than double in size. The Kids’ Gallery is targeted at children aged 3 – 10 years old. Admission to the Surrey Museum is FREE. Museum admission has been sponsored by the Friends of the Surrey Museum and Archives Society.
Water at the Surrey Museum:
When: Tuesdays – Sundays
Time: 9:30am – 5:30pm (Tues – Fri); 10am – 5pm (Sat); noon – 5pm (Sun)
Where: Surrey Museum
Address: 17710 56A Avenue, Surrey
Website: www.surrey.ca
