Madison Children's Museum

Tag Archive: funkyard

1. SummerPalooza is Back!

   June 9, 2015 4:14 pm Leave a Comment

   

                                                 SUMMERPALOOZA 2014                         Click to enlarge

   SummerPalooza, the third annual fun-filled festival on the Square, kicks off summer in Madison on Saturday, June 13. Hosted by Madison Children’s Museum and Rotary Club of Madison, SummerPalooza showcases all there is to do in Madison’s family-friendly downtown.

   This year’s event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features:

   • Free museum admission all day
   • Free family-friendly performances at Rotary Plaza (outside Madison Children’s Museum)
   • Kids’ parade on Capitol Square at noon

   SummerPalooza, began in 2013 as a way to commemorate Rotary Club of Madison’s centennial year and has since grown to be an annual, signature celebration of community engagement, bringing families downtown. Throughout the day, area kids and families can connect with others through music, activities and play, both inside the museum and around the Square. Area organizations and families are also welcome to join with the Handphibians, Cycropia, Madison Circus Space and more, in creating and decorating parade floats for a community parade, which will showcase the diverse and rich culture of Madison.

   The SummerPalooza parade, in true Madison fashion, is a do-it-yourself parade. Groups can carry banners naming the organization and families are encouraged to decorate bikes, strollers, wagons or mini-floats. Instruments, flags, costumes and all things creative are what makes this parade so special.

   Parade Schedule
   11:30 a.m. – noon Groups assemble in MCM Funkyard. Check-in at Information Tent to find assigned spot
   12 – 12:45 p.m. Pedestrian-friendly parade route around Capitol Square
   12:45 – 1 p.m. Parade ends and disperses back at MCM Funkyard

   For more information on how to get your organization involved in the parade, please contact Sandra at shoecherl@madisonchildrensmuseu.org.

   Rotary Stage
   10 a.m. The Madgadders
   11:15 a.m. Black Star Drum Line
   12:45 p.m. Kiddy-Oke with the Gomers
   10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Activities with Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery and Wisconsin Historical Museum

   In the Funkyard
   10 – 11 a.m. Instrument Petting Zoo with Heid Music and Madison Symphony Orchestra
   10 – 11:30 a.m. Bike safety and helmet fittings, bike and float decorating
   10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Inflatable obstacle course
   10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Activities with Madison Herpetological Society and Mad Urban Bees

   

   SummerPalooza is a partnership between Rotary Club of Madison and Madison Children’s Museum, with generous supplemental support from BMO Harris Bank and Habush Habush & Rottier.

   Media Sponsors: Adam’s Outdoor Advertising, HulaFrog Madison, Isthmus and Mid-West Family Broadcasting

2. STRUT! on the Square

   April 14, 2015 4:31 pm Leave a Comment

   By Corinne Burgermeister
   Communication Coordinator

   Madison Children’s Museum, the UW-Madison Arts Institute and the UW Design Studies Department are collaborating to bring a day of art, music and community to the Capitol Square through STRUT!.

   On Saturday, May 2, STRUT!, a parade showcasing artistic expressions and community collaborations, will unite over thirty of Madison’s creative and cultural groups through stilt-walking, dancing, music-making, puppetry and more.

   This event is the culmination of UW Artist in Residence, Laura Anderson Barbata’s spring course, Community Arts Practice.

   Much of Barbata’s work aims to bring together communities through art, music and dance –and this project is no different. Special guests will include Bently Spang, a Northern Cheyenne multidisciplinary artist and writer, and the Brookyln Jumbies, a group specializing in stilt-walking, fire-breathing and traditional African dance and drumming.

   All are welcome to join in the STRUT! parade, whether it be as an individual or with a community group. Following the parade, participants are invited to the Funkyard for a a lively celebration and dance party.

   Deb Gilpin, president of the museum, says “STRUT! is right in line with our mission. We make space to nurture creativity and play, in a central place where kids and families from all communities can celebrate together—and strut their stuff! The new Funkyard  behind the museum was made for this. And we are honored to display Laura’s beautiful work in our museum.”

   Upcoming Workshops

   In the final weeks leading up to the STRUT! celebration, Madison Children’s Museum will hold several workshops where participants can meet to design unique costumes and pieces for the parade.

   Art with Jennika
   Wednesdays, April 15, 22 & 29
   Work alongside our resident artist, Jennika, to create giant puppets and banners out of recycled materials.

   Fiber Fun 
   Thursdays, April 16, 23 & 30
   Work alongside museum staff to create giant puppets and banners, with a focus on the recycled materials used.

   Adult Swim: Word Freaks
   Friday, April 17
   Enjoy an evening at Adult Swim climbing, playing and gerbil-wheeling. Plus, create print posters and Cartoneras in the Art Studio.

   Giant Puppet Workshop 
   Sunday, April 19
   Learn how to make a giant puppet using recycled materials and simple construction techniques. Hands-on demonstrations, instructional materials and some supplies will be provided.

   STRUT! Workshop with Laura Anderson Barbata
   Sunday, April 26
   Meet UW-Madison interdisciplinary artist in residence, Laura Anderson Barbata, and learn how to make costumes and masks out of recycled materials.

   STRUT! is sponsored by UW-Madison Arts Institute, UW-Madison School of Human Ecology and Madison Children’s Museum. For additional information, including costume tutorials and more ways to get involved, visit go.wisc.edu/strut.

3. Why are we closing the parking lot?

   November 6, 2014 5:03 pm Leave a Comment

   By Deb Gilpin
   Executive Director

   

    “They unpaved the parking lot and put up a play paradise”

   That headline is a (very liberal) paraphrase of a Joni Mitchell song. It seems apt as we begin transforming our parking lot into something more green and playful.

   We’ve heard some concern and gotten some questions about why we’re closing the parking lot this November 10. First, let me say: I get it. For four years, we’ve been the only museum downtown with its own parking lot. Our visitors have enjoyed the convenience of parking on site. For our disabled and generally less mobile visitors, this parking has been particularly valuable. And the lot has provided a good, steady source of income for the museum. So we don’t take this decision lightly.

   Why are we closing the lot? The quick answer: the opportunity to create a great outdoor play space outweighs the prohibitive cost of maintaining the lot.

   When we began surveying our current building as a possible location for the new museum a decade ago, we were told the lot had about 10 years to go before it would need major attention. We’ve gotten out ahead of that by working with professional engineers to assess the lot. Sure enough, that original estimate was right on: the consensus is that we would need to sink a lot of money into the structure in the next year or two to keep it operational. Eventually, we’d need to level it and rebuild it.

   With that in mind, we began to talk to our friends who build and run some of Madison’s parking lots. And the math just doesn’t add up. Investing in the lot would be a major financial burden for the museum – and the return on investment would be unpromising.

   But we see limitless possibilities for what we are now calling the back lot. If you visited the Funkyard this summer or fall, you’ve gotten a taste of that. Built on a small budget, almost entirely from upcycled materials like pallets and cable spools, the Funkyard has been a huge hit from day one. Outdoor play is becoming alarmingly rare for kids. We want to provide more space for kids to have the kind of fun they’ve had in the Funkyard: riding on the scooter obstacle course, goofing on the stage, jumping rope, and more.

   We’ll be working with community members to plot the best use of this valuable downtown real estate. Will it become a park? An ice skating rink? Urban growing space? I welcome your ideas! In the meantime, we’ll continue to evolve our Funkyard, providing a place to play in the fresh air. We think it’s important that kids have at least one downtown, outdoor play space just for them – where they can come together from all communities and play side by side.
   

   As for parking, here are some tips:

   • There are plenty of stalls, including disabled spots, nearby: on all sides of the museum and in lots on either side.
   • You can get a parking voucher for the Pinckney and Dayton ULI lot on weekdays. Ask at the front desk. That will cut your fee about in half.
   • If you are arriving with a stroller, and can’t find street parking, try the lower level of the ULI lot. There are a number of spots on the lower level designated “Visitor Only,” which have a two-hour limit. And from the second level, you can exit through an accessible breezeway that will let you out on the square, close to the museum.

   In addition, we’re right on the bus line. And we have plenty of bike parking. Or… you could call for a Big Yellow Taxi…