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Natalie Kreiger
(312) 464-7727

CHICAGO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM'S SKYLINE EXHIBIT EARNS SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING FROM AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

Chicago, IL—May 26, 2010—Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) was awarded a Special Achievement in Cooperative Learning by the American Association of Museums (AAM) in recognition of their Skyline exhibit in the 22 Annual Excellence in Exhibition Competition. The award was announced at the 2010 AAM Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on May 25.

The competition recognizes outstanding achievement in the exhibition format from all types of museums, zoos, aquariums, botanical garden and other non-commercial institutions offering public exhibitions. Exhibitions were judged based on effectiveness in categories of audience awareness, content, communication, design and accessibility.

“I am so proud of this award,” said Chicago Children’s Museum President and CEO Jennifer Farrington. “Skyline is the physical manifestation of a tremendous effort that included research and programming, and this was done by an amazing and dedicated exhibit team.”

The museum shares the award with the exhibit designer, Gyroscope Inc.

“Gyroscope takes great pride in the AAM award and our collaboration with CCM,” said Maeryta Medrano, AIA, LEED® AP, and founder and President of Gyroscope. “We believe that DESIGN MATTERS, and that our design for Skyline created thoughtful, sustainable and inventive solutions to support learning behaviors.”

Sponsored by Case Construction Equipment, Skyline is designed to engage children and families in the science of construction and architecture, and inspire them to see connections between buildings and basic science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) principles. The exhibition was developed as part of the Partnership of Playful Learners (PPL), a multi-year grant awarded to CCM by the National Science Foundation to investigate the effectiveness of family-learning and collaborative-learning of STEM content in informal learning settings.

The focus of Skyline is collaborative learning. Families work together to build large-scale buildings and engage in reflective storytelling to reveal their own problem solving processes. Families and visitor groups use real-world materials, including wooden struts, bolts, nuts, and tools to create structures such as skyscrapers, houses, furniture, bridges, even animals. Views of the city’s skyline within the exhibit connect visitors to Chicago’s architecture while providing inspiration. The exhibition is also unique in that it is both a functioning platform for research into family learning, as well as a reflection of current research about how families learn in museums.

About Chicago Children’s Museum
The mission of Chicago Children's Museum is to create a community where play and learning connect. CCM is the only cultural institution in the city dedicated to young children and the important adults in their lives. Playful experiences, including over fifteen interactive exhibits and programming spaces, tap into how kids learn, and engage them at an early age so they develop a lifelong love of learning.

Located at Navy Pier, Chicago’s number one attraction at 700 East Grand Avenue, CCM is the final stop for CTA buses #29, #65, #66 and #124. For more information, please visit www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/hours.html.

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Natalie Kreiger
(312) 464-7727

CHICAGO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM'S PLAY FOR ALL PROGRAM RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM CVS CAREMARK CHARITABLE TRUST
Donation supports museum’s initiative for children and families with disabilities

Chicago, IL—April 6, 2010—Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) announced today that it has received a $15,000 grant from the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, the private foundation created by CVS Caremark Corporation, for Play For All, a comprehensive initiative dedicated to welcoming children and families of all abilities into the museum’s community where play and learning connect. There will be a check presentation made by a CVS Caremark representative at CCM on April 10.

“We’re so honored to receive this grant,” said CCM President and CEO Jennifer Farrington. “The museum is engaging welcoming environment for all families, and that includes people with disabilities. This award will ensure that our exhibits and programs are interactive and meaningful for all children and families.”

“In today’s challenging economy, it’s more important than ever to support organizations that can have a positive impact on children with disabilities,” said Eileen Howard Dunn, Vice President, CVS Caremark Charitable Trust. “We’re proud to support Chicago Children’s Museum and the wonderful services provided by their Play For All program, and we wish them continued success in 2010.”

Through Play For All, CCM provides specially facilitated programs, events, resources and assistive devices for children with physical and social-emotional challenges and their families. CCM staff members who regularly work with visitors receive ongoing professional development to better assist those with disabilities and their families. In addition, the museum hosts monthly Play For All events, where families can enjoy the museum an hour before it opens to the public. A quiet room at these events offers families a place to rest and take a break from the excitement.

A forerunner of the Play For All initiative is the Parker Program, established twenty-eight years ago to connect elementary school-age children with disabilities and typically developing children in an engaging and social environment. Five times a year, CCM welcomes Chicago Public Schools students with disabilities for a morning-long exploration of the museum with specially-trained Francis W. Parker students as their guides. Each school year, the program provides museum access and free transportation to almost 300 guests and chaperones, creating an excellent learning opportunity for guests and volunteers alike.

The museum worked with The Autism Program of Illinois to develop Museum Kits for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to use with their families when visiting CCM. Although the kit was designed for individuals with autism, the visual icons and schedule can assist any child who may need extra visual supports to fully benefit from his or her visit. These kits offer a schedule, rule cards, exhibit icons and a storybook guide to make the transition between each museum exhibit smoother and more enjoyable. The guide can also be downloaded from the museum’s website, so that families can learn about the museum experience in advance, relieving children’s anxiety and helping them better anticipate the experience. It is also available free of charge at the admissions desk, along with child- and adult-size wheelchairs, sound reducing headphones, Universal Cuffs, dynamic seating devices and lap trays for wheelchairs.

The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust’s grant to Chicago Children’s Museum is part of $6.3 million in grants given to nonprofit organizations across the country in 2009. A number of these grants align with CVS Caremark All Kids Can, the company’s signature philanthropic program focused on supporting children with disabilities by raising awareness about inclusion, creating greater opportunities for physical activity and play, and providing access to medical rehabilitation and related services.

Other CVS Caremark Charitable Trust grants provide support for medical services for the uninsured, grants to pharmacy schools, scholarships for the children of CVS Caremark colleagues and funding for community organizations for which CVS Caremark colleagues act as volunteers.

About Chicago Children’s Museum
The mission of Chicago Children's Museum is to create a community where play and learning connect. CCM is the only cultural institution in the city dedicated to young children and the important adults in their lives. Playful experiences, including over fifteen interactive exhibits and programming spaces, tap into how kids learn, and engage them at an early age so they develop a lifelong love of learning.  Located at Navy Pier, Chicago's number one attraction at 700 East Grand Avenue, CCM is the final stop for CTA buses #29, #65, #66 and #124. For more information, please visit www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/hours.html.

About the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust
The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, Inc. is a private foundation created by CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE:  CVS), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States and the market leader in mail order pharmacy, retail pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, and retail clinics.  The mission of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust is to provide funding for programs serving children with disabilities as well as nonprofits that provide health care services to the uninsured and medically at-risk populations.  Learn more about the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust annual call for applications at www.cvs.com/community. General information about CVS Caremark is available through the Company’s Web site at http://info.cvscaremark.com. 

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Children's Museum has a 'Moving' experience

Exhibit lets kids build their own play space
By Celeste Busk, Staff Reporter, Chicago Sun Times, February 13, 2010

A hands-on exhibit encouraging children to build playscapes is under way at the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier.

The 1,500-square-foot "Move" exhibit features 70 large-scale pieces of lightweight plastic that kids can twist, turn and connect together to create a space to play in. Kids can build tunnels, make a " spaceship" or create abstract shapes.

Once their creations are complete, children can run, jump, leap, skip and hop within the playscape.
"The purpose of the exhibit is to have kids come in and get them moving in a big way," said Natalie Bortoli, vice president of education for the museum.

"Move," which runs through May 16, also is a warm place for kids to play during winter. "We're providing a terrific opportunity for kids to run, skip and play the same as they would in a big field during the summer," Bortoli said.

The exhibit is free with general admission: $10 for adults and kids; $9 for seniors; free for those 1 and under. Admission is free from 5-8 p.m. Thursdays.

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (until 8 p.m. Thursdays). The museum is at Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand. For more information, call (312) 527-1000 or visit www.chichildrensmuseum.org.

MORE PIER PLEASURE: Families can have fun celebrating Chinese New Year from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Navy Pier. The "Year of the Tiger" event will present the Chicago Chinese Cultural Center's Lion Dance Troupe performing the traditional lion dance and martial arts demonstrations.

There also will be song and dance performances, costumed Chinese cultural characters, a fashion show, calligraphy arts and crafts and educational demonstrations.

Admission is free. Navy Pier is at 600 E. Grand. Call (312) 595-7437 or visit www.navypier.com.

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