News for Immediate Release

DuPage Children's MUSEUM

“Good Show! Gallery Children’s “Portraits”

Release date: December 27, 2007

For additional information, please contact:

Lynne Jele, Marketing & Membership

Phone: (630) 637-8000 ext. 2600

ljele@dupagechildrensmuseum.org

NEW! Good Show! Gallery opening at

DuPage Children's Museum features “Portraits”

Naperville, IL - DuPage Children’s Museum (DCM) is opening eyes with the new Good Show! Gallery, “Portraits”, opening to area families on January 31, 2008. It’s inspired by many different portrait works by artists such as Diego Rivera and Leonardo DaVinci. The young artists took a good look at themselves then used a variety of media to create their own painted and collaged self-portraits. Be one of the first to enjoy these new pieces and take part in the ribbon cutting at 11:00 a.m. on January 31.

“All great artists were once children and we all begin in the same way. A two-year-old may draw a person as a circle, but a 10 year old’s drawing will be much more sophisticated. In fact, two 10 year old artists may draw quite differently. All these efforts are valid from educational and early childhood development perspectives,” states the Museum’s Interdisciplinary Arts Specialist, Marcia MacRae.

Displays of children’s artistic expression are often hung on the family’s refrigerator or the side of an office cubical, but any child, no matter what developmental level or talent, upon seeing his or her creative endeavors hanging in a real art gallery gets a memorable and validating experience. It just doesn’t happen every day, except for the young artists whose works are placed in the DuPage Children's Museum (DCM) Good Show! Gallery, on the main level of the Museum. From 5:00-7:00 p.m. on January 31, the Good Show! Gallery Reception for Young Artists & Families allows you to join the fun, meet some of the young artists and see the portraits they’ve created.  This family exhibit will be available in the Good Show! Gallery through April of 2008.

“Seeing their own child’s portraits alongside pieces by other children can also be a very positive learning experience for parents,” says MacRae. “Seeing artwork in this new way provides a sense of pride in children’s learning abilities and accomplishments as well as an overall visual impression of developmental levels in children. As DCM’s “Scribbleosophy©” (posted in the Good Show! Gallery) points out, we all progress at different rates, but we all go through predictable stages. Creative expression lasts your whole life.”

The Good Show! is not competitive, unlike many art shows. DCM studio programs provide a safe and affirming environment to encourage expression. The new Good Show! Gallery will showcase inspiring portrait artwork that “was chosen to best exhibit the developmental stages of interpretation and artistic expression of our young visitors,” according to MacRae. The main goals of the Good Show! Gallery ( updated about three times each year), are 1. to highlight and support children’s creativity, 2. to extend learning access to surrounding communities, and 3. to provide support and information to parents and families. The Gallery, at the front of the Museum along the windows, is sponsored by the Matthew R. Voss Foundation.

“DCM provides a service not easily found elsewhere,” says MacRae. “The Museum’s mission is about children exploring materials and ideas to construct their own knowledge, and it’s also about helping parents understand how that works, too! It’s a learning partnership,” according to the Museum’s Director of Exhibits & Programs, Cynthia Mark-Hummel. “Families can feel comfortable to ask questions and request other Museum resources, if needed.” No reservations are needed—you can come visit this gallery when it’s most convenient for you, and it’s free to Museum members or free with admission.

DUPAGE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM:

DuPage Children's Museum helps kids learn how to succeed. Throughout any given day, about 1000 visitors come through the Big Red Door of the Museum to engage in three floors of fun, hands-on activities. It is a playful environment where children 6 months to 10 years old and the important adults in their lives learn and play together in thoughtfully planned “neighborhoods”, with exhibits and programs designed to promote skill development in math, science and the arts--to prepare for a future where curiosity, creative thinking, imaginative problem solving and learning skills will be needed to interact with technology that is yet to be invented, to solve problems we can’t imagine and work in new kinds of jobs that don’t exist today.

DuPage Children’s Museum, a top Chicago area cultural attraction, is the place where learning comes in to play™! The Museum is a non-profit organization and depends on donations and sponsorships each year, for over $4 of every $10 of its annual budget. Your support helps us reach families and makes a difference in the lives of thousands of children in our community. Thank you for all you do!

Location: 301 N. Washington Street

Naperville, IL 60540

Phone: 630-637-8000

Hours* Monday: 9 am - 1 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm

Thursday: 9 am - 8 pm

Sunday: 12 - 5 pm

*Call for special seasonal hours.

General Admission: $7.50 per person, ages one through 59.

$6.50 per person, ages 60 and over.

Admission is never charged to shop the Explorer Store.

Free Parking. Wheelchair Accessible. Quick walk from Naperville Metra Station.

Annual Memberships: Several types of memberships and gift memberships are available. Please visit www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org or call 630-637-8000 for more information.

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