KIDS ZONE

kids zone bestofyear

“A phased approach to future planning and construction strategically positions the museum for longevity and long-term resilience”

olson kundig

Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, California

Steeped in museum design in generaland children’s spaces in particular—Noah’s Ark at Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, and its counterpart, The Children’s World of the Jewish Museum Berlin, for example—Olson Kundig was right at home planning the phased overhaul of this 7½-acre experiential campus for kids in the Golden Gate National Recreation area. First up are five new permanent exhibits—interactive activities and environments on which design principal Alan Maskin and his team collaborated with early learning experts from the museum’s research division. Tot Spot for infants and toddlers focuses on touch and engagement through elements like a waterbed, rolling land masses, and a black-and-white mural (very young children don’t perceive color the same way as their elders). How Things Work dissects familiar items like a circuit board, small car, and washing machine, encouraging kids of all ages to envision themselves as creators. Try It Studio features machines such asa kinetic drawing arm and an interactive music box that youngsters from age 3 to 10 can use and adapt. And there are two outdoor exhibits: Faith, a decommissioned commercial fishing boat, and Gumnut Grove, three treehouses to climb through, helping to build confidence and motor skills.

—Edie Cohen