Our Projects: Capital Children’s Museum [The Writing's on the Wall]
The Writing’s on the Wall
Capital Children’s Museum in Washington, DC
October 1994 to April 1995
Photos by Jack Dunthitt
We were very excited to learn in the Fall of 1994 that the Capital Children’s Museum in Washington, DC was interested in having the Writing’s on the Wall project come east and be an interactive exhibit during it’s month-long support of the United Nations Season of “Peace, Friendship and Goodwill.”
The plan was for it to stay up for two weeks, but the exhibit proved so popular that the curators asked us to leave it there for six months. We were happy to comply and thoroughly enjoyed watching the kids faces — and viewing their writings, photos, and art — as they continuously mounted on the Wish House. Magic.
Following is the press release announcing the project’s arrival, and a thank you note from Robert Evans, director of special events at the Capital Children’s Museum.
Press release by Gillian Foster
Capital Children’s Museum
Oct. 5, 1994
For Immediate Release
Washington, DC — Children express their hopes, desires and dreams for a better future at Capital Children’s Museum from October 15th through October 23rd.
The “Writings on the Wall Program” will display its “Wish Upon a Wall” project at the Museum for 2 weekends in October in conjunction with the Museum’s month-long support of the United Nations Season of “Peace, Friendship and Goodwill.”
This recently completed San Francisco project combines children’s art, photography and writing to produce “Wish Bricks” expressing children’s wishes. These bricks are attached to the walls of a portable “Wish House.
Visitors to the Children’s Museum will have the opportunity to create their own “Wish Bricks” on the theme of “Peace, Friendship and Goodwill,” which will then be incorporated into the Wish House. The Wish House will be on display at the Museum October 15, 16, 22, and 23rd from Noon to 4 PM.
Capital Children’s Museum is located at 800 Third St., NE, Washington, DC, just behind Union Station on the Red Line Metro. The Museum is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and Easter) . Admission is $6.00 per person; children under 2 are admitted free. All activities are included in the price of admission, and are free to museum members. For more
information, contact Gillian Foster at (202) 675-4138.
Note from Robert B. Evans, director of special exhibits
Capital Children’s Museum
April 24, 1995
Note: The Writing’s on the Wall exhibit was so popular, the curators asked that it stay on as an interactive exhibit for six months. This is the very kind letter Mr. Evans wrote after we took it down.
Dear Ms. Katz:
Capital Children’s Museum would like to thank you for the opportunity to participate in the Writings on the Wall Project and display its Wish House. Both the project and the Wish House were a big success with our visitors.
It was wonderful watching the children add their “bricks” to the Wish House as they wrote and drew their wish for “Peace, Friendship and Goodwill.” It was particularly enlightening to see the pride on their faces as their instant photo was taken to be displayed on their “brick.”
It is easy to see how the project and the Wish House can be adapted to work with any theme such as “Helping Others”, “Ending Hunger”, “Preserving the Environment, or other topics meaningful to children. All children yearn for a way to express their feelings and make some contribution toward problems they believe significant. The Wish House gives them that chance.
Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Evans
Director of Special Exhibits
Capital Children’s Museum
Next: Our Projects: Tenderloin After school Program, San Francisco [The Writing's on the Wall]
Back: The book: Wish for Kindness [The Writing’s on the Wall]