Objects as the Point of Entry
Fifty adult-and-child pairs are invited to participate, and on the first day all the adults are asked to bring an object that means something to them. "We put in some Museum objects as well, such as a musical instrument from Mexico or a basket from Africa. I brought a framed photograph of my grandmother, and a bone I picked up when I was in southern Africa," recalls Ellen Silbermann, Senior Program Specialist at the American Museum of Natural History and one of the developers of the program. Participants have contributed everything from a Popsicle®-stick box to a gold pocket watch to a rock from a Puerto Rican beach. Participants use the skills of scientific investigation, and each object is not only discussed for its cultural significance, but also examined to learn what it is made out of, how it is made, where it is from, who uses it, etc. The owner of each object then tells a story.

"The stories are always compelling, because everyone has amazing life experiences and because seemingly mundane objects connect to very powerful stories," Ellen S. says. Although the participants all have children in the same school district, they come from India, Pakistan, Italy, Eastern Europe, China, Korea, Africa, Haiti, and many other places. "Even if objects are from different countries, they often connect to stories about personal trials or important relations or family transitions, and those experiences are universal," points out Laura Wolfe, Assistant Coordinator of the program. And in talking about an object with personal meaning, people frequently reveal how they identify themselves. "Very often people will say, 'I'm a Muslim from Nigeria,' or 'I'm a Midwesterner,' and as they tell their stories, you learn something about those groups," says Ellen W. "Understanding more about who we are, where we come from, and what we value and respect helps us understand, value, and respect other people."

Connecting on Neutral Ground
For many participants, their first visit to the American Museum of Natural History with the Museum Investigations in Science program leads to an extraordinary experience. Everyone who completes the program—and more than 90% do—gets a family membership for one year to the Museum. That's an added incentive for them to bring family members back to a favorite hall, or to show their families an object that the adult or child learned about during an earlier visit. The power of the program was evident from the very first session, when graduates were crying, hugging each other, and thanking the staff profusely. "We were all totally overwhelmed by the emotion and the connections people had made," Ellen S. recalls. Building those bridges, both among individuals and between the people and the Museum itself, is what makes the program so worthwhile.

Given the current climate of unrest around the country and the world, having a safe place for people from different cultures to come together is more valuable than ever. Adults and children participate in guided activities over four consecutive Saturdays. They're picked up by bus and offered breakfast and a chance to socialize before activities begin. The children, who are in grades 3-5 at public schools in various New York City neighborhoods, are chosen on the basis of a teacher recommendation and the willingness of a parent or another significant adult to participate.

Building a Relationship With the Museum
While the Museum educators here have had lots of experience with workshops for kids, the adult component of the program was less-charted territory. It was clear right from the beginning that the parents should have their own separate program, "because we've learned from experience that the people who keep coming to the Museum are the ones who have a relationship with it," Ellen S. explains. "We wanted to give parents an experience that would create that relationship for themselves first. The families aren't going to return unless the adults want to, and if it benefits the whole family, so much the better." "Unlike most 'parent-involvement programs,' which are about parents getting kids to be engaged, the Museum Investigations in Science program recognizes that adults are necessary and legitimate lifelong learners," comments Ellen W. "It gives them a formal opportunity to learn about science and cultures around the world at a time when promoting cultural understanding and being scientifically literate couldn't be more important."

Activities are not restricted to looking at exhibits. When the Hall of Biodiversity was being built, participants went behind the scenes and each got to make a leaf for the rain forest installation in the exhibit. In the Eastern Woodlands Hall, adults ground corn, tried on a baby board, and played Native American games. "Too often people think adults should be lectured to or shown a movie, but almost anything we do works with any age," Ellen S. notes. Adult participants really enjoy interacting with each other, but they also love the final session, in which they get to see what their kids have been doing, and then they're encouraged to work together with their kids to produce a final project. "It's hard to get kids to tell you what they're up to," one parent observed. "Here, we find out and help."

Community as Curator
Since the response to the program has been so positive, Cynthia is in the process of developing an activity that will enable some program alumni to bring their skills and experiences before the general public. Adult graduates and their children, who are now in the 6th grade, will have the opportunity to create an educational touch-cart of objects. Participants will "bring objects of their choosing, which we'll replicate or purchase. They have to decide what story is represented by which objects, and whether or not they want a theme," Laura explains.