Halloween just isn't about 'paranormal activity' or the childish behavior that is usually associated with the night of All Hallows Eve. Instead of packing their kids into the car to hit the mall up for candy, families brought their children to Zeum to celebrate a Halloween that they'll never forget. The Tony Award winning musical, "Wicked" partnered with Zeum: San Francisco's Children's Museum in celebration of Halloween. The event showcased the theme of 'Going Green' while emphasizing the creativity and joy of live performance and visual arts.
At 11AM, families appeared in their festive garb to kick off the event hoping to win the costume contest and meet their favorites of the cast of "Wicked." In addition, kids who were dressed up were able to ride the historic Zeum Carousel for free.
While outside saw a lot of action, the inner walls of Zeum weren't left out in the dark, so to speak. The "Wicked" theme was prominent throughout the various exhibits. Kids recreated "Defying Gravity" as their own musical production was a huge success in the Music Production Lab. And Clay Animation saw some play as well with their figures of the 'Oz'-themed production. Most of all, trick-or-treating was present throughout the day to fulfill the sweet-tooth of many mythical creatures who were roaming around Yerba Buena Gardens.
To conclude the festivities, tickets and a behind the scenes sneak peek at the real Emerald City costumes for "Wicked" were raffled off. The winner proclaimed her shock and thankfulness for winning the tickets for her emerald-covered daughter.
Another Halloween goes into the books and with the sun setting with more mischief to come, it only begs the question, what can be expected for next Halloween?
On a beautiful, relaxing, and eventful Sunday in San Francisco, what should you do? Shopping, lunch, people watching in the park? Apparently on October 18, Zeum: San Francisco’s Children’s Museum was one of the featured museums that partnered with Target for their Target Family Day.
“At Target, we are committed to making the arts affordable and accessible to youth and families in the Bay Area and across the country. Through this unique partnership with five of San Francisco’s cultural destinations, we hope to foster an appreciation and understanding of various culture, traditions and points of view.” – Laysha Ward, president, community relations.
For those of you who have never been to Zeum, it is a children’s interactive arts and technology museum geared towards creating user-generated content. From animator’s studio (where kids can create their own clay animations) to Music Production Lab (where kids can become a rock star in their own music video), Zeum is helping ushering in a new digital age. And with a major company like Target giving families a chance to experience activities like the ones available at Zeum, everyone who came to the Target Free Day were able to flex their creative muscle.
The experience through the eyes of an intern. . . From the moment the first family walked through the doors, the energy in the air was parallel to the first time I worked a black Friday or waiting in line for a video game console release. Excitement and the unexpected were all on the docket, and I could see it in the eyes of the kids who came rushing in with their parents in tow. As I waded through the crowd and caught a peep of the massive line that formed, it was sort of a daunting task to start documenting everything.
Animator’s Studio was packed, as everyone told me it would be from the first day I started. The room was filled with laughter and creativity. Parents helping their kids with each step as the Zeum educator/intern/master assisted with any needs. Watching kids sculpting their figures made me realize how I wished I had the talent they had or maybe the unrelenting fearlessness because it seemed like they were so focused on their sculpture that they didn’t care what anyone else was doing.
The main gallery floor was just as crowded. The little ones playing with the foam building blocks and jumping around on the special effects stage really just represents one aspect of Zeum. While it seems like the museum caters to one type of age range, just roaming around the main floor really proved otherwise. The puppet theater saw some action. While in the back, there was a steady flow through the News Broadcast studio. Nothing screams, “I want to be on TV” more than the dramatic antics of kids jumping around in front of a green screen. But when you really think about it, who doesn’t want to star in their own TV show. Ahh kids; they always know how to dream big.
The massive spiral staircase brings youth art, arts and crafts, and the second floor of the building. And just to make it known, the staircase is really long and it has some really interesting art made by students from around the Bay Area. It’s amazing how inspired you can become with just one look at a piece of children’s art.
Reaching the second floor, it was easy to come across the Music Production Lab. Karaoke can make anyone into a superstar, especially when you have the moves to back it. A long line and then when you’re name was called; it was time to show the world what you got. I saw choreographed MJ and the belting out of ballads. Nice array for each hour that a group of hundreds got to come in.
In another room, computers housing Photoshop were the stars of the show. Families got to show their digital skills by taking pictures of themselves and then doctoring them into something other than what it originally was. As I looked around, it was very impressive the amount of knowledge each kid had. It was as if they were adept to using the software at birth.
Going into the Z-Dance room, surprising enough, the room was somewhat packed with spectators waiting for their turn with the simulator. It seems the simple act of dancing really puts everyone in the mood to dance in front of a green screen. Apparently, crazy backgrounds are all the rage.
The one unifying thought about Target Family Day at Zeum was the all out craziness wrapped with innocence. By that I mean; the day was filled with layers. It was one thing, but it was also another thing. Every time you pulled off a layer, there was something there that surprised you. And then when you look at the day through the eyes of a child, you realize the real innocence that a child has because they’re looking at new things without any judgment. It was definitely a day that I wouldn’t forget.
"Produce and star in your own music video that you can take home with you."
Music videos are short stories that convey a message of hope, insight, and anything that your imagination can create. At Zeum: San Francisco's Children's Museum, the music video genre is just one of the many activities found within the walls and high ceilings of the interactive museum. From picking out the right props to writing the perfect music, students are able to create their own works of art.
The music video field trip allows students to produce videos featuring their own poetry and music. Before and during the field trip, Zeum educators encourage students to engage in every aspect of the process. Students work in groups to brainstorm a concept, create original poetry, digitally compose original music, choreograph dance routines and perform and film the final project.
In just two hours, students are developing and enhancing skills that help them understand literacy, math, technology, critical thinking, collaboration, and decision-making skills. At the end of the day, students take home these skills and a DVD of their music video to share with their family and friends.
Check out these examples: A group of students from Hercules High School in Contra Costa County take on a serious issue that is plaguing all schools: budget cuts.
At St. Paul's School in San Francisco, a group of sixth graders create a fun way to remember the order of math operations. PEMDAS - parenthesis, exponants, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.
Broadcast news has been a staple of the media over the past few decades. The news broadcast field trip offered at Zeum: San Francisco's Children's Museum offers students an opportunity to learn the basic production skills that many people wish they could have access to. The newscast workshop provides an outlet for students to discuss current events and story development.
Zeum educators help students gain an understanding of the production process. Students form groups and learn to collaborate on each step such as choosing topics, creating scripts, and producing and filming the broadcast. While the students are learning the essential skills of literacy and performing arts, the basic fundamentals of journalism such as the "who, what, where, when, and why" are highlighted.
From brainstorming script ideas to storyboard development to the rehearsal stage, students learn the technical skills such as composition and chroma key techniques and the collaboration kills which are needed when you work with people in a group. At the end of the field trip, students have not only created a news broadcast, but they have learned the basic knowledge that comes with film making.
Check out this example:
A group of fourth and fifth graders from Cresmont Elementary produced a news segment that was a part of a larger news broadcast. Their newscast was about the escaped tiger from the San Francisco Zoo.
"Dream up a story, create your own clay characters, and bring them to life in an animated movie."
At Zeum: San Francisco's Children's Museum, the clay animation field trip offers students a crash course in the basics of classic stop-motion animation. With the help of talented Zeum educators, students go through the process of producing a short animated movie. From story board to sculpture to filming, groups of students work together to create content that demonstrates their field of study or any idea that they seem fit.
The clay animation field trip encompasses various skills that help students in the long run. While the students are obviously developing their visual art and technological skills, they are enhancing their literacy and math skills in the process of creating their movie. Students have to work together in writing and developing their storyboards. During filming, students have to calculate the frames to determine the length of their movie. All the skills come together and in two hours, everyone will be able to enjoy their movie on DVD.
Check out these examples: "The Lemon Tree" Stage Write, a San Francisco based non-profit that brings theater to public schools, collaborated with a group of 2nd graders to create this piece of animation. The story follows a young woman who finds a magical lemon tree.
"Journey to Mars" A group of 6th graders from Sacramento Adventist Academy in Carmichael, Ca decided to let their imaginations flow freely. As a space ship lands on Mars, they discover a whole other world outside of what they know is possible.
"Romeo and Juliet" It just shows that Zeum isn't just for children when a group of 9th grade English students from Hercules High School take on the clay animation field trip. A group of students took on the classic balcony scene from the Shakespeare tale and reimagined it for today's audience.
The moment you walk through the doors at Zeum, your notion of the museum will be turned upside down. Bringing together visual arts and technology, Zeum: San Francisco's Children's Museum provides the opportunity to develop and enhance multimedia skills in a fun, hands-on environment. Zeum provides access to digital media tools for all visitors. Serving the youth with an opportunity to create content in a media driven society, Zeum encourages all to experiment and create. Everyone is able to experience the birth of creativity and learn the technological aspects that are used in creating their own works. With exhibits that inspire the inner-child in all, Zeum promotes what we like to call the 3C's of 21st century literacy.
Creativity - the spark that ignites any potentially great idea. Through exploration, discovery, and inquiry, children partake in rich and dynamic experiences that stimulate the mind and body to form free expression. By providing a diverse range of activities, kids and families are able to get their creative juices flowing and convert their ideas into a reality.
Collaboration - bringing people together since 1998. Families will encounter engaging activities that encourage creativity for every type of person. With the guidance of our artist/educators, kids are able to express themselves in other ways compared to the standard crayon drawing. Kids can work together or with their families on content ranging from clay animation to music videos. By working together, everyone is contributing to the creative process. So there's no need to feel left out.
Communication - you can't get anything done without talking to one another. The basic act of communication sets the cornerstone of working with others. At Zeum, visitors communicate with one another on every level. Just by walking through the door, visitors communicate with the staff and other visitors. At the end of the day, everyone is reflecting on shared experiences and the lessons that were learned without even realizing it.
To inspire means to spark the passion in an individual to express a message that speaks from the heart and opens the mind. Zeum: San Francisco's Children's Museum inspires the youth to create and express their message that they want to leave for tomorrow.
This San Francisco Children's Museum is a hands-on, multimedia arts and technology experience for kids. We envision a world where the 3Cs of 21st-century literacy - Creativity, Collaboration and Communication - inspire new ideas and innovative solutions. We believe that the success of the next generation will hinge not only on what they know, but also on their ability to think and act creatively as global citizens. Our mission is to nurture these 3Cs in all youth and families.
We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3), community-based organization.
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