[Tales from the Floor] Full Circle

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I consider myself fortunate…I was born a Virginian! Since my home is in the capitol of this great commonwealth, opportunities to live fully and learn infinitely have been offered to and encouraged in me throughout my youth. One early example of this is my introduction to the Children’s Museum of Richmond. My parents led me to CMoR back when it was located in Richmond’s Navy Hill School building. When I was three years old, I navigated through its realistic model of a limestone cave that was just my size. I danced, wearing a giant pink tutu, around the playhouse, getting my first taste of fame! When my little sister started walking, I took her hand and showed her the ropes. I taught her how to properly paint a masterpiece in the art studio and how to shop for plastic groceries. Sound familiar to anyone?

This amazing place was a safe and comfortable environment for our family to interact together, and with others, outside of our home. It was a place where my self-confidence began to grow and where my creativity began to bloom. This is an important and memorable location where I began to discover who I am and who I could be in relation to the world around me.

At the Children’s Museum of Richmond, we youngsters became grocery managers, scientists, painters, performers, bankers, etc. The grown-ups who brought us to CMoR made it easy to have fun, by setting examples of how to work and play in a museum. We learned to play peacefully with and around other children. We learned how to be responsible in museum exhibits by tidying up after ourselves, so the next children would be able to enjoy them, too. We didn’t realize then that we were practicing for the real world! We were just having FUN!

When CMoR opened its doors at 2626 W. Broad Street in 2000 - eleven years ago, my Brownie Girl Scout troop was one of the first to sign up to spend the night there! We got to actually play in the museum overnight making shadow boxes, tracing ourselves on huge pieces of paper, and learning all about the human mouth in the oversized model that burped and gurgled. We were playing and learning and earning try-it badges, too!

Guess who now works at the children’s museum? These days, I come into work and see kids playing at what used to be “my” museum. Today, it is “their” museum. Although CMoR has had a few facelifts since I played around here, it still serves as a place for kids to discover themselves, to teach and to learn, and to nurture their talents that could later lead to a future hobby or career. Today’s child could one day become a paleontologist due to spending afternoons in the Dino Dig Pit. A chef could be created in the Café. The next era of automobiles could come out of the Mechanic Shop, and who knows, maybe the News Station will produce the next international correspondent for CNN.

Even that little girl, twirling on-stage in the big pink tutu, took in all aspects of the museum and knew way back then that one day she could possibly run a museum as cool as that. Although today’s kids and I are quite a few years from turning our dreams into realities, it is amazing to have a place as wonderful as CMoR to encourage our creativity and support us as we discover our talents. Currently, I am studying business and non-profit administration at VCU while WORKING (and, yes, it’s still fun!) at the place where my curiosities were quenched and my independence was inspired. I am thrilled with what CMoR has done and been for me! I hope to continue to facilitate the spirit of the museum that shows today’s families that at the museum and in life, there’s new play every day!

-Mary Beth Yates