Tulsa Children's Museum

September 2011 Newsletter

While the kids are getting situated back at school and routines are getting back to normal at home, we are busy planning great community programming for you and your kiddos to enjoy on the weekends!

UPCOMING EVENTS!

Check out our upcoming events with the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, Tulsa's Hispanic Chamber Hispanic Fest, Neighbors Across The Line's Westfest, and The Nature Conservancy's 25th Anniversary Celebration.

September 10th - 10am to 2pm
‘POP! The Art & Science of Bubbles’ at Tulsa Air & Space Museum
Listen to author Mary Coleman Woolslayer read aloud her new book, A Biplane and her Boy, play with bubbles at POP! The Art & Science of Bubbles, and check out real-life biplanes with the Tulsa Air & Space Museum.

September 16th - 2pm to 7pm
‘POP! The Art & Science of Bubbles’ at Hispanic Fest
6th & Boston Ave., Downtown
Join in the fun at the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber’s 2011 Hispanic Fest in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, held downtown on the H.A. Chapman Centennial Green. The Tulsa Children’s Museum will bring out POP! The Art & Science of Bubbles exhibit for children to enjoy.

September 17th - 12pm to 3pm
‘Reclaim This! Old Stuff, New Art’
Neighbors Along the Line Westfest at Penny Park, 531 S. 49th W Ave.
Puppets, stories, and theater! You don’t want to miss this year’s Neighbors Along the Line’s Westfest. In addition to watching a professional puppet performance, kids will be able to make their own puppets at this wonderful family event.

September 18th - 2:30pm to 5:00pm
‘Reclaim This! Old Stuff, New Art’
Nature inspired art with the Nature Conservancy at Five Oaks Lodge - 528 E. 121st in Jenks
Come and celebrate 25 years of plant and wildlife preservation in Oklahoma with The Nature Conservancy at the Five Oaks Lodge. The event will also feature live bluegrass music, delicious food, and fun passports for children to stamp at each booth of partner organizations from across Tulsa. TCM families get a discounted ticket price ($30 for a family of five!). Contact melissa@tulsachildrensmuseum.org for more information!

September 25th - Concerts at 2pm & 4pm
Grupo Fantasma
TCM's Family Concert Series
Tulsa Performing Arts Center

See below for more information!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Do you and your kids like to volunteer together? Have a high school student looking to finish up their community service hours ahead of schedule? We have great opportunities to participate in our exhibits and programs. Experience science with bubbles, you say? Inspire kids making reclaimed art, you wonder? Just ask how you can join in the fun!

info@tulsachildrensmuseum.org
www.tulsachildrensmuseum.org

SEASON TICKETS!
TCM'S FAMILY CONCERT SERIES

Buy your season tickets before our first concert on September 25th! Get one ticket to all their concerts for just $25! That's 20% savings! Call the box office at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center today to purchase your season tickets! 918-596-7109 or 1-800-364-7111

2011-2012 Family Concert Series!

Join us for an exciting new season of family concerts! Held at the Performing Arts Center in downtown Tulsa, children and families get to enjoy the experience of arts education and entertainment, together! Activities are held an hour before and after each concert you can make it an afternoon of family fun for a reasonable price!

- Free parking on Sundays in Downtown Tulsa!
- All Shows $10/ticket
- Children under 3 may sit on an adult's lap for free
- Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets for $8

Here's the 2011-2012 FCS season line up! Click on the band name or picture for more information!

Grupo Fantasma
September 25, 2011
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Williams Theatre
2pm & 4pm
This Grammy-award winning Latin funk orchestra brings together the rich sounds of cumbia, salsa, old-school funk, reggae, and more. This 10-piece ensemble is known for their lively and engaging performances. Grupo Fantasma is sure to fascinate and entertain the whole family, providing an interactive exploration of Latin American sounds. In partnership with the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber, Grupo Fantasma is being presented during the month of September to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Jeff Porter & The Claptet
January 22, 2012
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Williams Theatre
2pm & 4pm
Hand-clapping, stomping, and drum-beats make up the depth of sound that comes from this authentic and talented group of musicians. A local favorite, Jeff Porter & The Claptet brings the culture and technique of various forms of percussion found in indigenous cultures around the globe. This interactive performance will have everyone moving to the music and learning how to do body percussion, all while learning about the worldly sounds being presented from stories of the Claptet's adventures around the globe.

The Verve Pipe
April 1, 2012
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Williams Theatre
2pm & 4pm
Parents and children alike will want to rock out to The Verve Pipe's A Family Album. Up-beat, positive messages encourage positive self-esteem for kids, promote family, and simply have fun with day-to-day goings-on. The Verve Pipe raises the bar for children's music with their entertaining and insightful lyrics. Their goal is to inspire children to connect with music by experimenting with musical instruments, being funny, and letting the silly out. You'll definitely want to check out this family performance!

TO BUY TICKETS:

OR CALL 918-596-7111 or 1-800-364-7111

What is a Children's Museum?

A children's museum:

...is a not-for-profit, cultural institution committed to serving the needs and interests of children by providing exhibits and programs that stimulate curiosity and motivate learning.
...is a place where children learn through play and exploration in environments designed just for them.
...reflects diverse communities.
...creates playful, interactive learning experiences.
...is a safe gathering place where families can learn and play with other families.
...is an inclusive, non-judgmental environment.

When will TCM have walls of its own?

We want to make sure we open up a children's museum that is going to have the greatest impact on our community, so we've been learning what you need and want through community conversations, program evaluations and surveys.

To ensure long-term success, instead of opening a building first, we chose to build community support and awareness of what we are trying to do.

You are helping us reach that goal! We're currently conducting a site selection study and will have exciting news on where our "test lab" will be in the near future!

A brief history...

Our board is a group of enthusiastic parents and professionals who are passionate about bringing a children’s museum to Tulsa. Started in 2007, the Tulsa Children's Museum has been a "museum without walls", reaching thousands of families across the Greater Tulsa area with our semi-permanent & mobile exhibits, family concert series, and health and wellness programs. This means we do not have a permanent facility, yet, but with the continued support of the community we will open up our doors sooner than later!

We strive to provide quality, child-focused programming to youth and families knowing the importance of giving children time for imaginative play so that they can gain confidence in their emerging abilities and talents. We want to create fun, interactive and educational exhibits that will give children a love of learning as they express themselves creatively.

With your generous support we are expanding and growing to fill the needs of our community. As we grow, we are continually motivated by the positive response we receive from our Tulsa supporters and look forward to celebrating with you as a museum with walls of our own in the near future!

How can I help?

Volunteer
As we continue to grow, we are looking for fresh faces, energy, and voices to join our outreach efforts.  Please consider giving your time at events, passing along our newsletter to friends, or helping spread our news through Facebook or Twitter.

Promote
We need the support of the Tulsa community as a "museum without walls" until we have the capacity to "stand on our own two feet" within our own walls.  Help us educate others about our grassroots approach.

Advocate
We need interested board members, committee members, and advocates who want to see an educational, experiential learning center brought to Tulsa.  Inquire about board and committee opportunities.

Participate
We need your voice and energy. Say "YES! We want and need a community-owned children's museum in our city!"   Tell your friends about our programs, come to our exhibits, volunteer at our events.

Things are happening and moving in very positive directions. We will be all that you want us to be with your continued support. Don't hesitate to join in on the fun!

Email us at info@tulsachildrensmuseum.org with any questions or comments.

Featured Program: Recess!

TCM's health and wellness partner program uses physical exercise to teach behavior modification, focus, and calming techniques to help in the classroom!

To find out more, check out their website!
www.recessforhealth.org

Mobile Exhibits

TCM's Exhibits Outreach Coordinator brings our mobile exhibits into schools and community events to provide experiential learning for children of all ages. Click on the logos below to go to the website for more information on both of our mobile exhibits.

Email brena@tulsachildrensmuseum.org for more information and to sign up!

Educator Newsletter!

Are you a teacher? After-school assistant? Non-profit program coordinator?

Want a newsletter that is geared at the meeting the needs of those teaching youth?

We'll provide you resources for the classroom, information about our mobile exhibits, new activities, and feature community groups that provide great programming or field trips. As always, we encourage and welcome feedback about what to include!

Email brena@tulsachildrensmuseum.org to get signed up on our brand new educator newsletter!!