Families visiting Night Journeys enter a whimsical bedroom setting where they are introduced to sleeping places from many parts of the world. Children can lie down on an ancient Egyptian bed or try out a headrest from Japan or Somalia. They can carry dolls in a Mexican rebozo or a Native American cradleboard.
A fantastic giant bed serves as the centerpiece in this area, offering kids the opportunity to examine protective sleep charms used around the world and take on one of the most common bedtime fears. As they shine a giant flashlight under the bed, they will turn a “frightening monster” into an ordinary pile of socks and toys.
Families explore the “active” state of sleep in an animated video that shows eye movement, body movement and brain activity during sleep.
A nearby station compiles the dreams of adults and kids; allowing family members to compare dreams they’ve had against others.
Finally, the exhibit explores different approaches to dream interpretation by people around the world as they share a dream over breakfast in the tradition of the Senoi people of Malaysia, turn a scroll to learn about dream books used in China, and feed a bad dream to Baku, the Japanese dream eater.
As they leave the gallery, visitors can meet some famous “dreamers” like Frankenstein’s author Mary Shelley, whose dreams have changed our world.
Text in English and Spanish is written in a conversational style to spark interaction between children and adults. Information written for parents about sleep includes tips for talking to children about sleep-related problems.
Long Island Children’s Museum has planned a variety of themed workshops and perform- ances to complement the key themes and content areas of Night Journeys.
Mark your calendar now for Pajamarama on Thursday, August 26 from noon–4p.m. Kids are invited to join in an end of the summer pajama party where they’ll meet some favorite bedtime storybook characters, create fun crafts and participate in a variety of activities celebrating sleep and dreams.
View the events calendar at www.licm.org for the complete schedule of Night Journeys programs and performances.
Night Journeys provides an environment in which young people’s most comforting bedtime habits, persistent nighttime fears and compelling curiosities about sleep and dreams can be explored in a humorous, supportive way.
The traveling exhibition was developed by The Brooklyn Children’s Museum for the Minnesota Children’s Museum and the Youth Museum Exhibit Collaborative (YMEC). The exhibition was funded by YMEC with additional support provided by the Spunk Fund, Inc. Local exhibit support provided by Astoria Federal Savings.
Night Journeys
