Looking for something fun and educational to do with the kids now that school’s out? Swing by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan on the Upper West Side and check out the exhibit “Jazzed! The Changing Beat of 125th Street.”
Sponsored by the National Jazz Museum of Harlem, this creative, fun, interactive exhibit is designed to teach children of all ages about the uptown jazz era and the unforgettable artists whose music and dance defined Harlem during 1920’s: Duke Ellington, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.
“In this day and age most children are isolated with iPhones, we have content that is all about collaborations,” says Tom Quaranta, the museum’s director of exhibitions and museum operations. “And the children get an opportunity to be in an environment that is all about the art and culture of Harlem!”
The exhibit, located in the lower level of the museum, engages all the senses: The walls are covered with playful music notes and speakers overhead play jazz and jazz-influenced music, such as “Swinging on a Star” and Pharrell’s “Happy.” On weekends the museum offers live jazz performances from up and coming artists, and every Wednesday in July there is a tap show.
Interactivity is a big part of the experience. Inside the exhibit, children and sit at tables shaped as instruments to create their own banjos, drums, and guitars using arts and crafts. Big-name artists from the Harlem Renaissance are brought to life with audio-visual multimedia touches to help kids understand how each artist’s talent contributed to the culture of Jazz. The main attraction is the exhibit featuring Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, a famous tap dancer from the first half of the 20th century. Children can dance up and down a small staircase, imitating the late performer’s famous step dance.
Parents appreciate the experience as much as their kids. Alana Farrell-Foster, a clinical pharmacist in Harlem, brought her six-year-old daughter, Taylor, and classmates [pictured here] for a recent visit to expose the children to the jazz history. “She doesn’t know much about the musical history of Harlem,” Farrell-Foster explains. “They attend a predominately white school on the Upper West Side, so I told the parents I would bring them for a visit.”
“It’s really cool,” adds another mom, who came with her three year old. “I like it for me and her. We’re about to make an instrument so she’s really excited.”
You can visit the exhibit through the end of the year. The museum is located at 212 W. 83rd, between Amsterdam and Broadway. Children and adults: $11, seniors: $7; kids under a year are free. For more information, click here.