The New Children's Museum

🎉 We are excited to announce that on Saturday, November 16 at 9am, The New Children’s Museum will unveil our latest immersive exhibition featuring the extraordinary work of artist Cannupa Hanska Luger (he/him)! Our team has been working closely with @cannupahanska over the past several months to bring his visionary project, “Future Ancestral Technologies: Odyssey” to life. This exhibition invites children and families to imagine their role in shaping the future. Part of the @pstinla series, themed Science Fiction Creates the Future, Cannupa’s work provides a fresh and vital perspective, blending his Indigenous heritage with speculative fiction to explore the intersection of ancestral knowledge and futuristic ideas. 🏜️ In this exhibition, Cannupa has created a remarkable airship inspired by the form of a whale shark and the dazzle camouflage used on ships during wartime. This vessel symbolizes future technologies, a transportation system for populations yet to come, with a design that reflects both the past and the future. As visitors enter the Museum, they will step into a landscape of towering hoodoos—rock spires formed by natural erosion—and become active participants in the evolving installation, adding new elements to the 3D landscape. At NCM, we believe art is an active, dynamic experience, and this exhibition encourages visitors to be the creators, shaping and transforming the space day by day. ✨ Cannupa’s work can be seen in museums worldwide, but this installation is uniquely site-specific and deeply rooted in community collaboration. His family has played an integral role in the creative process, making the project even more meaningful. We are honored to collaborate with Cannupa on this inspiring exhibition, designed to challenge and engage young minds. Join us on November 16! 🗓️ https://lnkd.in/g88qwXxh

What an incredible weekend at NCM with our latest Read Local author visit with Dr. Joy Francisco! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us. 📚✨ Not only did we dive into Joy’s latest book, Kili-Kili, but we also enjoyed a series of enriching activities. We sang songs, cracked riddles to learn Filipino body parts, marveled at traditional clothing, and got hands-on with some fun crafts—creating paper dolls and our very own “sipa” (a traditional Filipino kicking game). For those who want to keep up with Joy’s latest books and upcoming events, be sure to follow her on Instagram @littleyellowjeepney

Explore the magical art of mask-making in our latest workshop - offered twice daily in our Innovators LAB! ✨ Discover the rich traditions and cultures that use masks for storytelling, celebrations, and more - then let your imagination run wild and create your own masterpiece! Friendly reminders about the Innovators LAB: 🔺Participants must be ages 6 and up for safety purposes. 🔺Capacity is 8 children for the guided workshop. 🔺Workshop sign-up is located at the Innovators Lab; there are no advanced reservations. 🔺Morning sign-up starts at 9am until full, and the workshop starts promptly at 10:30am. 🔺Afternoon sign-up starts at 1pm until full, and the workshop starts promptly at 2:30pm. #ThinkPlayCreate

Thank you to all the educators who joined us for our two-day program, "Seeding Speculative Futures: Educators Institute", inspired by the writings and work of Octavia E. Butler! Together, we explored how speculative fiction can inform our work as educators and worldbuilders. 🌱 ✨ Led by Dr. Ayana Jamieson, curator of "Octavia E. Butler: Seeding Futures", and Andrea Fullington from The Black School, this collaboration with The New Children's Museum created space for dreaming and planting seeds for our collective futures. Educators shared their appreciation, with one remarking, "I'm so thankful for the space... provided to honor and grow with Octavia's legacy but also with each other." Another expressed, "Thank you for fostering a space abounding with creativity, vulnerability, and possibility." We are excited to continue this journey of dreaming and imagining better futures, and we’re grateful for everyone who helped make this experience so impactful! 📚 🎉

Calling all upper elementary and middle schoolers and their families! 🎉 Join us for our next 🌱 Seeding Futures: Author Visit on November 9 from 10am-12pm featuring Nisi Shawl (they/them), author of Speculation! 💫 This free event will include a reading and Q+A by the author, an art activity led by our NCM team and attendees will receive a take-home art kit! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/47OwdC3 📚 About the book 📚 After Winna’s little sister breaks her glasses, Winna’s grandfather gives her an old-timey pair of spectacles that belonged to her great-aunt Estelle. The specs are silver with tiny stars, and best of all, they’re magic: when Winna makes a wish, the spectacles grant it. After Winna wishes that she could see ghosts, she meets ancestors who draw her into a complex mystery with high stakes: if she can find a missing relative, she can lift a curse that threatens her entire family. ✨ Museum admission is included with free registration to this book signing event, and the first 10 registrants will receive a complimentary copy of the book (limit 1 per family)! Joyride Bookshop will also be selling copies of Speculation. ⚡ This book is geared towards upper elementary and middle school students, but welcome to all! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/47OwdC3 ℹ️ Please note: Our Sensory Friendly Morning will be taking place on the same day from 9am-11am. Due to limited capacity for that program, Seeding Futures Author visit attendees are welcome to enter the Museum after Sensory Friendly Morning is over. ............................................. Funding for "Octavia E. Butler: Seeding Futures" is provided in part by Prebys Foundation, Getty, National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the NEH, and the City of San Diego. Special thanks to the Octavia E. Butler Estate, Octavia E. Butler Enterprises for in-kind support.

Reminder ‼️ This weekend, join Joyride Bookshop inside The New Children's Museum on October 12 from 11am-12pm for the next Read Local Author Visit with Joy Francisco, Ph.D. (she/her)! 📚 Joy will be reading her picture book, KILI-KILI, and signing copies for you to take home! This interactive book is your fun and colorful guide to mastering body parts and clothing terminology in Filipino. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your skills through vibrant illustrations! 📍 The reading and signing will take place at Joyride Bookshop inside The New Children’s Museum. Registration for this event does not include admission to The New Children’s Museum. Register here: https://bit.ly/3BfwDoV See you there!

Huge thank you to all who attended our latest 🌱 Seed-To-Tree Workshop, "Playful World Building" with Robert Karimi (he/they)! 💫 Participants of all ages had an inspiring time coming together to explore new dimensions of storytelling inspired by the visionary work of Octavia E. Butler and the whimsical imagination of authors like Laura Harjo and Jorge Luis Borges. 📚 We loved seeing everyone’s creativity come to life, from crafting new storylines to building universes through games, where anything is possible. Special thanks to Robert for leading us on this playful journey and helping us deepen our understanding of world-building and imaginative play! 📆 Did you miss this workshop? Visit our website calendar to see what's coming up next at NCM: https://lnkd.in/gqp_snFp

It's #FreeRideDay with San Diego MTS! Today, you can hop on public transportation for FREE to come visit The New Children’s Museum! 🎈🎨 Experience a day filled with fun, creativity, and exploration without any cost for your ride. 📍 NCM is located at 200 W. Island Avenue, in between Front and Union. Public transportation is available on the MTS Trolley Green Line and on the MTS Bus. Closest MTS Bus Stops: 🚌 1st Ave. + Broadway (Routes 2, 7, 11, 30, 50, 110, 150, 215, 235, 280, 290, 901) 🚌 4th Ave. + G St. (Route 3) 🚌 1st Ave. + G St. (Routes 11) Free Ride Day is held in conjunction with California Clean Air Day, a time for residents across the state to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions. 💚 Learn more about Free Ride Day: https://lnkd.in/es2jUMG

KIDS FREE OCTOBER starts today🥳 and there’s no better place to experience the magic than at The New Children’s Museum! ✨ Every Wednesday this October, youth 17 and under can enjoy FREE admission with a paid adult. Dive into our interactive exhibits, creative art-making stations, and engaging play spaces! 🖍️🎨 🌈 Endless fun and hands-on activities await kids of all ages—whether it’s painting, building, or even crafting your own art to take home! To redeem this KIDS FREE offer you must present the coupon 🎫 when you check in at the front desk. Get the coupon here: https://bit.ly/3ZFXwfT *NCM’s offer is valid on Wednesdays only; October 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, and cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. #ThinkPlayCreate #KidsFree

Join us on Thursday, November 7, from 6–10pm for a special evening with acclaimed artist Cannupa Hanska Luger (he/him). Known for his impactful work in Indigenous Futurism and social justice, Luger has captivated audiences around the world and is currently developing an installation for The New Children's Museum, set to debut this November. ✨ This fundraising event will include a cocktail reception, a curated seated dinner, and a personal artist talk in our newly expanded studio space! Sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are available now. Honorary Committee tickets are on sale beginning Monday, October 7. Space will be limited. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3XGm5Xr We hope to see you there! #ThinkPlayCreate #ShapingTomorrow #ArtandInnovation