" K is for Kids " at the Winterthur Museum

Friday, 21 September 2007 21:04

Winterthur, DE - From an aquarium to zoo animal cards—with a globe, an inkwell, and other objects in between—the latest exhibition at Winterthur Museum & Country Estate offers a family-friendly introduction to some of the treasures in the museum’s antiques collection while exploring early methods of reading education. K is for Kids, an alphabetical exploration of the Winterthur collection was created to appeal to a child’s sense of fun and curiosity, and is on view through July 13, 2008.

The exhibition features 45 objects from the museum’s collection, selected to illustrate the letters of the alphabet. A rhyming description accompanies most items, providing details and inviting families to read aloud. K is for Kids also provides historical background about each object, giving children and their parents a better understanding of how people lived in the past, showcasing the diverse range of Winterthur’s collection of decorative arts.

“Today, children learn the alphabet with help from a variety of media, including television and music,” said Lois Stoehr, assistant curator of education and curator of the exhibition. “Visitors will see early examples of items used to teach children to read, including hornbooks, puzzles, and rhyme books like The New England Primer , the first ABC book to present letters through pictures and rhymes.” The primer, first published in 1690, taught religion as well as the alphabet, with hymns and prayers printed alongside the letters. Nearly three million copies had been sold in the United States by the early 1880s.

K is for Kids includes a reading area featuring a variety of alphabet-themed books and a family guide with games and engaging activities. This exhibition is made possible by the generous support of DuPont; The Walter A. Bloedorn Foundation; Mrs. Patrick Healy III; the F. M. Kirby Foundation; the Laffey-McHugh Foundation; and Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP.

Winterthur Museum & Country Estate...known worldwide for its preeminent collection of American antiques, naturalistic garden, and research library for the study of American art and material culture—offers a variety of tours, exhibitions, programs, and activities throughout the year. Winterthur has been named one of the country’s “10 great places of historic proportions” by USA Today; “one of the 10 grandest mansions in America” by Budget Travel; and one of the “10 best art museums for kids” by Child magazine. Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday–Sunday. Winterthur, located on Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington, For information, including special services, call 800.448.3883, 302.888.4600, or TTY 302.888.4907. Online, visit www.winterthur.org .