PolyToday: Eighth Grade Museum Block

Ever wanted to be an angel investor in a new museum? That was the fascinating subject line of an email, promising to give volunteers on campus a glimpse of what the eighth grade museum block is all about. Students first spent weeks visiting local museums and hearing from experts in the fields of museum education and museum design, and then began working on their final projects: designing their own museum. 

The campus volunteers (and there were quite a few—who can resist the siren song of Middle School creativity?) were invited to the final presentations, where we would listen to the presentations, engage with the designers, and stand ready to fund their efforts. 

As one might imagine, the visions for the museums were creative and far-ranging. The eighth grade designers proposed a Baseball museum, a museum dedicated to K-Pop, a Rock and Roll museum, a Wedding Dress museum, the official museum celebrating the television show The Office, as well as a museum dedicated to the restorative powers of sleep, the Museé des Pillows.