The Explorium!
As the first children’s museum in Zhejiang province and one of only a few real children’s museums in China, The Explorium! introduces the concept of encouraging children to think, problem solve through trial and error, gain an understanding about cause and effect, and explore, experiment, question, investigate, manage risk, and discover with diverse materials and scenarios.
Ganymede guided the process through building integration and design of the building screen. Then they led the design process from concept through design development for the building interior and 19 innovative exhibit zones that integrate a blend of western ideas with Chinese sensibilities. For example, design drawings included a 3-story climbable sculpture, an innovative water zone, and a museum-related full-service restaurant on the 4th floor. The process involved collaborating with a Chinese design institute to edit Ganymede drawings to meet Chinese specific building codes and other requirements.
The Explorium! opened on June 1, 2024 and quickly gained national recognition as an outstanding children’s museum, receiving praise from children and families, educators, government officials, and museum peers throughout China.
Creating a sense of journey, The Explorium! integrates opportunities to investigate with process and materials throughout the innovative exhibits. Visitors joyfully engage in unscripted, purposeful play as their means of learning about the world around them.
Architect: Holly Street Studio
Photos and poster courtesy of The Explorium!
