Press

See PDF

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MANHATTAN ANNOUNCES NATIONAL TOUR FOR ITS “AMERICA TO ZANZIBAR: MUSLIM CULTURES NEAR AND FAR” TRAVELING EXHIBIT

Groundbreaking, Family-Friendly Exhibit Celebrating the Diversity of Muslim Cultures across NYC and the World Will Travel to Cultural Institutions in Chattanooga, Philadelphia and Louisville after it ends its Run at the Children’s Museum on Dec. 31

New York, NY – Nov. 6, 2017 – The Children’s Museum of Manhattan today announced that its America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far, a groundbreaking, interactive exhibit for children and families that explores the diversity of Muslim cultures in New York City, the U.S. and abroad, will travel to major cultural institutions in three U.S. cities after it closes at the Children’s Museum (212 West 83rd Street) on Dec. 31.

Following its run in Manhattan, where it has been seen by more than half a million visitors, making it one of the most popular exhibits ever hosted by the Museum, the exhibit will be on display at the Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee (Feb. 3, 2018 – May 13, 2018), Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Feb. 2, 2019 – Sept. 2, 2019), and The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

“America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far” was an important exhibit for our Museum and for the city of New York,” said Andrew Ackerman, executive director of the Children’s Museum. “At CMOM, we believe children learn about themselves by learning about others. Now more than ever, cultural institutions have a responsibility to celebrate and reflect the vibrant diversity of our nation. We’re grateful to our colleagues around the country who share this opinion.”

“At Creative Discovery Museum, we provide experiences that expand a child’s world,” said Henry Schulson, executive director of the Creative Discovery Museum. ‘America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far’ will contribute to our goal of fostering global awareness and welcoming visitors of all cultures and backgrounds to the Museum. We are delighted to be the first venue outside of New York to host this important and wonderful exhibit.”

“All of our exhibits, programs and events encourage explorations of family, community and the world, CMOM’s ‘America to Zanzibar’ exhibit will be a wonderful and timely addition to these efforts,” said Patricia D. Wellenbach, president and chief executive officer, Please Touch Museum.

“The beauty and joy of CMOM’s ‘America to Zanzibar’ exhibition is that it allows families to learn about and explore the multidimensional Muslim culture that the late Muhammad Ali embraced for 50 years,” said Donald E. Lassere, president and chief executive officer at the Muhammad Ali Center. “The discovery element of this groundbreaking exhibit fused well with our mission of preserving and sharing Muhammad’s legacy; promoting respect, hope, and understanding; and inspiring adults and children to be as great as they can be. We look forward to hosting this exhibit.”

The 3,000-square-foot exhibit is the fourth in the Museum’s Global Cultural Exhibition Series, following exhibits about the cultures of Ancient Greece, China, and Japan. The series celebrates the diversity of cultural expression across our world. An important part of the Museum’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of global citizens, the series offers family-friendly, hands-on experiences designed to engage the senses and appeal to a wide variety of learning styles.

Funding to create this exhibition was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, MetLife Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Open Society Foundations, The Violet Jabara Charitable Trust, El-Hibri Foundation, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, Goldman Sachs Gives, Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, National Endowment for the Arts, Maison de l’Artisan in Morocco, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan’s Board of Directors and scores of individuals.

Support for the Children’s Museum of Manhattan has been provided by the City of New York under the leadership of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl. In addition, citywide program funding has been provided by the New York City Council under the leadership of Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.

###

About the Children’s Museum of Manhattan

The non-profit Children’s Museum of Manhattan – a citywide resource for children, families, and educators – works to ensure children thrive at home, at school and in the community. Based on West 83rd Street, with over 350,000 visitors annually, the Museum creates hands-on learning environments, programs, and curricula through an alchemy of fun, research and museum science. In addition to its commitment to delight and educate visitors, the Museum offers resources and strategies for parents, caregivers, and educators to help children become lifelong learners. Thousands more New Yorkers also benefit from the Museum’s offering through its outreach programs at schools, Head Start centers, shelters, libraries, and hospitals. cmom.org