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Family-friendly David Macaulay Exhibition: News Release
Hands-on Activities for All Ages in David Macaulay: The Art of Drawing Architecture
The exhibition David Macaulay: The Art of Drawing Architecture features family-friendly activities that make the concepts of the exhibition accessible to a younger audience. These include kid-friendly label text, reading alcoves, activity tables, and a one-of-a-kind interactive sketchbook created by David Macaulay for the exhibition. All activities are designed for children ages six and older and accompanied by an adult.
Kid-friendly labels sprinkled throughout the exhibition encourage families to take a closer look at drawings, sketchbooks, and models and answer questions.
Reading alcoves offer a chance for families and adults to sit and read Macaulay’s books and explore some of the themes of the exhibition more deeply.
Activity tables employ low-tech, hands-on exercises to teach the primary themes of the show: visual archeology, perspective, structure, and imagination.
Reading Buildings: This exercise draws on observation questions and prompts families to take a closer look at the unique architectural elements that define mosques.
Perspective Drawing: Using Macaulay’s sketch, Locating the Vanishing Point, as a guide, visitors can practice basic techniques for using linear perspective—the foundation for drawing spatial relationships—to render buildings accurately on paper.
Quick Sketching: Using a reproduction of the Williamsburg Bridge model that Macaulay drew for The New York Times, families can practice sketching as a way to understand architectural form and engineering principles.
Imagination: Using drawings from Macaulay’s book Great Moments in Architecture for inspiration, this activity table invites visitors take common building elements and use them in unusual ways.
Interactive Sketchbook
The Museum is also pleased to offer an interactive sketchbook, designed by David Macaulay, entitled “Drawing Big.” The sketchbook encourages visitors to draw along with David Macaulay and create their own perspective sketches of the National Building Museum’s Great Hall.
The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook.
