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Proudly present
ArthurTM, Star of Popular Children’s Books and PBS Television Series Comes to South Florida
Take a virtual tour!
National touring exhibition of Arthur’s World invites children and families to share reading, imagination and fun
Davie —Arthur’s World (TM), the national touring exhibition based on the PBS children’s television series and popular Marc Brown books, will open at Young At Art Children’s Museum on June 19, 2004, and will remain until October 3. Arthur’s World uses imaginative environments to bring to life-size the characters and settings seen in the PBS series and books.
In Arthur’s World, children engage in role-playing and reading activities in their favorite Arthur settings. The exhibit includes Mr. Ratburn’s Classroom, the Elwood City Library, The Read Family Kitchen and The Backyard Sleepover. Children can even dance in front of a ChromaKey wall that inserts them into some favorite Arthur TV scenes. Fun, Arthur-related activities are designed to reinforce the messages behind the Arthur book character and television series: that being smart and into books is cool; and that kids face, and can resolve, real-life dilemmas.
The exhibit and 12-city tour are created by The Children’s Museum of Boston, in collaboration with Marc Brown and WGBH-TV, the Boston PBS station that produces the Arthur TV show, and local PBS station WPBT-TV.
“We are so thrilled to work with Marc Brown to bring Arthur’s World to South Florida,” said Executive Director Mindy Shrago. “So many children care about and identify with the Arthur characters, and we hope that by providing a place for families to experience Arthur’s World, we can help to foster a love of reading and storytelling in young children.”
Created by Brown, Arthur is an eight-year-old, who, along with his little sister D.W. and their friends and family, has been beloved by children since 1976. Today there are dozens of Arthur titles and more than 52 million books in print, and the Arthur television program airs daily on PBS. Featuring stories about the challenges of childhood (such as looking and feeling different, sibling rivalry, taking care of a pet, or making new friends), Arthur illustrates problem-solving and communication skills, as well as the importance of self-respect and respect for others.
“I’m delighted that children truly can enter Arthur’s World all over the country on this national tour,” said Brown. “I have enjoyed seeing children interact with Arthur and the stories in the Boston exhibit, and am looking forward to offering even more kids the chance to learn, grow, and best of all, have fun with him in his home environment.” (About Marc Brown.)
Entering its ninth season on PBS in September 2004, the Emmy-winning Arthur television series is ranked the one of the most popular children’s series (ages 2-11) on all of television (Source: Nielsen Galaxy Explorer and Nielsen Television Index). Each Arthur episode consists of two independent stories that focus on themes and events central to children’s lives. A live action segment featuring school children who create their own Arthur-related activities links the animated stories.
Elements of Arthur’s World include:
- Arthur’s World TV— Live from the Lakewood School Auditorium: join ArthurTM and the gang as they make their own videos. Combining actual footage from favorite Arthur shows with ChromaKey technology, children appear on a giant television screen as characters in Arthur’s World. Sing A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K and more!
- The Read Family’s home, consisting of the Read Family’s Kitchen, Backyard Sleepover and Arthur’s Tree House, offered numerous fun activities for families.
The Read Family Kitchen introduces the Read family and is a central space for family activities. Children will feel like a member of the family as they help to set the table, cook up one of Grandma Thora’s recipes or find something D.W. will eat.
- Backyard Sleepover - Capturing the excitement of a child’s sleepover, the backyard offers children all the paraphernalia of a real sleepover: sleeping bags, pillows, books and games. Children can join in the sleepover fun with Arthur, Buster and The Brain as they tell spooky stories, crawl in and out of a cluster of tents, make shadow puppets and create signs to communicate with aliens.
- Mr. Rathurn s Classroom - Join in the classroom activities with Arthur and friends as they enter a spelling bee or explore life under a microscope. Student cubbies let you peck in. Guess which one belongs to whom? Take a seat at your favorite characters desk and role-play school life with Arthur and his teacher, Mr. Ratburn.
- Elwood City Library -- Books are cool in Arthur’s World. This is Arthur’s neighborhood gathering place where children discover and explore the world of books while helping D.W. sign up for a library card, voting for their favorite Arthur book, and choosing a book Binky would like to read. A circulation desk --
complete with scanners and book drop -- plus shelves of children’s books and resource materials for parents complete the library atmosphere. It’s a great place for families to curl up for a few minutes with a book.
- Street Scenes - Stroll down the streets of Elwood City while pushing Baby Kate”’ in her buggie. You’ll pass by the popular ice cream spot, The Sugarbowl, the not-so-scary Tibble house and the City Bus Stop where one of Arthur’s pals is waiting for the next bus. While you’re strolling along, D.W. will be bouncing happily on her pogo stick.
Arthur's World is presented by Target, with major sponsorship from:
General operating support provided in part by the Board of Broward County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Visitors & Convention Bureau, and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Arthur’s (TM) World © 2004 The Children’s Museum of Boston, WGBI-I and Marc Brown. All underlying Arthur materials, including all artwork, border designs, settings for Arthur books, and Arthur characters are trademarks of Marc Brown and are used with the permission of Marc Brown and WGBH.
After Arthur's World, Young At Art's feature exhibition will be Amusement Park Science, October 19, 2004-January 16, 2005.
