Please Touch Museum Prepares to Move in 2008

Memorial Hall, constructed to be the Art Gallery of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition and first home to the renowned Philadelphia Museum of Art, will be the new home of Please Touch Museum, the nation’s first museum for children ages seven and under. Construction is underway, as Memorial Hall undergoes historic restoration as well as building updates to prepare for the museum. As the name implies, Please Touch is a hands-on ‘first museum experience’ for kids, with child-friendly exhibits that are both educational and fun.

The museum’s new home will offer three times more space for brand-new exhibits, including bigger and better versions of Alice in Wonderland and the Supermarket, along with a newly restored carousel, ample parking and a restaurant managed by Max & Me Catering. The expanded space will help the museum fulfill its mission of enriching the lives of children by creating learning opportunities through play. Memorial Hall will also provide more space to display the museum’s collection of 14,000 historic toys and classics from the history of childhood in Philadelphia, including the original Rocket Express from the John Wanamaker toy department (1946-1984), the set from the children’s TV show Captain Noah and his Magical Ark (1967-1994), and a seasonal display of the Enchanted Colonial Village (1962-1975) from Lit Brothers department store.

Please Touch Museum at Memorial Hall opens in fall 2008. The museum is expected to serve as a catalyst for the renewal of the neighborhood now located on the old Centennial fairgrounds, dubbed the “Centennial District.” Please Touch Museum will join the Philadelphia Zoo, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, the Japanese Teahouse and Garden, Smith Memorial Playground and other attractions to form a family destination that is expected to attract approximately three million people each year.

Take a Virtual Tour of Memorial Hall: http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/memorial_hall_update/virtual_tour/