Press Release
The Children's Museum of the Lowcountry (CML) is pleased to announce a pledge from the Pearlstine Foundation to provide funding for a Center Stage in the Speak Loud! studio, one of the new exhibits coming to the museum. These funds will support the museum's Make & Believe campaign that will provide cutting-edge experiences in the arts and sciences designed especially with children, their caregivers and educators in mind.
“The Children's Museum of the Lowcountry is honored to celebrate the Pearlstine family legacy with a named space within the new Speak Loud! exhibit,” said Nichole Myles, Executive Director of the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry. “The all new Center Stage will be the focal point in the Speak Loud! studio and will spark the imagination of children by providing them with a space to bring their stories to life. This play-based learning opportunity may help some children discover a passion for work behind the scenes or a role on center stage. We know that providing these experiences will support children more broadly in their growth and development of critical skills.”
The Speak Loud! studio will provide an experiential and experimental space that illuminates the diverse technical skills and processes required to create a theatrical performance. Speak Loud! celebrates creative self-expression in all forms. Characters and settings will be brought into reality as visitors create costumes and set pieces together. A puppet maker studio will allow visitors to build with materials and infuse personality into their own constructed characters. Finally, opportunities to perform on the Center Stage and two other stages will stoke confidence and verbal skills as stories take flight. Whether developing a passion for work behind the scenes, or a role on center stage, Speak Loud! will provide open-ended opportunities for unique outcomes that are sure to bring the house down.
“Research indicates that children learn best through play,” says Myles. “Play nurtures creativity, curiosity, resiliency, problem solving, social and collaborative abilities. Children who are exposed to quality play experiences develop memory skills, early language skills, and are able to regulate their behavior, leading to enhanced school adjustment and academic learning.”
The Speak Loud! studio is one of nine new state-of-the-art exhibits planned as part of the Make & Believe campaign to re-imagine the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry. CML announced the $6.2M capital campaign in May 2019. The museum is currently seeking contributions to bring the campaign to a successful conclusion. For more information and to donate, visit www.exploreCML.org/make-and-believe.
