Can an art museum be kid-friendly?

When my daughter, Paris, was 3-years-old a friend gave her a children's book about the artist Frida Kahlo. Paris was struck by Frida's haunting paintings and sad life story. After reading the book some 50 times, I called the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, only 2 miles from our home, and asked, "Do you have any paintings by Frida Kahlo in your permanent collection?"

The answer was yes and a few hours later my daughter and I found ourselves at the museum in search of a woman with handlebar eyebrows.
Paris spotted her first. "Frida!" she screamed. "Frida! That's Frida!" Others in the gallery smiled and seemed impressed by this shrimpy toddler identifying one of Frida's world-renowned self-portraits. But of course, one person looked annoyed at Paris who was destroying the gallery's sanctuary-like quality.
We returned to the museum again and again to see Frida. An annual pass alleviated the pressure to get our money's worth and stay for hours on every visit. Paris and I often dropped by to see Frida for 10 minutes. Other times we browsed the entire permanent collection (Wayne Thiebaud's painting of cakes was another favorite).
And then one day we dropped by to say hi to our friend and she was gone. "Where's Frida?" Paris sobbed. "Where's Frida? I want Friday!" (Frida was getting ready for a traveling exhibition that would eventually make its way to San Francisco.)
Did the museum seem kid friendly on these visits? Well, yes there were changing tables in the bathrooms and a corner devoted to toys and picture books in the gift shop, but what really made the museum meaningful for Paris was the fact that I had read her a book about an artist whose work was on display. At the time, I didn't feel like the museum was reaching out to us; I felt like we were reaching out to the museum.
And then on one of our visits a museum employee directed us to the Koret Center on the second floor. Paris walked into a room with "real" ballerinas wearing "real" tutus--and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.
The ballerinas were posing for kids and their parents who were creating sculptures out of wire and clay. We had stumbled upon a Family Studio and this one was linked to the exhibit Matisse: Painter as Sculptor, which included pieces by Edward Degas who is known for his paintings and sculptures of dancers.
On this day, I learned that SFMOMA has a Family Studio on the first and third Sunday of each month, and admission is always free for families at these events. There are also Family Days in March, June, and October when all San Francisco museums, including SFMOMA, welcome kids and their parents. The programs feature hands-on art projects, gallery tours for the whole family, and a changing lineup of readings, screenings, and performances. The program is typically linked to an exhibit in the museum. During the recent Olafur Eliasson exhibit, an artist who is known for playing with light and color, Paris and I made a kaleidoscope.
Annie Lawson, manager of school, youth, and family programs, is the woman behind all of this. "We know that bringing kids to a museum at a young age can affect how they perceive institutions such as this for the rest of their life," says Lawson, with an undergraduate degree in art history and a masters in visual criticism. "Tons of studies show this." Lawson believes that kids who visit museums develop a deeper appreciation for art later in life and they're more comfortable with it.
Lawson admits that SFMOMA isn't a museum designed specifically for kids with hands-on exhibits and places to run around. But Lawson works hard to make SFMOMA kid friendly and multigenerational. "How many places can you think of in this city where all ages can interact and engage?" Lawson asks. "At our Family Studios, we see kids and parents working together on projects."
When the Frida Kahlo exhibit came to the SFMOMA I brought Paris. We started in the Family Studio where she created three Frida-esque self-portraits and turned them into a flip-it book (pictured above). And then she insisted on making another book. Finally, we made it to the exhibit upstairs, which was packed on a Sunday.
I knew we wouldn't last long because Paris hadn't eaten a thing in three hours--but we worked our way through the galleries stopping to look at a Frida with parrots perched on her shoulder and another with monkeys. Paris seemed tired and apathetic. I was disappointed by her mood since she was deeply moved by the artist in the past, even crying when Frida's self-portrait was removed from the museum.
And then as we were leaving, Paris looked at me and said, "I'm glad Frida came home." Those words were enough to assure me that our many visits to SFMOMA did mean something to her.

Have you taken your kids to an art museum? Please share your experiences.