Today, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Children’s Museum launches A Costume Adventure, an interactive adventure game inspired by the clothing portrayed in artworks from the museum’s permanent galleries. The adventure includes multiple stages, each presenting a unique challenge for children aged 4 – 10 to complete through interactive digital displays.
Open from 9 July 2019 through 31 May 2020, the interactive adventure combines education and entertainment, encouraging children and families to discover Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection through immersive multimedia, sensory and physical experiences.
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Recognising the importance of education in building a generation of future leaders for the UAE, we take immense pride in our ever-expanding cultural education initiatives. Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Children’s Museum is a prime example of our efforts to engage and inspire young minds through fostering creativity, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the world around them.”
Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “The Children’s Museum at Louvre Abu Dhabi is evolving into an important centre for arts education in the region. It offers a platform for us to experiment with new ideas about what museums can offer to families and children, inspiring their natural curiosity and making use of new technologies to offer curation that engages with young people on their own terms. A Costume Adventure is our most innovative programme to date, combining digital channels with gamified, object-based learning to create a truly exciting and unique experience.”
Catherine Monlouis-Félicité, Education and Cultural Engagement Director at Louvre Abu Dhabi, added: “As the school gates close for the summer, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Children’s Museum offers a safe environment for continued learning and fun. Our programming is designed to offer workshops, events and exhibitions for families and children of all ages. Our latest programme, A Costume Adventure, combines positive play and the power of imagination. Through a series of immersive activities, we encourage young visitors to explore how clothing is represented in some exceptional artworks and understand how other people lived throughout time, all through a fun and active indoor experience.”
Throughout history, artists have carefully chosen the clothing and accessories depicted in their work. Whether it’s Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’ hallmark cravats wrapped up to the chin or the identifiable kimonos of Utagawa Hiroshige, patterns, colours, fabrics and textures subtly convey hints to the viewer about the time, class and political context of the works and the figures portrayed.
A Costume Adventure invites children to examine the sartorial choices of figures represented in Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent galleries and think about what they could mean, through six integrated stages designed to inspire, stimulate imagination and curiosity, and spark a love of learning and critical observation.
Visitors begin by creating a personal avatar that will undergo the entire journey through interactive multimedia displays. With a wristband that records the points collected, children face a series of encounters with prominent figures represented in the artwork. Each stage presents visitors with a special mission to retrieve an item of clothing or accessory through various challenges, from drop and drag to spot the difference.
Children continue the adventure in the first floor of the Children’s Museum where they find replicas of the costumes they have discovered in the artworks to experience the inner workings of the artists’ choices, while making some of their own.
For children aged 3 years and younger, the Children’s Museum offers a specialised Toddlers’ Space, with simplified construction games using figurines, materials and rag dolls. Finally, a quiet reading area, overlooking the central promenades under the museum’s dome, holds more than 600 books, including picture books, colouring books and more, to keep kids engaged.
“A Costume Adventure is our most innovative programme to date, combining digital channels with gamified, object- based learning to create a truly exciting and unique experience.”
As part of the regular programming, the museum offers a range of activities allowing visitors to explore its collections, exhibitions and architecture in new ways. These include guided tours, workshops, master classes, conferences and talks, film screenings, family weekends and kayaking tours.
Entrance to the Children’s Museum is free with the museum’s admission ticket (AED 63). Museum’s admission is free for children under the age of 13.
For more information on A Costume Adventure or ticket bookings, please visit www.louvreabudhabi.ae or call Louvre Abu Dhabi at +971 600 56 55 66.
