The Power of Children

The Power of Children: Making a Difference is a permanent exhibition at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis that focuses on the life story of three children who had suffered hardship borne of prejudice — Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Ryan White. The exhibit is accompanied by the annual Power of Children Awards recognizing local children in grades 6–11 who have made a significant contribution to the local community. The exhibit has received critical acclaim among Museology professionals and received a 2009 American Association for State and Local History "award of merit".

Established in 2007, and targeting children aged 10–14, it "provides a safe place for families and students to explore issues of intolerance, fear, and prejudice and related historical artifacts as experienced in the lives of three children Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Ryan White." Respectively, these case studies allow children to learn about the holocaust, AIDS, and racial segregation illustrated by the experiences of the three children. The use of artifacts and immersive exhibit design (including, among other things a complete recreation of Ryan's bedroom), allow children to imagine themselves in the situation that each of the famous children faced. "[t]he stories of ordinary children in history can inspire young people today to fight prejudice and discrimination and make a positive difference in the world".

The exhibit uses the museum theater technique of first-person interpretation to make an interactive experience. Closing off a section of the exhibition space and inviting the audience to immerse themselves in the setting (in the case of the Ruby Bridges portion - by sitting in a replica classroom), an adult actor makes a 10–15 minute performance using props and some interaction. The quality of execution and educational effectiveness of this part of the exhibition has drawn particular praise from museum theorists as it "...integrate[s] live theater experiences into exhibition spaces, more naturally connecting visitors to important objects and stories".

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