COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
CMA and Riverbanks Zoo Create Partnership
The Columbia Museum of Art and
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden are embarking
upon a brand new partnership. The
collaboration provides Riverbanks families
with a new way of experiencing the CMA
through their love of animals and nature.
Riverbanks staff are excited about this
project because it represents our first major
partnership and brings significant added
value to a zoo membership. The CMA
staff initiated the affiliation to broaden the
Museum’s family audience by highlighting
all the fun ways we can bring nature,
animals, and art together.
“So many pieces in our collection have
animals in them and exhibitions like
Japan and the Jazz Age feature animals
in such unique ways,” says CMA
Director of Education Kerry KuhlkinHornsby. “Children love animals, so this
collaboration is a great way to get them to
explore art from other angles. The animals
will draw children into the art and, in turn,
the art will draw them to the animals at
Shelley Reed, Tiger
(after Landseer and Thiele)
(detail), 2007, oil on canvas,
72 x 56 in.
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columbiamuseum.org
the zoo.” The partnership showcases the
strengths of each of these major Midlands
attractions.
The CMA has created an incentive to
make it easy for Riverbanks members to
visit the CMA by providing them reduced
admission rates. Any Riverbanks member
can come to the CMA and pay only $15
for an entire family—65 percent off the
regular cost for a family of four.
Once at the Museum, families will meet
their host—the newly adopted CMA
family mascot, Gladys the Grasshopper.
Gladys, who was inspired by the nature
motifs on an exquisite Art Nouveau
armoire in Gallery 14, helps children
explore the Museum’s exhibitions and
collection through activities that make
the art come alive. Scavenger hunts for
both the Museum and Zoo will lead
children through interesting fact-finding
adventures about animals and the natural
world at both sites. Gallery guides, cool
explorer backpacks, and the TAP handheld
multimedia tour will equip them to
discover the many creatures hidden within
the CMA’s collection. Families can finish
their adventures by relaxing in the newly
refurbished Interactive Education Gallery,
where hands-on games and activities will
capture their curiosity.
“This is our first real partnership with
Riverbanks and we couldn’t be more
excited,” says CMA Deputy Director Joelle
Ryan-Cook. “The Zoo is very generous
in helping us promote the high-quality
family activities we provide for our visitors
to their community of members. We hope
the relationship between these two major
Columbia institutions continues to grow
the fun and engaging things for families to
do together around the Midlands.”
This partnership begins February 7 with
the opening of the Japan and the Jazz Age
exhibition. It is supported by Dr. and Mrs.
Nicholas K. Moore.
Tiger at Riverbanks Zoo
Photo by Richard W. Rokes