This summer, ImaginOn is thrilled to host "Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!" from May 17th to August 23rd.
Explore the exhibit that introduces young children into the world of Curious George, leading visitors on a fun, meaningful adventures while emphasizing the central role that parents and caregivers play.
Based on the familiar characters in H.A. and Margret Rey’s classic stories and inspired by the animated television series on PBS KIDS, visitors can operate wheels to help George climb a building, sort and weigh fruits and vegetables at the produce stand, use science skills to putt a hole of mini golf, have their picture taken with the rocket from George’s space adventure, build a whirligig in the country, and visit the Museum within the Museum.
The 1,500 sq. ft. exhibit features:
- Apartment Building- Operate wheels to move George on pulleys from window to window. Climb the fire escape and climb inside to play with color, light and shadow.
- Sidewalk Produce Stand- Play customer or salesperson and explore shape, sorting, weighing and counting with fruit and vegetables.
- Construction Site- Design a building, make use of a bounty of building materials and get to work constructing different structures and using machines to move materials.
- City Park- Enjoy the urban green space: rest or give a hug to a full-size George and take a picture! Our youngest visitors will enjoy our busy wall activities for babies and toddlers.
- Mini Golf- Use pipes, ramps, funnels, turntables, bumpers and force to experiment with physics and engineering as you putt through three holes of mini golf.
- Space Rocket- Step up to the rocket Curious George took on his space adventure! Pose for a picture with George in his space suit and e-mail it home.
- Farm- Take a vacation to the country and visit the farm. Experience cause and effect and use wind power to move yard art like whirligigs, windmills, windsocks, and wind chimes. Build your own whirligig and care for the farm animals.
- Museum Within the Museum- Learn new things about George when you visit the Museum within the Museum. Follow H.A. and Margret Rey’s work, the escape from France to safety during World War II that saved the Curious George manuscript, and Curious George throughout the years.
Admission to the exhibit is free. The exhibit is open during ImaginOn building hours: Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (ImaginOn is closed on Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day for summer hours). For more information, call 704-416-4600 or visit imaginon.org.
Information for Groups:
Can I bring a group? Yes! Groups are welcome to visit “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” after 12 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Maximum number of 30 children and one adult chaperone for every eight students. Reservations are neither required nor accepted and entry into the exhibit is always on a first-come, first-served basis. However, if you wish to combine your visit to the exhibit with any other building-wide activity, a group visit booking is required. You can make a request at imaginon.org/calendar/group-visits.
Can a group make a reservation to visit the “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” exhibit? No, all visits to the exhibit happen on a first-come, first-served basis. Families are encouraged to take advantage of Family Time, if your schedule allows. (See below for details.)
Is there a time when the exhibit is open just for families? Yes! Family Time for the “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” exhibit is every Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. During this time, the exhibit is open just for children with their parents/caregivers. (Limit 5 children per adult.)
Can children visit the exhibit by themselves? Children under age 8 must be always with a caregiver. Caregivers should be at least 12 years old and mature enough to follow ImaginOn rules and guidelines. Chaperones are required for all groups visiting ImaginOn and the exhibit.
What if the exhibit is full when I arrive? Because visitor safety is our top priority, admittance into the exhibit is limited. This allows guests the ability to fully explore the exhibit at their own pace. If the exhibit is “full,” we have a queuing area where visitors can wait to enter the exhibit on a first-come, first-served basis. We have suggested activities to pass the time while you are in line.
What age group is the exhbit intended for? "Curious George: Let's Get Curious!" will best be enjoyed by children 3-7 years old and their caregivers.
The summer exhibit at ImaginOn is funded through the Library’s Humanities Endowment Fund, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.