June 8, 2023 – Millikin University’s School of Theatre & Dance Design and Production students recently completed a unique “eye-spy” display at the Children’s Museum.
Students gathered specifications, brainstormed possibilities, consulted with museum staff, sourced materials within budget, and constructed original furniture and toy elements for the display located in the window nook available for viewing on the second floor.
“The display is a yellow kitchenette that playfully incorporates characters from the museum in an Eye-Spy experience of kitchen amenities. The kitchenette is full of plush toasts and vegetables smiling from the counters and a beret-clad baguette ready for dinner on the table. The toaster is also a cat, and the cheese grater is a mouse restauranteur. Museum visitors from the pandemic will recognize the utensil holder, made from the repurposed head of the robot previously on display in the same space. Even the strawberries have a personality. It’s an imaginative display that showcases the students’ skills while creating a stimulating exhibit for the children who visit.”
Director of Creative & Cheer for the Children’s Museum of Illinois, Jayson Albright, hopes this is the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration between the museum and Millikin.
“This first collaboration was a joy, and the end result was wildly imaginative,” Albright said. “We love playing with other creatives in our community, so the opportunity to work with students who focus on visually communicating a narrative was a no-brainer for us. We are crazy excited to see the results of future collaborations.”
The Children’s Museum of Illinois is located at 55 S Country Club Rd, Decatur, IL 62521. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sunday from noon-4:30 p.m. Visitors who snap a picture of the display are encouraged to tag the Millikin School of Theatre & Dance on Instagram @millikin_university_theatre or include the hashtag #Millikillinit.
