KID Museum is an emerging children's museum with the goal of empowering kids to become creative problem-solvers of tomorrow through hands-on, STEM-based learning.
Founded by Cara Lesser in 2011, the museum is currently based out of the Davis Library in Bethesda, Maryland, serving 55,000 children and students annually with school ground visits, after school programs, weekend workshops, and summer camps.
I joined the KID Museum team in 2013, first as a volunteer, then as a marketing intern. Working with Cara on KID's very first events and proposals, and later with several Directors of Marketing as the museum grew, I designed brochures, produced documentaries, and captured thousands of stock photos and videos for its marketing efforts.
Postcard design for fundraising in 2013.
Grant Proposals and Legislative Events
In 2013, KID Museum was still working with local councils and donors in attempting to establish a physical space at which programming and camps can be offered regularly.
The opening of the Davis Library location marked a major step in the museum's long-term goal of establishing a permanent space in the DC Metro region.
During this phase, I attended various openings and ceremonies, and captured images of KID Museum's sponsors and supporters for use in further applications and proposals.
Event Recaps
By 2014, the museum's marketing efforts began focusing on outreach to families and schools. We began collaborating with existing children-oriented STEM organizations and events.
I documented these events, capturing moments of kids engaging with hands-on explorations and activities. These documentations included both photos and videos.
Maker Faire Silver Spring 2014
My biggest project at KID Museum was the documenting of the Maker Faire at Silver Spring.
In conjunction with Maker Magazine, KID Museum brought together dozens of organizations, including Discovery Channel, NASA, and Montgomery County Public Schools, as well as local performers and bands, to create a spectacular hands-on experience of art, science, technology, craft, and engineering.
My task was to create a 3-minute Recap video that would communicate both the scope of the event — 50+ talks and demonstration across four stages, 90+ booths, and 14,000+ attendees — and feature soundbites from important sponsors (such as Congressman Chris Van Hollen) that would be present at the event’s reception.
As the Maker Faire spanned several city blocks, I spent weeks putting together three teams, each consisting of a video op, sound op, and interviewer. We prepared specific questions for each interview target, and analyzed the event schedule for what kind of visuals we could get at what time. On the day, the three teams worked concurrently across the Faire.
Both the Maker Faire and recap video were resounding successes. KID Museum would go on to be the official host of the Maker Faire Silver Spring each year ever since.
Currently, KID Museum runs a full schedule of workshops and classes out of its Davis Library location, while plans are finalized for a permanent space in Washington DC.
