Schwerin National Museum

Adventure Space

Boring. Dusty. Uncool. That’s what most kids will think about a visit to a museum. So it was a genuine challenge for us at inkl.Design when we teamed up with Schwerin National Museum to bring their art collection to life for younger visitors. Our task was to surprise and excite them. Our solution was to turn the Gallery of Old & New Masters into an adventure space, so that the children would be at the heart of the whole thing. A hands-on approach was essential.

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In the room children can let their artistic and imaginative selves run riot. Specially selected materials for do-it-yourself activities, along with brain teasers, puzzles and games, closely related to the varying exhibitions, encourage 5 to 10 year olds to get involved. They can draw, stamp, stencil, build, glue, and investigate new and unfamiliar worlds, with full artistic licence. Specially designed workstations provide plenty of spaces for all types of activity. Drawers, packed with a variety of materials inspire junior detectives and explorers to make their own journeys of discovery through play. New and appropriate materials are supplied for each different exhibition, whether just a pencil or a range of exotic spices (for the museum’s Passage to India exhibition). And of course, works produced by young artists can be immediately framed and exhibited on site.

inkl.Design his the major creative force behind every element of the adventure space, from concept, to layout and final execution. We also incorporated a characterful guide, the mischievous, moustachioed ‘Kurti’ who acts as escort and introduction to children as they find their way round the adventure space.

Our long-term collaborator BALDAUF­architektur devised the interior design and child-friendly furnishing. Every component of the furniture is specially designed for disability access and children with mobility issues.

Detailed view of the coloured canvases. The back canvas is printed with colourful scribbles. The logo of the adventure space is placed on it. On the left of the picture you can see a corner of the blue canvas with white lettering.
View into the children's adventure room. The picture presents the chest of drawers with its colourful drawers from a wide-angle perspective. Above it, several large, black pendant lights. In the background, four colourful canvases are leaning against the wall. To the right of the dresser are small cube-shaped shelves mounted in two rows against the wall. They are illuminated by adjustable silver desk lamps.
Shot of two large canvases hanging next to each other on the wall. Both show illustrations of the character "Kurti" in different settings: Riding a horse as well as posing for a painter in the Allgäu landscape. Cyan-coloured lettering is placed on the illustrations.
A close-up of the entrance tickets to the adventure space. It features an illustration of the character Kurti and the logo. Admission is free.
A sun-yellow coloured surface.
Opening of the experience space. Children stream through the entrance and break through the paper panels with which the entrance was covered before the entrance.
The picture shows a section of the room. An elongated board in portrait format with text information in a cheerful font, decorated with coloured graphic elements, is mounted on the wall on the left. On the right side of the wall is a white pin board, decorated with some children's drawings. In the foreground, a drawer is in focus, decorated with illustrations of pens, scissors, glue sticks and other office supplies. Inside, the children find all kinds of pens and paper tools.
Three children are sitting at a table and drawing. Colourful drawings are spread out on the table, with colourful felt-tip pens on top.
Detailed view of the experience room. Part of the surface of the chest of drawers can be seen, in which a hole has been made. This is marked with the word rubbish and a large magenta arrow. Around the hole there are funny pictures of things that can be disposed of here.
In the background, a detailed coloured child's drawing of various working tools, such as pens, scissors, ruler; on top, a thick wooden crayon.
A frontal exterior view of the Schwerin State Museum. It is a representative building in the style of the Greek Renaissance from 1882. The historicist architectural style, which uses above all a striking entrance portal with Ionic columns and a large staircase, is typical of this period.
The picture shows our colleague Luise setting up the experience room. She is bending over the dresser, which is decorated with a picture of our character 'Kurt'. The illustration shows 'Kurt' sitting at the table and painting a picture with a brush. On the chest of drawers are all kinds of tools needed for the construction.
Children drawing photographed from above. Colourful self-painted children's pictures are spread out on a table. Different coloured felt-tip pens are scattered on them. The children are busy drawing.
A detailed representation of the colourful scribble, which is a characteristic design element of the corporate design.
A detailed view of a drawer. It is designed with an illustration of our character Kurti and the title: Drawer for explorers. Below is a second elongated drawer designed with a colourful puzzle piece graphic.
Someone is holding a laminated card designed with colourful scribbles. It says in white writing: All white.
A sun-yellow coloured surface.
A blue coloured surface with a saying on it: "Creativity is an affair between heart and brain.

A Glance at the Room

Two pictures in portrait format show the experience space. The first picture presents the chest of drawers with its colourful drawers in the side cut. Above it are several large, black pendant lamps. In the background, four colourful canvases are leaning against the wall. To the right of the dresser are small cube-shaped shelves mounted in two rows against the wall. They are illuminated by adjustable silver desk lamps. The second picture shows our colleague Luise setting up the experience room. She is standing in front of the chest of drawers, with a large open drawer to her left. On the chest of drawers are all kinds of tools needed for the construction.
View into the children's experience room. The walls of the room are white, like a blank canvas. One wall has a white, slat-like pin board. This is where the children's self-painted pictures will be hung later. The centre of the picture is dominated by an oversized chest of drawers, which rises in a step-like manner and is equipped with many colourful drawers. Inside are lots of craft materials and instructions for the children. In front of the chest of drawers are three grass-green cube-shaped seats. In the background, four large colourful canvases, varying in height, are leaning against the wall. They are printed with quotations in funny fonts and colourful graphic elements. The room is lit by several black pendant lamps in modern industrial style.
Two detail shots of the experience space. In the first image, a blue, square canvas is in focus, presenting a quote by the artist Yoko Ono in a white, diagonally arranged, cheerful typeface. Behind the blue canvas, a slightly higher canvas can be seen. It is printed with colourful scribbles. On the left in the foreground, a corner of the chest of drawers with many colourful drawers can be seen. The second picture shows another section of the room. An oblong board in portrait format with text information in a cheerful font, decorated with colourful graphic elements, is mounted on the wall on the left. On the right side of the wall is a white pin board, decorated with some children's drawings. In the foreground, a drawer is in focus, decorated with illustrations of pens, scissors, glue sticks and other office supplies. Inside, the children find all kinds of pens and paper tools.

Corporate Design

The picture shows four colour fields (black, orange, light green, magenta) for use in the adventure space, coloured lines in the upper left corner that serve for the graphic design of individual elements and the logo of the adventure space - a white lettering composed of different types on a magenta background in the form of an opulent picture frame.
Lettering from the experience space composed of different fonts
In the background, a detailed coloured child's drawing of various working tools, such as pens, scissors, ruler; on top, a thick wooden crayon.
A close-up of an open drawer. Inside is a laminated card designed with colourful scribbles, on which is written in white cheerful script: Rediscover things, is written on it.

Character

Illustration for the temporary exhibition "Kunstraub/Raubkunst"; the figure Kurti with Napoleon hat on a horse, to the right of it the lettering
black and white illustration of the figure Kurti on a blue background, to the left the lettering "Kurti" in white
Black and white illustration for the temporary exhibition "Fluxus"; six drawn figures sit around a table, speech bubbles with the word "Art" above their heads.
Detailed view of the piece of furniture in the experience room; here the school tray, which serves as an extendable table, with a small illustration by Kurti.

Details

Photo taken during installation; on a table is a sign informing that not all areas are finished yet, plus various working tools.
Close-up of the experience room. The picture shows a drawer designed with illustrations of pens, scissors, glue sticks and other
Detailed view of the experience room. Part of the surface of the chest of drawers can be seen, in which a hole has been made. This is marked with the word rubbish and a large magenta arrow. Around the hole there are funny pictures of things that can be disposed of here.
Two children proudly hold their self-painted pictures in their hands.

Project Details

Project Scope: Exhibition concept, exhibition design, exhibition didactics, development of childfriendly contents and tasks, illustration, logo design, graphic concept, graphic design, production management, since 2014 continuous updating according to the special exhibitions
Illustration for the next project: Photo of a display of the guidance system on the right side of the image. The information on the floor and rooms can be read on it. On the left in the picture a magnificently decorated staircase

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