October 26, 2005
Visiting Mister Rogers at Dennos
By
Herald staff writer
It's a beautiful day in the Dennos Museum neighborhood. Visitors to the museum center have the opportunity to visit the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood hands-on exhibit, on display through January 8.
The exhibit features replicas of the Neighborhood of Make Believe, Mister Rogers' house -- complete with cardigan sweater and sneakers -- and the Neighborhood Trolley, each with activities for the young at heart.
A treasure chest full of costumes and puppets inspires four-year-old Paige Matthais of Leland and her friend four-year-old Gabby Pampu of Traverse City to put on a puppet show featuring King Friday and Queen Sarah in the King's castle puppet theater while five-year-old Jacob and three-year-old Rosemary Salgat take a ride on the Neighborhood Trolley.
Other displays feature Lady Elaine Fairchild's Museum Go-Round, Daniel Tiger's Clock and Mister Rogers' closet where visitors can try on replicas of Mister Rogers' red sweater and blue sneakers with white laces. All the while, favorite episodes of the children's classic television show play on monitors throughout the exhibit.
"This is so nice. The show was just pure, good, wholesome entertainment. This is fun to share with my daughter," said Sherry Weir who brought her six-year-old daughter Angela to see the exhibit.
"I grew up watching the show and now Angela likes it too," Weir said.
The hands-on exhibit, created by The Pittsburgh Children's Museum in collaboration with Family Communications and a grant from the Grable Foundation, is being presented at the Dennos Museum Center in cooperation with the Great Lakes Children's Museum and WCMU public television.
"We were very lucky to get this exhibit. It was a unique opportunity that came at just the right time," said museum director Gene Jenneman.
The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. For more information, call 995-1055.