Monkey business

Families can enjoy the colorful antics of Curious George, the rascally monkey that made his debut more than 60 years ago, in a traveling exhibit at the Children’s Discovery Center.

The exhibit is designed for kids ages 3 to 7, according to Liane Usher, director of exhibits and programs, who noted that the center chose the “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious” exhibit because of its focus on math, science and engineering.

“Today, outside of the classroom, not many children have the opportunity to engage in math and science activities that play off of their natural curiosity. Curious George provides us with a platform to get children excited about math and science,” she said. “Young children are naturally equipped to learn through observation and investigation.”

In the Apartment Building, museum goers can move Curious George on pulleys from window to window, climb the fire escape and climb inside to play with color, light and shadow. A construction site, mini golf and farm are also featured. Photo opportunities for families will be plentiful in the colorful exhibit, including a scene with George in his spacesuit, or kids can pose in the City Park with a full-size George statue.

“We hope that this exhibit will challenge and inspire children to think outside of the box and to question, experiment and problem-solve. We hope that it will show parents how they can support and encourage their child’s natural curiosity and the learning opportunities that can come from it,” Usher added.

While the kids frolic through the exuberant exhibits, adults can reflect on the history behind H.A. and Margaret Rey’s work. A retrospective area tells the story of the authors’ escape from Nazi-occupied Europe.

“They escaped on bicycle with a manuscript called ‘Fifi: The Adventures of a Monkey.’ That monkey eventually became known as Curious George,” Usher said. “There is also a collection of classic and new Curious George books and toys displayed in cases, which adults enjoy reminiscing about.”

ANAK FESTIVAL

The Children’s Discovery Center will be celebrating Anak, Filipino Children’s Day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Filipino foods, dance, music, games, crafts and storytelling will be included at the festival throughout the museum’s galleries.

The children’s museum will offer a discounted admission price of $6.50 per person during festival hours.