ABSTRACT
Play is vital to the work of all museums, especially those that hope to reach children. Play, after all, is what kids like best, and they spend a vast amount of their time playing by themselves and with others. Philosophers, scholars, and parents have long been aware of this, and they have come to realize that it is during play that children learn best, relate to others best, and have the most fun. A museum that does not allow, or even encourage, play will not attract children or educate them very well. Today, as children drive more and more of the decisions that family audiences make about where to go and what to do, a museum that does not appeal to children will rapidly lose audiences of all ages.
