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Assignment #1: Mayor’s Office Project

Enter your name, the date, and for each question or statement, enter your response in the space provided below each one.

Your name: MacKenzie Smiddy Date: 3/2/2017


1. Name and location of institution

The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum in St. Louis, MO.

2. What is the purpose and role of the institution in its environment?

The Magic House is a not-for-profit children’s museum located in St. Louis, Missouri. They provide immersive, hands-on
experiences for children and caregivers that are both fun and educational. The Magic House also maintains dozens of
community partnerships, collaborating frequently with schools, libraries, local businesses, and other nonprofit
organizations to reach children across the Greater St. Louis area.

3. What are some principles or values the institution upholds?

The mission statement of the Magic House is as follows, “The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum will engage all
children in hands-on learning experiences that spark imagination, pique curiosity, enhance creativity and
develop problem-solving skills within a place of beauty, wonder, joy and magic.”

4. Describe the user base (number of annual users, demographic description, types of affiliation (members, card
holders, etc.).

The Magic House receives approximately 560,000 visitors per year. Although the museum is open to everyone, their
primary demographic consists of young children and their caregivers/teachers. The standard admission is $11, but lower
rates are offered for groups, seniors, and other special parties. A Family Membership can be purchased for $160 and
provides a household with annual free admission along with a 50% discount to other museums in the Association of
Children’s Museums (ACM) Reciprocal Network. Other special memberships include Supporter and Sustainer
memberships, which cost $250 and $500 annually, respectively. These members receive special perks such as invitations
to galas and their name listed in the annual report.

5. Describe the sources of funding for the institution.

The Magic House receives funding via ticket sales and donations. The Magic House includes a list of donors on their annual
report, with families and individuals who donate at least $10 having their name listed. Dozens of businesses, such as
Ameren, Express Scripts, and MasterCard, also donate yearly to the Magic House.

6. Describe or draw the organization structure of the institution.

Like most nonprofit organizations, The Magic House has a Board of Directors comprised of approximately 40 individuals.
Both the Board of Directors and the President’s Council help advise the director of the Magic House or approve certain
policy changes and special projects. There are additional supporting committees such as the Friends Committee,
Technology Committee, and several more. The Board of Directors, President’s Council, and supporting committees are
comprised of community leaders and area professionals. Under the Magic House President are the various department
directors like the Director of Facilities, Director of Human Resources, Director of Design and Exhibit Development, and
more. Each of these directors has a department that they manage.

7. Identify 3 issues or trends affecting your institution’s operations.

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Issue 1 Increased Cultural Diversity: St. Louis is a culturally diverse region, and the population of foreign-born
residents has been steadily increasing (Fenske, 2016).

Issue 2 Economic Inequality: Wealth and income gaps continue to rise in the United States (ALA,2014). 30% of St.
Louis’s population is living below the federal poverty line (www.city-data.com, 2015).

Issue 3 21st Century Learning: Children will need to be prepared to function in our increasingly tech savvy and global
society (IMLS, 2009).

8. What will the institution need to consider in order to address these trends and issues?

The Magic House will need to keep the city’s changing demographics in mind as they create and implement new policies,
programs, and initiatives. For example, they may need to create programming specifically for ESL classrooms or develop
new partnerships with local nonprofits that serve immigrant families. Furthermore, continuing outreach to impoverished
or underserved areas of the community and providing free or low-cost field trips to schools gives all students a chance to
participate. The Magic House will also need to offer programming that better prepares children to become global citizens.
Programs focusing on technology, problem solving, multiculturalism, health literacy, etc. will need to be offered both on-
site and through outreach/classroom visits.

9. What will happen if they are not addressed?

If these issues are not addressed by The Magic House, they may see a decrease in the amount of cultural and economic
diversity amongst museum visitors or a decrease in visitation overall. Furthermore, not addressing 21st century learning in
their programming or exhibitions may lead to knowledge gaps in the community as well as a loss of community
partnerships. Organizations dedicated to STEM, health literacy, and other modern skills may pass over The Magic House in
lieu of other information organizations if they notice that these skills are not being integrated into their programming.

10. Are those trends likely to affect other information institutions that are geographically located nearby? (Note
similarities and differences, potential competition/collaboration between your institution and other information
institutions in the community).

These trends are certainly affecting other information institutions in the area. For example, both St. Louis County Library
and St. Louis Public Library currently offer multilingual materials and programming, outreach visits to schools in low-
income areas, and free public events that are open to individuals of all cultural and economic backgrounds. If economic
disparity continues to increase in this area, the public library may have an advantage over The Magic House in that it does
not charge admission. Other free institutions, such as the Saint Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center, or the Saint Louis
Art Museum may also have an advantage. Still, the focus of The Magic House is on collaboration and not competition. For
example, the Magic House has provided the St. Louis County Library with many years of low-cost STEM programming at its
20 branches. As these trends continue, I predict The Magic House will consider its collaborations with other information
institutions all the more critical.

11. How are these 3 issues or trends affected by the values and ethics of this institution?

Fortunately, it seems like The Magic House is confronting these issues in a positive, proactive way. In February 2017, in
partnership with the International Institute of St. Louis and the St. Louis Mosaic Project, The Magic House invited 20
refugee families to come and engage in hands-on learning experiences. Furthermore, The Magic House has a special
initiative called Access for All, which provides classroom visits, museum field trips, and other opportunities to children
with special needs or who are living below the federal poverty line. The Magic House is also addressing 21st century skills

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by offering exhibits such as Children’s China, an exhibit about the modern lifestyles and cultural traditions of China – and
Children’s Village Market, a health literacy exhibit that uses dramatic play to teach children about food and nutrition. The
actions of The Magic House are currently reflecting the values and principles outlined in their mission statement.

12. Given these 3 trends or issues, what expertise and skills or competencies do employees in the institution need to
address these trends while fulfilling the institution’s mission?

Given these three trends, The Magic House must have employees that value inclusivity, diversity, and immersion-based
learning. They need to be aware of the cultural and economic diversity of the St. Louis region, as well the various
challenges it brings. Furthermore, employees of The Magic House must have an understanding of child development.
Understanding how children learn and knowing how to make learning fun and engaging is paramount when designing
exhibits, planning classes, or presenting outreach programs. Employees would also need to be aware of the wide variety
of nonprofits, community centers, information organizations, and local businesses in order to develop community
partnerships – a key component of The Magic House’s operations.

13. Recommendation?

Yes. The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum is a vital resource in the St. Louis area. It provides children and
caregivers with immersive, hands-on experiences that inspire creativity, problem solving, and a love of learning. The Magic
House collaborates with dozens of local nonprofits, schools, community centers, and libraries across the area to provide
free or low-cost programming to all children, regardless of ability, economic status, or cultural background. Furthermore,
its STEM programming and other interactive exhibits help prepare children for an increasingly technological and global
society.

14. Resources consulted

 American Library Association (ALA). (2014). ALA Trends Report: Snapshots of a turbulent world.
 Fenske, S. (2016, September 16). St. Louis Shows Biggest Gain in Foreign-Born Population of 20 Largest Metros.
Retrieved from http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2016/09/20/st-louis-shows-biggest-gain-in-foreign-
born-population-of-20-largest-metros.
 Pastore, E. (2009). The Future of Museums and Libraries: A Discussion Guide (IMLS-2009-RES-02). Institute of
Museum and Library Services. Washington, D.C.
 St. Louis, Missouri (MO) Poverty Rate Data: Information about poor and low income residents. (2015). Retrieved
from http://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-St.-Louis-Missouri.html
 The Magic House. (2016). A wonderful year: 2015 annual report. Retrieved from
https://www.magichouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2015-Annual-Report.pdf.
 The Magic House. (2017). The magic house welcomes immigrant families to St. Louis [Press release]. Retrieved
from https://www.magichouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2.17.-II.Mosaic-Project.pdf.

URL of the presentation

https://presenter.kent.edu/playbacknew.php?playthis=6m1gi567

Space for script

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The Magic House, established in 1979, is a nonprofit children’s museum located in St. Louis, MO dedicated to providing
hands-on, immersive experiences for children and caregivers. The museum receives over 560,000 visitors per year and
standard admission is $11. Funding for The Magic House comes from ticket sales and donations. In addition to the
museum, The Magic House has a thriving outreach program and maintains dozens of community partnerships across the
Greater St. Louis area. Its mission statement is as follows: “The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum will engage all
children in hands-on learning experiences that spark imagination, pique curiosity, enhance creativity, and develop
problem-solving skills within a place of beauty, wonder, joy, and magic.”

Three trends affecting The Magic House’s operations are increased cultural diversity, economic inequality, and 21st
century learning. St. Louis is a culturally diverse region and the population of foreign-born residents is rising steadily.
Wealth and income gaps are also on the rise across the United States. In St. Louis, 30% of residents live below the federal
poverty line. The Magic House will need to keep the city’s changing demographics in mind as they plan and present new
policies, programs, and initiatives. Lastly, The Magic House will need to shift their focus towards 21st century learning skills
to ensure that all children in the community become competent members of our increasingly global and tech savvy
society. These trends are no doubt affecting other information institutions in the area. For example, the St. Louis County
Library has started a STEM initiative called STArt @ Your Library, which exposes children to free science, technology, and
cultural appreciation programs – including those hosted by The Magic House.

Luckily, The Magic House seems to be addressing these issues head-on and with enthusiasm. For example, in February
2017, The Magic House hosted a welcome night for 20 refugee families that recently moved to the St. Louis area.
Furthermore, The Magic House has a special initiative called Access for All, which provides classroom visits, museum field
trips, and other activities to children with special needs or living in poverty. The Magic House is also addressing 21st
century skills by offering exhibits such as Children’s China, an interactive exhibition about the modern lifestyles and
cultural traditions of China – and Children’s Village Market, a health literacy exhibit that uses dramatic play to teach
children about food and nutrition. Another exciting program is the Make-It Workshop, a makerspace program where
children can test designs and use a 3D printer. The actions of The Magic House are currently reflecting the values and
principles outlined in their mission statement.

The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum is a vital resource for the St. Louis area. It provides children and caregivers
with immersive, hands-on experiences that inspire creativity, problem-solving, and a love of learning. The Magic House
collaborates with dozens of local nonprofits, schools, community centers, and libraries to provide free or low-cost field
trips and outreach to all children, regardless of ability, economic status, or cultural background. Furthermore, it’s
programming and interactive exhibits help prepare children for a globalized and STEM-driven society. There is no doubt
that The Magic House will thrive in our changing information environment.

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