Wednesday, May 1, 2024 the Kansas Children's Discovery Center hosted an opening reception for Picture the Dream: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement through Children's Books. Dr. Beryl A. New of the Kansas African American Affairs Coalition emceed the event, which included remarks from Dene’ Mosier, President/CEO of the Discovery Center, Mayor Mike Padilla, Arthur Affleck, Executive Director of the Association of Children’s Museums based in Washington D.C., and poet Annette Billings. The Topeka High School Honors Quintet performed throughout the event.

We were particularly pleased to host children’s museum leaders from throughout the United States, including Children's Museum of Denver, Louisiana Children's Museum, KidsQuest Children's Museum of Bellvue, Washington, Wonderscope of Kansas City, Lincoln Children's Museum, Children's Museum Tucson, and Kearney Children's Museum. The original exhibition was curated by award-winning children’s book author Andrea Davis Pinkney as a collaboration between the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Picture the Dream in Topeka was a community-led project organized by a volunteer planning council and the Kansas Children's Discovery Center team. Planning council members included Stacy Ash, Dr. Teresa Clounch, Bridget Elmer, Sarah Fizell, Connie Gibbons, Angie Grau, Dr. Mallory McIntosh, Dr. Beryl New, Kim Patton, Jade Ramsdell, Cheryl Rios, Aisha Imani Sanaa, and Glenda Washington.

Exhibit sponsors and partners include the 70th Anniversary Brown Coalition, Topeka Community Foundation, the Kokari Foundation, Visit Topeka, ArtsConnect, Topeka Public Schools, and the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library.

Picture the Dream: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement through Children’s Books delves into the events, people, and themes of the civil rights movement through children’s literature. The exhibit will be open from May 3 to August 11, 2024 and is included in the cost of regular admission. We are incredibly proud to offer this experience for families as part of a community-wide commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision.