CURIO

Despite museums’ efforts to welcome families through innovative programming, many still struggle to create sustainable engagement beyond isolated visits. This challenge is particularly pressing given the current educational landscape’s emphasis on STEM subjects at the expense of arts education, leaving a significant void in children’s exposure to and engagement with art. While museums are uniquely positioned to fill this educational gap through situational learning, the lack of scaffolding touchpoints for families outside museums creates significant barriers to entry, particularly for those without prior art exposure.

How might we initiate and sustain a cycle of family engagement with art museums?

But what if discovering art was as exciting as building a collection of trading cards? Imagine the thrill of finding new pieces, the joy of sharing discoveries, and the pride of growing a collection over time — now reimagined for family art exploration. CURIO transforms these familiar collecting experiences into meaningful encounters with art through an innovative ecosystem of physical cards and digital tools that encourage open-ended investigation and sustained engagement with art museums. Drawing from principles of Active Prolonged Engagement, CURIO creates an environment where families can explore art at their own pace, following their curiosity and making personal connections with artworks through observation and discovery.

Final Design

CURIO is built around two main elements: the Curio Kit and the Curio App. The Curio Kit features tactile cards designed to spark open-ended exploration and investigation of paintings and exhibits. Rather than prescribing specific interpretations, the cards provide flexible prompts that encourage families to notice details, make connections, and develop their own unique perspectives on the art. Parents and children can document their discoveries by photographing their interactions, making each visit more engaging and personally meaningful.

The Curio App extends this investigative approach beyond museum walls by providing a space for families to reflect on and build upon their experiences. Photos and observations can be saved to personalized profiles, creating a growing collection of art discoveries. Through a public gallery feature, families can share their unique interpretations and gain inspiration from others, fostering a community of active art explorers. This platform creates multiple pathways for engagement that flow naturally between home, school, and museum environments.

By emphasizing active investigation and discovery, CURIO transforms traditional museum visits into dynamic family experiences that spark curiosity and sustain engagement over time. Through its thoughtfully designed physical-digital ecosystem, CURIO makes art exploration more accessible and appealing to families, inviting them to develop lasting connections with art through their own process of discovery and interpretation. This approach helps build a community of confident art explorers while making artistic discovery an integral part of family life.