When visitors step into a museum, they often expect quiet halls and guarded masterpieces. But what if the welcome was just as creative as the collection itself?

At the Sid Richardson Museum, that vision has come to life. With an eye for play and a heart for learning, Jennifer Sheppard, Director of School & Family Programs, has reimagined the Museum’s Group Entry space into a dynamic, hands-on environment where sketching, storytelling, and puppet play are not only encouraged—they’re the main attraction.

In the following Q&A, Jennifer takes us behind the scenes of this transformation, sharing how the space was designed to spark curiosity, invite collaboration, and ensure that every visitor—young or young at heart—feels right at home.

 

 

What was your vision for the new space?

I’ve been imagining a playful, hands-on space where everyone can find something to do. Maybe we have a family that wants to add some activity to their visit and not worry about kids acting like kids, or a group of adults who squeeze in some sketching before their lunch plans. Any which way, my hope is that this area gives visitors the time and space to make great memories at the Museum.

 

 

What factors did you consider when planning the new space?

It’s my job to think about how we engage kids in the Museum, so I’m always brainstorming ways that we can help them connect with the collection. Providing hands-on activities is a great way to do that. But I also believe that interactive elements aren’t only for kids: grown folks want to draw and do, too! We saw this with our postcard activity during the last two exhibitions: we had just as many adults who enjoyed making postcards as we did families. So, when I was planning the activities for this space, I was trying to balance making whatever we had fun and accessible for young visitors and the young at heart.

There are some safety and logistical things that we had to keep in mind: we needed to make the magnet activity pieces big enough that they couldn’t be swallowed by a small child, for example, and the sketching station couldn’t use materials that were sharp or sticky. (Things that are sharp and sticky don’t pair well with 100-year-old art.) And we bought twistable colored pencils so employees wouldn’t have to sharpen pencils every day. That might seem like a little switch, but for the person sharpening pencils… it makes a big difference.

 

 

Walk us through fun highlights of the new space!

I love the mural that we put up: it shows one of our paintings, Utica by Charles Russell, which looks like it came right out of a Western film. It adds a bright energy to the space.

We have a sketching station because when you look at art, it’s nice to be able to make art too. The current activity is to “Sketch a Storyboard,” where visitors imagine if a work of art was a scene out of a movie and then draw what the next scene would be.

We also installed this big magnetic panel that we hope to use for all kinds of activities. This year, it has a vinyl covering to make it look like it’s the outside of a movie theater. Visitors can arrange magnets (with characters pulled from our paintings) to create movie posters.

And… puppets! These guys are already the most popular part of the room: they match the animals in Utica, so visitors can reenact and play with the action in the mural.

 

 

How do you hope the new space will impact visitors’ experiences at the museum?

I hope that it’ll help visitors make memories together! All the activities can be done solo, but they’re designed to get people being creative with friends and family. I also hope that this space helps families feel more comfortable and welcome in our corner of downtown, knowing that we have an area where they can take a break and have fun.

 

 

How do you see this space evolving over time (i.e. future plans)?

The wall color, mural, and activities will change with each exhibition, so it’ll be totally different from year to year. In the future, it might feel as if you’re in a cool, shady forest or inside an artist’s studio, with activities to match, depending on what art will be on view in the galleries. I’m already brainstorming the next design—I’m excited!

A Space to Create, Connect, and Make Memories

As the Sid Richardson Museum continues to evolve, this newly reimagined entry space stands as a joyful reminder that art isn’t just something we look at. It’s something we do, together. Thanks to Jennifer’s thoughtful and imaginative approach, visitors now have a place to pause, play, and participate in creative experiences that deepen their connection to the collection and to one another. Whether you’re sketching a Western scene, crafting a magnetic movie poster, or simply enjoying a puppet show with your friends and family, this space invites you to make the Museum your own—one memory at a time.