Journey of Water
A multipart interactive storytelling experience with the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus.
Designed to introduce kids and their caregivers to the complexities of water in the west, Journey of Water is a three part interactive story time that takes participants on a quest to reunite the land with the water.
01
gold mining
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When settlers started moving from the east into Colorado, many were in search of this shiny, valuable metal called gold because it could make them richer than they ever dreamed.
However, gold mining took a lot of water. So much water in fact that they had to start changing the paths of the rivers and streams so the gold mines could get all the water they needed.
Because of this, the miners decided that water should be something to own, not to share, and they started making laws about who could and could not use the water. This allowed some people, like the gold miners, use a lot of water and left some people with no water at all.
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Item description
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Participants are invited to gold pan in a kiddy pool. Depending on the age of the participants, they are given something specific to pan for (ECE to look for big jewels, older kids to find a small pyrite). Once they find it, the prospector congratulates them tasks them to bury it for the next gold miners.
The prospector then tells the participant that gold mining was one big way that water changed in Colorado, but to talk to the bison on the hill to hear their side of the story.
02
the bison
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When people searching for gold came, the bison noticed they were making water move in different pathways. At the same time, the new humans began to hunt the bison so much that the bison were beginning to disappear. This was confusing for the bison, because in the past humans who shared the land had always respected and protected bison as their main food source.
As more bison disappeared, the new humans brought a new animal to the land to feed their families instead. They called this animal a cow and the cows were not from this land. Because they weren’t from this land, the new farmers had to start growing special food for the cows.The food the cows ate needed a lot more water than the Colorado sky provided. So the bison saw more and more water being taken from the rivers to raise the cows. Additionally, the new cow food didn’t have deep root systems, meaning the land lost its underground connection system making it unstable.
This water has changed a lot in recent history, and that is worrisome for the health of all living beings including bugs, birds, fish, and even humans because water brings life to all forms.
The bison knows the land misses the water. Can the participants help reconnect them?
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The bison is a calm and wise character who will invite participants to quietly sit and feel the textures of the rabbit brush and ground, smell the leaves, and listen for birds or other life. The bison sees the impact that the settlers have had on the land and is concerned for life in all forms. The bison believes that the land misses the water and thinks participants can help.
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Participants are invited to gold pan in a kiddy pool. Depending on the age of the participants, they are given something specific to pan for (ECE to look for big jewels, older kids to find a small pyrite). Once they find it, the prospector congratulates them tasks them to bury it for the next gold miners.
The prospector then tells the participant that gold mining was one big way that water changed in Colorado, but to talk to the bison on the hill to hear their side of the story.
03
the sky
Design Process
Interactive Storytelling Format Development
This is the first experience of it’s kind at the Children’s Museum of Denver. While the story is cohesive, each component is designed act as a stand alone activation creating a four in one facilitation guide.
This format was iteratively designed with the intention of it being replicated in future interactive storytelling programs.
Characterization
This program was the pilot for the Children’s Museum new engagement style which has educators and play facilitators drop into character.
Using a mixture of technical knowledge, script writing, and improv, the characters bring the experience and story to life.
Scaled Programming
This story was designed to be scalable to all audiences and ages. By using clear language and engaging activities, both children and their care givers are able to engage with a complex concept in a simple and accessible way.
Shared Ownership
Journey of Water was developed and tested via collaboration between the museum’s Community Programs Team and Outdoor Experiences Team. Museum leadership and exhibits team provided feedback through the process.
This shared ownership ensures that the program and its format will outlast and one designer or educator and that it aligns with the museum’s education goals and brand.
Design process