My father worked on a Natural Gas exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles as an emergency substitute when a contractor flaked. There was an oven that had a handle, when you opened it the narration said "don't open the oven during cooking" to save energy. Kids hung off this and immediately broke it, they replaced it with steel and it was broken the next day, then ended up having to put a Triangular metal piece that couldn't be hung off of because children are wild animals. This museum prior to the rebuild into the California Science Center (which I love but is just different) and the Exploratorium were amazing experiences for this as a kid. I miss the big kinetic scuplture of rolling wood balls through the electricity exhibit, the plotter that would draw out your bicycle design, the next door room full of electronic interactives of the kind that he's complaining about but early 90s style. The weird chrome McDonalds left over from the 84 Olympics. The giant ceiling mounted helmet VR exhibit (crt, no doubt) I wish I could find better photos, there's so few.

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jimmydddd 4 days ago | parent [-]

Went to the Frost Museum of Science in Miami. They had this big (6ft x 6ft) video display and four 6-inch diameter track balls where you guided a vessel through the virtual ocean or something. These two academic minded parents asked their sons (maybe 8 and 10 years old) to try the exhibit. They ran over excitely and just started pounding on the track balls with their fists as hard as they could. They of course did not understand the exhibit at all, but they had a great time! :-)

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pklausler 4 days ago | parent [-]

Maybe the parents shouldn't let their offspring go feral on the exhibits?

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loco5niner 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

As a parent with one of those kids, you never know which mode they will start off with, even with the right prompting. And yes, you correct them and steer them in the right direction and hope they will eventually learn how to behave.

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GJim 4 days ago | parent [-]

[flagged]

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anl00000007 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

One can question. It's a difficult reality sometimes though. Children have minds and bodies of their own. They mature at different rates.

Outside of taking care of a child's physiological needs, their parents are providing a small proportion of the inputs which go into a child's system of being. Peers, teachers, elder family, media, the economic system [and it's insatiable desire for consumers and tools to leverage the consumers], all conspire to forward agenda that often don't align with and support being a good citizen.

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GJim 3 days ago | parent [-]

One teaches children to enter a museum or library with wonderment and a wish to learn, yet with a degree of reverence; it isn't a playground.

If your children act the goat, not only are they disturbing others, they clearly have not be told, nor understand, why they are there.

	▲	fivestones 3 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		As a parent of more than a few kids of my own, I can say from my experience that even if you raise them all the same, some kids will understand and behave exactly the way I would hope—full of wonder and reverence—and others will act the goat, over and over. Some kids are different than others. Even in the same family. I can only imagine how much the difference might be from one family to another—even if all the parents make sure they have been told and understand why they are at those museums or libraries. Also, I’ve been using the em-dash since the late 90s.
	▲	loco5niner 3 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. Being told, understanding, and choosing to behave well are not perfectly correlated. They will choose their actions for themselves. Of course you don't allow them to continue acting that way and over the course of time try to raise responsible adults.

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loco5niner 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Ha! Yep, I question my parenting every day. Every kid is different, so yes, this is one of many norms. Before I had kids I believed as you do, but believe you me, every kid is different even inside the womb.

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jimmydddd 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Luckily, those track balls were rock solid and no worse for wear. The parents were very well intentioned and attentive and did quickly redirect the kids. But it was hilarious to see how much fun they were having before the parents stepped in. Like I bet they'll have great memories of the museum visit.

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AndrewLiptak 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

They shouldn't but they do.