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News from the Summer Children’s Program at the Jewish Museum Berlin

Questions about a new world: “Will I have a family?”; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Jule Roehr

“We should be able to pay with our ten fingers. Then everyone would have the same amount.” Marie* (8 years old) enthusiastically promoted her idea for a better world: “That would be fair!” Luca (10) wasn’t so convinced: “How am I supposed to buy bread with my fingers?”

The 2018 Summer Children’s Program at the Jewish Museum is focused on the question: what might a new, better world look like? The starting point is Noah’s ark, a symbol for new beginnings.

Animals in the new world: “Schweinefischili” (“Fishpiggy”); Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Jule Roehr

Franziska Kahn, a philosopher who works with children, prompts them: “Let’s discuss what’s most important in a better world.” “Okay!” the children cry out and raise their hands. “Family, friends, animals”—in that exact order!

Making animated films with stop-motion technology; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Jule Roehr

Since the beginning of August at the Jewish Museum Berlin, several groups of children have been working on creative presentations of their ideas for a new, better world: in the animation workshop, a tablet with a stop-motion app is working overtime. In the theater workshop, one scene after another is eagerly developed.

Friday is showtime again at the Museum, when the next group of children will present their films and plays. We just can’t wait!

Summer Break Program 2018

Having fun in front of the Academy of the Museum; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Jule Roehr

WORLD.LABORATORY – Experiments and Visions
In week-long workshops, the children research, discover, and test out opportunities for a new world that they can create themselves. Their questions, ideas, and experiments contribute the design of the new children’s museum at the Jewish Museum Berlin (read more about the summer vacation program).

In cooperation with Jugend im Museum e.V. and with the friendly support of Freunde des Jüdischen Museums Berlin.

Nadja Rentzsch is responsible for the Summer Break Program 2018. Every day she looks forward to seeing the children and their enthusiasm.

(*The names of all children have been changed.)