Please Touch Museum Unveils New Permanent Exhibit for 50th Anniversary

A new permanent exhibit at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, Character Quest: Building Character Skills Through Play, will debut this fall in Memorial Hall to coincide with the museum's 50th anniversary.

According to an NBC10 Philadelphia report, the exhibit is funded by a $2.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment's Fostering Character Through Children's Museums Initiative. It aims to develop social and emotional intelligence, a growth mindset, and perseverance through interactive play.

“A grant like this is truly transformative for the museum,” Melissa Weiler Gerber, president and CEO of the Please Touch Museum, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to introduce this new exhibit as a lasting legacy of our 50th birthday year — one that we hope will give children and caregivers alike tools and experiences to understand their emotions, learn more about themselves, and connect with others.”

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a 20-foot climbing structure with rope swings, slides, climbing nets, and viewing platforms overlooking West Fairmount Park inside Memorial Hall.

Character Quest will also feature interactive elements that encourage children to collaborate through play. Olivia Thomas, the museum's chief learning officer, said the skills the exhibit seeks to teach are "critical" for helping children understand who they are.

"Through graphic displays, children and caregivers will be asked to identify and name the emotions that individual characters are feeling and expressing," she said in a statement shared with the PhillyVoice. "Additionally, mirrors and written prompts will encourage children to practice expressing their own different emotions."

In addition to the exhibit, related programming will provide caregivers with tips and tools to help children discuss emotions and manage reactions, highlighting character skills as essential for understanding self and others. The museum will also offer ongoing programs and online resources to support character development at home and in schools, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report.

The exhibit's design was created in partnership with Art Guild, Metcalfe Architecture & Design, and Studio Ludo.