Reading Public Museum: Collections and Exhibitions

Collections and Exhibitions

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October 1 – December 31, 2011

Family-Style Opening Reception - Friday, September 30 - 5-7 p.m.

Light snacks and refreshments will be served and special activities are offered for children throughout the evening. Prices for the evening are Members: $10/Adult, $5/Child, $30/Family of 5; Non-Members: $15/Adult, $10/Child, $50/Family of 5.

Where can you play the stock market, run your own lemonade stand, put your face on a million dollar bill, and see samples of currency from pounds to pesos? In Moneyville, that's where!

Moneyville uses the fascinating subject of money to build math skills and promote economic literacy in a fun, immersive setting. The colorful city includes a credit union, store, anti-counterfeiting lab, stock market, and a shipping dock. Hands-on activities range from creating your own "money" to exploring anti-counterfeiting measures to seeing what a million dollars looks like. Throughout the exhibit, you'll discover how money is made, spent, earned, and saved, and how it connects people around the world. You can explore the history, science and culture behind monetary systems and start to see money in a whole new way.

In today's shaky economy, building a strong foundation of math skills has never been more important. The average American carries nearly $9,000 in credit card debt, according to a 2001 report by the Consumer Federation of America, and consequently the average U.S. family is spending more than $1,000 per year in interest and fees. The number of personal bankruptcies reported annually is on the rise. Obviously, everyone stands to gain from learning how to be more money-savvy. And where do these smarts begin? By establishing solid math skills at an early age. A recent study by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics reveals that many students are not learning the mathematics they need in school. That's where Moneyville comes in. Whiz-bang computer games, a multitude of video screens, and eye-popping graphics engage kids (and their parents) in a variety of hands-on activities that show them that using math is fun.

They see that the system of economics is really about making choices and learning from the consequences of those choices, and they leave the exhibit with valuable problem-solving skills they can use every day.

The exhibition features over 15 interactive components in five thematic areas:

The Money Factory
Find out how money is made, explore the history of money, put your face on a million dollar bill, explore security measures used in U.S. currency, and use high-tech equipment to find fake bills in an anti-counterfeiting lab.

The Credit Union
Discover how compound interest can really add up, and see what a million dollars looks like. At the Kids Credit Union, children learn math basics and role-play with oversized coins in a kid-sized teller window.

To Market, To Market
Learn about supply and demand as you run a "lemonade stand" and see how long you can stay in business. Take the floor of a simulated stock market and compete with other day traders as you watch the flashing ticker board. Younger visitors open shop at the Kids Market, complete with play money, fruit and vegetables, and produce scales.

Dollars and Sense
Try your hand at balancing your budget between needs and wants. Learn about the real cost of credit and discover how your budget savvy can help you in the real world.

Global Trade
Explore the interdependence of international trade and markets, the role of trade in world cultures, and how wealth is distributed around the world. Guess the mystery imports inside shipping crates and view a display of families and their possessions from around the world.

Moneyville is was made possible by the generous support of the National Science Foundation, the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation and The NASDAQ Stock Market Educational Foundation, Inc. The exhibit was created and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

"MONEY SMART" WORKSHOPS

• Teaching Children About Money (for parents) - Friday, October 21 - 6 p.m. - It's never too early to teach children about money management. Learn how to teach children of all ages about these skills. Cost: Free to Museum Members/cost of Museum admission for Non-Members

• Brownie Wants a New Bike (suggested for Grades K to 1) - Saturday, October 22 - 10 a.m. - The Money Bunny himself, Brownie Bunny, comes to life to introduce young children the concept of saving, deciding what to buy, and distinguishing between needs and wants. Cost: Free to Museum Members/cost of Museum admission for Non-Members

• The Money Bunny Takes a Vacation (suggested for Grades 2 to 3) - Saturday, October 22 - 11 a.m. - Travel with Brownie and his family as they go on a vacation and discover why saving for what you really want is so important. Cost: Free to Museum Members/cost of Museum admission for Non-Members

Click here to see the fifteen-second TV spot for Moneyville at the Reading Public Museum. (YouTube)

Click here to watch the Comcast Newsmakers segment about this exhibition. (YouTube)

Click here to watch the WFMZ 69 News "One Tank Trip" segment about this exhibition. (WFMZ)