Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s ‘Animationland’ Revision Showcases Joys of Animation – WABE

A behind-the-scenes adventure into the art of animation awaits families at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta. The new exhibit “Animationland,” on view through September 8, invites curious young minds to discover—and even try—the methods behind the magic of animation.

Karen Kelly, Director of Exhibitions and Education at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, joined Lois Reitzes on “City Lights” to explain this new, fully interactive experience.

According to Kelly, the experience offers a myriad of ways to explore the medium of animation.

“One of them is you get tiles that are related to a story and you create the story the way you want,” she explained. “You put it in a tab, and then it animates the story that you just created, and then the computer turns your story into a little video.”

Another favorite is a space where families can create their own personalized mini-video.

“You can sit down as a family, create a story, then get on stage and tell the story, and then the video will play for you,” Kelly says.

The exhibition also includes a Foley studio, which allows attendees to create their own sound effects and tie them into a pre-set story. The exhibition also includes a dedicated stop-motion area, “where you can place the characters and then slowly move them around and create your own little stop-motion video. Something like a ‘Wallace and Gromit,’” Kelly says.

“It’s fun to see adults bring out their inner child, creating characters and working with their (own) children. I see the fun and enjoyment of going through the exhibit and having a good time. As an educator, it’s a lot of fun to watch.”