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Claude Moore Health Sciences Library
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University of Virginia Hospital Children's Health Museum Records, MS-31, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, Historical Collections and Services, University of Virginia
The collection was transferred to the Health Sciences Library by the Children's Health Museum when it closed.
The Children's Museum opened in July 1980 and served a little over 1400 children its first year under Director Katya Gothie. Designed for children from ages 3 to 6 and located in the Primary Care Center, it was a project of the University League which in 1981 became the Junior League of Charlottesville. In May 1985 the Junior League donated the Museum to the University to be funded by the hospital and private donations. The Director in 1985, Linda Seaman, described the hands-on museum as more of a discovery room than a museum. Marge Sidebottom was the Director in 1988. In January 1989 she was followed by Ellen Vaughan who remained Director until the Museum was closed. It reached its peak in terms of numbers served in 1993-94 when more than 15,000 children benefited from the Museum's programs and then hovered slightly above 10,000 in the following years. Sometime in the mid 1990s the name was changed from the Children's Museum to the Children's Health Museum. Most of the child visitors were "walk-ins" who were patients themselves or accompanied by patients or visitors of patients. Others came on educational field trips from schools or were in-patients. The Director also taught health-related educational programs in area schools and community activities. The Museum was designed to teach children about various aspects of health including nutrition, organ systems, and growth, as well as ease children's fears about hospitals, doctors, and medical procedures.
The Children's Health Museum records include statistics for 1980 through 2001, photographs of the museum, newspaper clippings, newsletters, board meeting minutes from 2000, a poster, a print-out of the website, a guide to the exhibits, and a floor plan.
The folders which include items grouped by either subject or by the physical type of item are arranged by date of the earliest material within each folder.
1) unidentified child, B&W 4.5"x6.75"; 2)Katya Gothie and Jay Deinlein, January 30, 1981, B&W 6"x 9.25"; 3) 2 unidentified children on the slide, B&W 6"x9"; 4) 3 unidentifed children, B&W 6"x8.25"; 5) unidentified adult and 2 unidentified children, B&W 6"x9"; 6) Ellen Marie Fisher, color round 2.75 in diameter; 7) Melissa Singh and Ellen Marie Fisher, color 4"x6"; 8) identified as Ellen Marie Fisher, color 3.25"x5" oval; 9) 3 unidentified children, color 3.5"x4.25"; 10) Lee Washington and unidentified child, color 4"x6"; 11) unidentified adult and 2 unidentified children, color 4"x6"; 12) unidentified child, color 3.5"x4.25"; 13) unidentified child, color 4"x6"; 14) 3 unidentified children, color 4"x6"; 15) 2 unidentified children, color 4"x6"; 16) 4 unidentified children, color 5"x6.75"
The newsletters list volunteers from UVa, high schools, and the community. They also describe various programs, and the Board of Directors. Ellen Vaughan is given as the Director in 1999 with Brenda Amos the Assistant Director. In 2000 Edna Harris is listed as the Assistant Director.
Includes a letter from Ellen Vaughan to Liz Courain, dated July 12, 2001, statistics from 1980-1981 through 2000-2001, and an undated summarization of the statistics.
The 1999 document appears to be a printout of the Children's Health Museum website. A second document gives the Theme and Purpose of the Museum, General Use of Materials, Museum Equipment, Guide to Museum Exhibits, Sensory Materials, and Job Description. A third document describes the Museum, another is an abstract, and the last is a drawing of the floor plan.