A children’s museum turns traditional concept of a museum on its head; cheery, luxe learning space part of Lower Parel’s gentrification
Children involved in some learning through fun at the museum. Pics/Anurag Ahire
One of Mumbai’s biggest transformations is mills turning into malls. These uber luxury retail spaces witness restaurants jostling for elbow room, too, giving the ‘shop till you drop’ adage a new twist ‘eat after you are beat’ shopping. Now, a children’s museum, called ‘MuSo’ short for Museum of Solutions has opened in the Kamala Mills (Lower Parel complex).
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This colourful, spiffy space has seven floors of exhibitions, activities, engagements, and learning experiences for children from the age of 3+ (along with accompanying adults). It comprises a play and learning experience for children. Different exhibits, interactive models, games, learning about sustainability, development, resources like water, air through experiments and games. This initiative has turned the traditional concept of museums, as primarily a showcase for cultural artefacts put together by expert curators on its head.
Future forward
The MuSo, which opens to the public on November 26, is a not-for-profit JSW initiative. The public launch was preceded by a press conference on Thursday late morning at the venue where the concept was explained and there was a tour of the space for a first-hand better understanding.
A child tries out one of the activities on offer at the museum
Sajjan Jindal, chairman JSW, said at the press conference, “India’s future generation has to be taught in a different way than earlier ones.” Jindal was big on egalitarianism batting for equal opportunities within and globally too. “Whatever is available to a child in the USA, Japan, must be available to children in India too,” he stated and added, “poor children must have the same opportunities as the rich, our aim must be to leave the earth in a better state than when we got it.”
Tanvi Jindal Shete, founder MuSo encapsulated a world changing at a dizzying pace when she said, “the world is a very different place than it was even yesterday. MuSo is not just a space for children, but for families too.” The founder spoke about tickets, membership plans, affordability so that it is accessible to more children adding, “this is a gift to Mumbai and all of us who need to come together to reimagine our world.”
Michael Peter Edson, Chief Museum Officer MuSo, dubbed MuSo, “as the most important museum project in the world today. It is child-led and bold.” Edson brought out the novelty aspect of MuSo not just as a children’s learning space, but also in the context of the real estate landscape of Mumbai when he said, “the fact that it is located at the site of an old textile mill, in a fairly quiet neighbourhood in the middle of Mumbai,” is testament to transformation.
For all
The entire project has a total investment of Rs 210 crore, said Jindal Shete in response to a question. MuSo spokespersons claimed that it aimed to welcome more than 250 school groups every year. MuSo is offering 50 per cent of these school visits gratis and the other 50 per cent at Rs 400 to Rs 600 per student. Students from anganwadis, municipal schools, national open schools, schools for special children can visit and experience the museum, plus there are plans for a ‘Free Monday For All’ (except on public holidays) to ensure all can experience the museum, irrespective of their social or financial background. Member packages and plans are in the making. The management stated that income generated from ticket sales will be dedicated to ensuring the museum's maintenance.
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