Do you live in Seattle? Are you planning on visiting Seattle? Might we tempt you with our brand new Visitor Center opening this week? This is the week we pull open the curtain, unlock the doors, lift the veil (okay, I'll stop) and invite the public to learn more about the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through this amazing space!
What does Melinda Gates think about the Visitor Center? She wrote on Impatient Optimists yesterday, "I hope the visitor center will be a place that educates, inspires, and motivates others to get involved in whatever issues interest them—in whatever way makes sense."
I took a moment to ask the curator, Therese Littleton, some questions about the center. Therese has been integrally involved in the center from its auspicious beginning as a glint in the foundation's collective eye.
Therese looking over a tower of cards at the center, where visitors can leave their messages about changing the world. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
What’s your favorite part of the Visitor Center?
Therese: Well, I love the “Innovation & Inspiration” gallery, because it’s so fun to see visitors solving problems and making things. But as a curator, my favorite spot is the “Family & Foundation” gallery. That’s where we distilled down the foundation’s complex work and tried to answer lots of questions without overwhelming. Plus, the exhibit cases there are so beautifully designed and crafted—especially “Our U.S. Work” and “Our Northwest Home.”
Why is it so important to make it interactive?
Therese: Research supports the idea that when people are both mentally and physically active, they are able to absorb and retain more information. So we wanted our visitors to be able to build things, turn cranks, lift buckets, move levers, and really engage with the exhibits in a very personal way. We hope these activities will make our exhibits memorable for many different age levels, too.
"Are you relieved?" The clean, safe restrooms in the Visitor Center show you the unsafe sanitation options that people around the world deal with every day.
What do you want people to leave the center thinking or feeling?
Therese: Our team set a goal that our exhibits should help people feel optimistic and inspired. If someone sees a story or fact that moves them in the Visitor Center, I hope they will see the potential connection to their own lives. We want everyone to leave not just hoping, but KNOWING that they can be philanthropists themselves, with whatever skills and resources they have to offer.
What have you heard from some of the people who’ve already visited?
Therese: Many people have mentioned that they are surprised and delighted by the interactive exhibits. And quite a few parents have told us that they had to drag their kids away from the activities. One dad said his children wanted to talk about polio at breakfast the next day… we couldn’t ask for a better result!
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