Good grief. There’s a new reason to visit The Magic House (516 S. Kirkwood) this fall.
Beginning September 26, St. Louis families can step inside the world of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang with Take Care with Peanuts: The Exhibit, a new hands-on experience inspired by Charles M. Schulz’s classic comic strip.
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This isn’t a look-but-don’t-touch kind of exhibit. Kids can walk through Snoopy’s larger-than-life doghouse, share their feelings at Lucy’s booth, make music with Schroeder, solve puzzles with Marcie, and help Charlie Brown “feed” the Kite-Eating Tree. There’s also a cozy blanket fort inspired by Linus, nature activities with Pigpen, and a scavenger hunt led by Woodstock.
“Kids are going to have so much fun exploring this exhibit,” says director of marketing Marissa Lorance. “Whether they’re climbing into Snoopy’s doghouse, sharing their thoughts at Lucy’s booth, or helping Charlie Brown with the Kite-Eating Tree, there are so many moments that make it feel like you’ve stepped right into the Peanuts comic strip.”
Play with a purpose
Behind all of that Peanuts nostalgia is a bigger idea.
The traveling exhibit is based on the Take Care with Peanuts initiative, which encourages children to think about three areas of care: themselves, other people, and the Earth.
Throughout the experience, familiar characters help introduce those concepts through play. Lucy’s booth gives children an opportunity to explore feelings, for example, while other activities focus on friendship, empathy, self-care, and nature.
“What I love about this exhibit is that it’s fun first, but it also encourages kids to think about how they care for themselves, their friends and the world around them,” Lorance says. “Those are important lessons, but they’re woven into play in a way that feels natural.”
The environmental theme extends to the exhibit itself, which incorporates sustainable materials into its design.
A comic strip that comes to life
The exhibit was created in partnership with Peanuts Worldwide and developed by Miami Children’s Museum, transforming scenes and characters from the comic strip into spaces meant for kids to explore.
That means children don’t necessarily need to know Charlie Brown from Schroeder before arriving. For longtime Peanuts fans, however, there are plenty of familiar details. And considering Charlie Brown and his friends have been around since the comic strip debuted in 1950, there’s a good chance parents and grandparents will recognize a few things, too.
The result is a multigenerational outing where grown-ups can introduce kids to characters they grew up with, while kids can literally crawl into Snoopy’s doghouse.
The details
Take Care with Peanuts: The Exhibit opens September 26 at The Magic House. The exhibit is included with regular museum admission.
