St. Joseph Museums expands activities for kids, adults
Dec. 3—The St. Joseph Museums wants to change the way history and education can be brought to people in the area.
Opening up a series of new interactive experiences, from murder mysteries to hands-on events held anywhere in the area, the museum plans to offer endless possibilities.
"We're kind of going into a new era in a time that people don't want a stuffy museum anymore. So we have been able to just be extremely creative and go totally off board of anything else that we've ever done," said Kami Jones, communications and group tours spokesperson for the St. Joseph Museums.
Offering new experiences, the St. Joseph Museums will have its services available for parties and educational events while also enhancing what it has at its main facility at 3406 Frederick Ave.
The idea started as a result of schools being strapped for money, as well as getting used to events being brought to them through services like Zoom.
"So many schools are struggling with money for buses and things like that to do field trips," Jones said. "These programs are educational programs that we can actually do on-site, at businesses, at schools and things like that."
Some of the experiences that are offered are "Emotional Toolbox," a class on stress, job burnout and the body and "Beading," which explores the art of Native American beading.
"We actually come out and teach you how to loom bead and show you some things in our collection that are not on display. So you get a little backstage access," Jones said.
Working with the Black Archives Museum, it will also feature an experience highlighting Jeffrey Deroin, a slave to St. Joseph founder Joseph Robidoux.
"A lot of people don't know about the Jeffrey Deroin story ... He was an amazing guy," Jones said.
One of the most exciting events for the staff is "Murder at the Asylum," a "Clue"-style whodunit that will lead visitors on the hunt for clues to find out who killed Dr. Harlow Mills.
"It is a fully interactive and immersive cross between an escape room and a game of 'Clue,'" Jones said.
People can play as a party or participate privately on their phones using QR codes scattered around the museum. The museum plans to offer after-hours events featuring a live character actress who will take visitors around the property. Those using their phones will see actors from Robidoux Resident Theatre playing figures from history.
The experience will be an additional charge to the museum's admission. Jones said they will make sure the cost is worth it. It is expected to launch in late December or early January.
All of the new programs will help the nonprofit organization keep its bills paid and get the word out about the new features.
"It helps us to take care of our collections, provide funding to keep our doors open, to pay our utility bills, all of those things," she said.
The bigger hopes are that they can reach more people than ever before.
"There's a lot of people, even just in St. Joe, that are like 'I've never been here. I had no idea that all of this was here.' Well, by offering different options to get people in the door they can see all of the things that we have here," she said.
For information on scheduling a St. Joseph Museums experience, visit www.stjosephmuseum.org/experiences or call 816-232-8471.
Andrew Gaug can be reached at andrew.gaug@newspressnow.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @NPNOWGaug
