In May, we received major support from the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation based in Omaha, NE. The foundation’s six-figure capital pledge not only provides significant support for the completion of our current building renovations, it vividly demonstrates the importance of The Rabbit hOle as a regional cultural destination. Our national profile grew as well this month with the recent announcement of our second award from the National Endowment for the Arts. This Literary Arts grant will provide support for The Rabbit hOle’s inaugural children’s literature festival once we’re up and running. With the generous support of these organizations we are two steps closer to delivering our mission to Kansas City and beyond! |
If you or someone you know is interested in making a major gift to The Rabbit hOle, either personally or through a family foundation, please reach out to Pete Cowdin at bitterman@rabbitholekc.org.
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While The Rabbit hOle has a plethora of elaborate and larger-than-life exhibits in the works, we also take care to consider the small moments throughout the Explor-a-Storium. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, written by Eugene Trivizas and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, is an example of how The Rabbit hOle can weave together utility, necessity, and whimsy in a smaller exhibit. The story flips the script on the classic tale of the three little pigs, instead featuring three little wolves just trying to make a home for themselves and a big bad pig who destroys their efforts with increasing force (i.e. a pneumatic drill). This book lends itself perfectly to a portable exhibit that will mark "under construction" areas of the Explor-a-Storium. Genius! It's a good thing we have them on hand to watch over JE Dunn's construction areas... |
Taking a (permanent but portable) break from all the construction |
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Astounding progress continues at The Rabbit hOle! The first floor of the museum is a flurry of activity these days as the exterior walls of the Explor-a-Storium, admissions area, Great Green Room, Tons of Fun Room, and Cafe area spring to life. JE Dunn’s team recently completed
With the metal stud framing for the first floor completed, JE Dunn and their trade partners are working on electrical runs, sheetrock application, ductwork runs, and plumbing supply rough-in. As construction drawings become reality at The Rabbit hOle, excitement is palpable as the vision takes shape.
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Completed metal framing and in-progress drywall installation around the Great Green Room and Cafe |
A view of the entrance from the Explor-a-Storium |
What was once open space is now fully delineated exhibit and programming areas |
Amidst the onomatopoeic melodies of construction (bang! clang! pzzzzzt! crunch! boom!), a quiet mystery continues to unfold. The subterranean discovery deep within The Rabbit hOle pulses with energy of its own and its reverberations are felt throughout the building, seen and unseen. Our cataloguing continues as we work to preserve the unexpected elemental discoveries and artifacts that will eventually define a path for visitors entering The Rabbit hOle in 2023. |
We are hiring!
The Rabbit hOle is looking for experienced artist fabricators. Visit our website to learn more and to apply. |
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This Week, Next Year...in the Cafe
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"This Week, Next Year" is a regular segment to introduce future programming areas within The Rabbit hOle. These experiences will be an integral part of The Rabbit hOle from day one. Read on to discover what lies ahead in the realm of The Rabbit hOle...
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After a busy morning in the Explor-a-Storium, your family is clamoring for food. You eye them wearily, craning their necks like baby birds. The museum is filled with a gleeful jumble of families, grandparents, nieces, nephews, school groups, and teenagers pretending they’re too old for this “kid stuff”. You divvy up the food tokens that you purchased along with your tickets upon admission, thankful that you don’t have to stand in line and fumble with your wallet at this point in the day. Entering The Rabbit hOle’s cafe, your excitement reignites at the sight of a glorious automat system! An extensive unit of pass-through windows lines the wall, each offering a curated culinary selection. Strega Nona’s pasta, Thunder Cake, Amelia Bedelia’s “dressed chicken”, Martha’s alphabet soup - the food from your favorite books are on the menu! Approaching the automat, your group delights in selecting their literary lunch, inserting their tokens, and collecting their food through the window.
Open to the public as well as museum goers, the cafe is full of all sorts of people mingling and eating together amidst life-size characters from food-themed books. Young professionals stopping off for a quick lunch break, families like yours taking a break, two old friends catching up over a light bite. With amusement you notice a lone businessperson enjoying a rainbow sprinkle donut next to…Arnie the Donut! Your group decides that the table with The Tiger who Came to Tea is the most inviting, so you settle there to enjoy a meal…and perhaps some tea (if the tiger offers).
Leaving the cafe refueled and ready to continue exploring the museum, you notice a collection box where you can donate your unused food tokens to another family. You drop your extra tokens in the box knowing The Rabbit hOle will put them to good use in support of their mission to create an accessible experience for all.
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Book Pairing - The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, written by Eugene Trivizas and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, paired with outdoor fun and games! Pairing by Deb, Rabbit hOle co-founder and backyard athlete.
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I love the daintiness of those three little wolves as they go about their home building and games. They work hard, play fair, and have impeccable manners. They also know how to have fun after their work is done. So, follow their example and collect some simple materials, some friends, and head outdoors. I hope the big bad pig doesn’t blow your house down in between games!
-Deb
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Battledore (aka Badminton)
What you need:
- 2 or 4 lightweight rackets (one for each player)
- 1 or more shuttlecocks (often called birds or birdies)
- A net, fence or shrub
Prepare:
- Create a rectangular boundary everyone is happy with
- Choose sides
How to play:
Play consists entirely of volleying—hitting the shuttlecock back and forth across the net (a fence or shrub also work) without letting it touch the ground within the boundaries of the court. Keep score if you wish.
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Croquet
What you need:
- A mallett for each player
- A croquet ball for each player
- 6 hoops
- 1 peg
Prepare:
- Short grass on lawn
- Determine boundaries on all 4 sides
- Place peg in center of court
How to play:
The object of the game is to hit your ball through the course of six hoops in the right sequence.
There are many rules and variations to this game. Have fun and create your own sequence!
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Tarantella Dance
What you need:
- A Tamborine or shaker for each person
- Space to move around
How to dance:
- With your hands on your hips, perform the following steps to an 8-count:
- Kick your right foot low to the ground on 1.
- Place the ball of your right foot on the ground in front of your left foot on 2.
- Hop back onto your left foot on 3.
- Step your right foot back into its starting position on 4.
- Repeat this move starting with your left foot on 5-6-7-8.
- Repeat this sequence for 3 more 8-counts, incorporating a hopping motion as you go. Travel forward, backward, in circles, or in place.
- Dance with a friend while shaking your Tamborine, and have fun!
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Curiosities
Vacation wear for everywhere!
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Hitting the open road this summer? Make sure you stock up on Rabbit hOle swag to show your support wherever you go! |
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Watch This!
who doesn't love a timelapse?
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In a matter of days our first floor has gone from wide-open spaces to well-defined rooms. With this view you can see the walls of the Great Green Room from Goodnight Moon, Tons of Fun Room, and café.
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From Lobel to Lulu, The Rabbit hOle's social media is full of all kinds of updates, events, inside looks, and more! Follow us on social media to join the fun! |
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Curious to see what else is up our sleeves? Visit our website to read more about our mission, exhibits, and other exciting progress |
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