Hmong at Heart

The journey of the Hmong people — from Southern Chinese villages to Laotian refugee camps and then to Western nations — is modeled in a three-part Hmong at Heart exhibit at the Wonderscope Children’s Museum (5705 Flint in Shawnee, 913-268-4176). “It’s very hands-on, tailored for children 10 and under,” says Ann Zimmerman, the museum’s director. “And we’re bringing in local Hmong artists, including dancers and storytellers, that could illustrate the culture of the Hmong people.” The traveling exhibit, which was created by the Madison Children’s Museum and the Freeman Foundation Asian Initiative, models a Hmong village, a Laotian refugee camp and a Hmong-American home. “The kids have the opportunity to create a traditional Hmong meal, to garden and weave a basket. And there’s a small post office where the kids can mail a letter — in refugee camps, the post office is very important to the displaced population,” Zimmerman says. The exhibit runs through mid-September.
May 19-Sept. 20