Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM)
America to Zanzibar Exhibit
New York, New York

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MANHATTAN | NYC, NY. COMING SOON.

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MANHATTAN | NYC, NY. COMING SOON.

Project Description
America to Zanzibar

America to Zanzibar is a 3,500-square-foot immersive interactive museum exhibition developed for the Children’s Museum of Manhattan that introduces children and families to the diversity of cultures in the United States and around the world. Designed for children ages 2–10 and their caregivers, the exhibition uses hands-on environments, storytelling, and creative play to foster cultural understanding and global awareness.  The exhibition invites visitors to “travel the world in a single visit,” exploring how various cultures are expressed through everyday life across more than fifty countries spanning Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and North America. The exhibition highlights shared human experiences such as art, architecture, trade, music, language, and family life, all the while demonstrating how culture evolves through exchange and connection. Through immersive installations and interactive activities, children encounter the diversity of various cultural traditions while recognizing common values across societies. A vibrant Global Marketplace allows visitors to explore trade traditions by handling objects such as textiles, spices, and ceramics inspired by historic trading routes. A large-scale dhow boat and camel installation evokes the historic trade networks that connected communities across the Indian Ocean, linking regions from East Africa to South Asia. Other environments explore artistic traditions such as architecture, geometric design, and music, encouraging visitors to experiment creatively with patterns, sounds, and materials. The exhibition also highlights contemporary American life in the United States through storytelling spaces that feature photographs, personal narratives, and everyday objects shared by families. These elements emphasize the diversity of our identities and experiences within American communities while helping visitors understand how culture is shaped by migration, exchange, and shared history.

America to Zanzibar was developed over several years through extensive collaboration with scholars, artists, educators, and community advisors to ensure both cultural authenticity and accessibility for young audiences. The project reflects a commitment to presenting complex global cultures in ways that are engaging, accurate, and developmentally appropriate for children. By emphasizing lived experiences and cultural creativity, America to Zanzibar encourages visitors to see both the richness of these cultures and the shared human connections that link communities around the world. Through its innovative design and inclusive approach, the exhibition demonstrates how museums can serve as spaces for dialogue, learning, and cross-cultural understanding, helping young visitors build empathy and global awareness from an early age.

Exhibition Experience
The exhibition environment is composed of immersive thematic zones that simulate real-world cultural environments. These hands-on experiences encourage learning through exploration and play. Highlights include:

  • Global Marketplace: A vibrant market environment where children can trade goods such as spices, ceramics, textiles, and rugs from regions across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.

  • Trade Routes Exploration: A large-scale replica of an Indian Ocean dhow and a life-size camel that allow visitors to experience historic trade routes linking cultures from East Africa to Southeast Asia.

  • Architecture and Design: A multimedia installation exploring mosque architecture and artistic traditions, demonstrating how design reflects regional cultures from China to the Maldives.

  • American Home: A storytelling space featuring objects, photographs, and personal narratives shared by Americans that illustrate the diversity of their life in the United States.

  • Music and Language Interactives: Digital stations where visitors can experiment with musical instruments and learn basic phrases in languages spoken by  communities around the world.

The exhibition also features artworks and artifacts drawn from major cultural institutions, including pieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of Islamic art, alongside contemporary works by emerging American artists.

Collaborative Development

The exhibition was developed over five years with the guidance of an international network of scholars, artists, cultural organizations, and community advisors. This collaborative approach ensured cultural authenticity while presenting complex global histories in an accessible format for children and families. Major support for the project was provided by institutions including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Impact

America to Zanzibar represents one of the first museum exhibitions designed specifically for children to explore various cultures on a global scale. By combining scholarship, storytelling, and interactive design, the project demonstrates how museums can create inclusive educational experiences that inspire curiosity and cross-cultural understanding. The exhibition’s success, reflected in strong attendance, national media coverage, and a multi-city touring program, underscores the public’s appetite for thoughtful cultural programming that celebrates diversity and fosters dialogue.

Press:
NEW YORK TIMES: Janet Moressey, ‘A Children’s Museum Surprise Blockbuster: A Show on Islam’
ASSOCIATION OF FRENCH PRESS: New York Museum Lets Children
HUFFINGTON POST: America to Zanzibar Exhibit Showcases Diversity
VOICE OF AMERICA: NYC Children’s Museum Celebrates Diversity
NBC NEWS: America to Zanzibar Exhibition Brings Culture to NYC

Awards:
National Endowment for the Humanities
Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art
Institute of Museum and Library Services
National Endowment for the Arts