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How Interactive Learning and Play Create New Museum Experiences for Families

WHEN LEARNING BECOMES AN EXPERIENCE

The New Jersey State Museum is a cultural and educational destination where visitors can explore science, history, archaeology, and art through engaging exhibitions, workshops, planetarium experiences, and family activities.

The museum wanted to create even more engaging experiences for children and families – especially through larger events and shared activities. The goal was to find a solution that could combine learning, movement, and play in a way that was intuitive, flexible, and motivating for visitors.

The choice fell on ActiveFloor, which is now an integrated part of the museum’s interactive learning environment and gives children and families the opportunity to explore, play, and learn together in entirely new ways.

ENGAGING ACTIVITIES FOR LARGE MUSEUM EVENTS

During major events such as Earth Day, Family Days, and other public gatherings, the New Jersey State Museum needed activities that could engage many children at once – without requiring constant supervision from staff.

The museum was looking for a solution that could:

  • Engage children across different ages and learning levels
  • Add an interactive element to the family museum experience
  • Support learning through movement and active participation
  • Be easy to set up and move between different areas
  • Operate independently during busy events

Many traditional activity stations required extensive guidance or appealed only to specific age groups. Therefore, the museum wanted a more flexible solution that could create value for more visitors at the same time.

INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT BRINGS LEARNING TO LIFE

ActiveFloor quickly proved to be a perfect match for the museum’s goal of combining learning, play, and movement into one cohesive experience.

With its flexible setup and wide selection of interactive games, the museum can easily integrate active learning into both permanent exhibitions and temporary events.

Today, the museum uses, among other things:

  • A mobile ActiveFloor unit
  • Two different floor sizes that can be adapted to the needs of each event
  • Interactive learning and sensory experiences
  • The MyFloor platform for planning and selecting activities

The larger floor solution is primarily used for major events, where many children participate at the same time, while the smaller solution is located in the family play area.

One of the greatest advantages is that children can usually get started right away. The games naturally encourage movement, collaboration, and curiosity-driven exploration, making the solution particularly well suited to a busy museum environment.

The museum primarily uses content from ActiveFloor’s extensive game library, while also having the option to develop custom activities and tailored content when specific themes or events require it.

WHEN LEARNING BECOMES PART OF THE EXPERIENCE

ActiveFloor quickly became a popular part of the museum experience. Families responded positively to the combination of technology, movement, and play, and children remained engaged in the activities for longer periods of time.

The museum experienced, among other things:

  • Higher visitor engagement during events
  • Activities that children could use independently
  • Interactive learning experiences across different age groups
  • Flexible use in various areas of the museum
  • Positive feedback from both children and adults

Because the solution functions as a self-guided activity, it naturally fits into the museum’s daily operations and requires minimal staff involvement. This makes ActiveFloor particularly valuable during larger events, where staff members often have many responsibilities at the same time.

The positive reception has also encouraged the museum to explore the possibility of a permanent installation in the family play area.

WHY NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM RECOMMENDS ACTIVEFLOOR

For the New Jersey State Museum, flexibility, ease of use, and the close collaboration with ActiveFloor are some of the solution’s most important advantages.

From installation and implementation to licensing and ongoing support, ActiveFloor has evolved into a valuable learning tool that helps the museum create more active, engaging, and memorable experiences for its visitors.

For museums looking to strengthen visitor engagement through interactive learning, ActiveFloor offers a flexible solution that combines play, movement, and learning in one unified experience.