Our Family Studio Zone is a place for our student and family visitors to create together during their museum visit. Activities are designed for families with school-age children to make meaningful connections with the museum and its current exhibitions through the creation and display of their own artwork.

Our current activity encourages the creation of clay animal effigy vessels, inspired by those on view in the exhibit, Ancient Americas in a New Light.

Before creating, families are first encouraged to find and explore the display of ceramic animals in this gallery. These ARTIFACTS were created long ago, by people who lived in what is now Central and South America.

We call these clay artifacts Animal Effigy Vessels because they were made in the EFFIGY, or likeness of an animal (made to look like them). The people who created these Effigies lived where the animals lived and saw them so often that they were able to render them with lots of fun detail!

As a family, count how many different animals you are able to identify! Do you find a turtle or a condor, a fish or a snake?

Encourage children to search for an element that each of these vessels have in common. (They all have a SPOUT so things can be poured in and out!)

Each of these Effigies are HOLLOW (meaning they are not solid, but empty inside like a pot or vase!) We might assume these whimsical vessels were created to hold liquid or pourable foods like rice or seeds. Perhaps they were created for everyday use, or maybe they were made for a special occasion, such as special placement at a ceremony.

After a close inspection of these Clay Critters, families are encouraged to make their way to the Family Studio Zone to create their own clay Animal Effigy Vessels!

Using a choice of natural clay tones, they may sculpt their own, hollow vessel inspired by animals of the exhibit or their own liking! All materials and tools are provided, as well as an iPad with visual, step-by-step instructions for the activity.

When creations are complete, feel free to take it home OR display on our shelves for other museum visitors can see!