Evoking curiosity, play and a love for reading, The Rabbit hOle children’s museum receives wide acclaim.
Words by Lisa Waterman Gray | Photos by Brynn Burns
ough-hewn “stone” walls and a blue-lit cave lead visitors from the real world into an environment full of literary wonder at The Rabbit hOle—a new museum inside a 100-year-old North Kansas City warehouse. Metal letters embedded throughout cave walls depict lines from favorite children’s books, until visitors reach a brightly lit space full of color, curving walls and imagination. Here they interact with scenes from some of this country’s most beloved children’s books. They can sit by a fireplace in the cozy, human-sized green room from Goodnight Moon, “dine” at the whimsical kitchen table from Blueberries for Sal, or scale cliffs from My Father’s Dragon.
The museum is the design genius of owners Pete Cowdin and Deb Pettid, former owners of the beloved Brookside bookstore Reading Reptile. Cowdin and Pettid have established more than 30 years of connections with authors, illustrators and publishers. They even acquired rare permission from Shel Silverstein’s estate to design one exhibit.
“We have the privilege to create experiences inspired by some of the best authors and illustrators of all time,” Cowdin says.
This is the first United States museum that brings a century of American children’s literature to life. Upwards of 40 exhibits depict more than 90 children’s books. And related books are inside or beside every exhibit.
Since the not-for-profit museum opened last March, more than 60,000 people from across the nation and globe have visited. And TIME magazine placed The Rabbit hOle on its “World’s Greatest Places” list in August.
“The Rabbit hOle inspires wonder and creates shared experience,” Cowdin says. “Watching how visitors respond with invigoration and solace, it’s apparent how urgently needed and missing those things are in our daily lives.”
“Some of the very first exhibits we built were both a place to sit and still be immersed in a story,” Pettid adds. “It’s wonderful to walk through the museum and see families gathered together to share a book.”
The Rabbit hOle may be focused on children’s literature, “but it’s an environment built for all ages and with a goal to create an intergenerational experience for families,” Cowdin says.
More than 20 artists and fabricators work inside The Rabbit hOle’s on-site facility.
“Investing in artists locally made sense from an economic and artistic standpoint,” Cowdin notes.
The Rabbit hOle took shape after 10 years of planning, more than $15 million—and valuable design cues from St. Louis’ City Museum.
“We saw how all our children—no matter their age—experienced curiosity and discovery,” Pettid says. “As adults, we were equally engaged.”
“Every time we visited, there was something new to see, and decades after it opened, it’s still evolving,” Cowdin adds.
They plan to evolve their museum over time, as well.
“Decades from now, The Rabbit hOle will still be changing and adding exhibits,” Cowdin says.
919 E. 14th Avenue
North Kansas City, Missouri
rabbitholekc.org
@rabbit_hole_kc
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