Mankato— August 5, 2022—As the Museum continues to grow, a fun, educational instrument will be added to the Mayo Clinic Health System Courtyard in the coming weeks. Called the Cadence Marimba, it features 13 deep and vibrant notes and is made with a recycled, reinforced plastic resonated base.
Kim Kleven, Vice President, Education and Learning said, “We have some new sod space, which means it will be placed outside. It is sustainable in all types of weather, even for cold climates like here in Minnesota. It will be for children and adults of all ages and will also be handicapped-accessible.”
Kleven added that the new marimba was the perfect fit for not only the space, but for the Museum’s needs.
“When the grassy area was added, we hoped to add elements to engage children in that new green space. Music was a component we did not have represented in the Museum campus yet, and we felt that would be a perfect space for it.”
Kleven also added that this piece is just the beginning of what is anticipated to be a new every day feature for the Museum.
“We are hoping to add more installations and more musical instruments out there as well,” Kleven said. “Any time that we can expose children to a musical experience, it engages their senses in a different way that playing with just a stagnant piece of material would. It lets them create a masterpiece of their own will because they will be able to create their own piece of music when they’re doing this. They can see it, they can hear it, they can touch it, and it is just a fun multi-centric experience for them.”
Some of the funding for the marimba comes from funds from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF).
Music is just one way that the Museum promotes the Power of Play, and with the addition of the marimba, the Museum hopes to continue hitting the right notes of engagement, learning and fun, every time you step into the Museum’s halls.