People live in all kinds of houses around the world; big houses, small houses, ones that float or pack up and go! Geography, weather, culture, available materials and much, much more influence the house we live in.
We will step inside walk-in versions of a Mongolian herder’s ger, a stilt house from a Malaysian fishing village and an m’bure from the tropics of Fiji in this bilingual exhibit. In each house, we will explore furniture, cooking utensils, games and musical instruments to learn about the lifestyle and culture of the people who live in these houses.
After exploring these three unique houses, sit down at a computer and design your own “dream house” – choose furniture, colors and patterns to make it perfect for you! You can also “Build Your Own” as you design your own log house. World maps, globes and photographs are found throughout the exhibit to serve as reference points.
What You Learn:
- Houses are very different around the world
- Climate and geography influence building design
- Cultural understanding
Continue the Fun at Home
Read “The Three Little Pigs” together; then talk about how the materials of each house were different and how changing the materials can make a house stronger.
Look around your house for objects that came from places around the world; these might be an item handed down from a relative or an item you purchased on a family trip. What does the item tell you about the culture of the place it came from?