The Rabbit hOle, a new immersive museum dedicated to children’s literature, has opened to the public in North Kansas City, Missouri.
Described as a multi-sensory literary wonderland, the Rabbit hOle is home to immersive experiences featuring books such as Goodnight Moon, Last Stop on Market Street, Madeline, Strega Nona, Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, and Frog and Toad Together.
Per a press release, the Rabbit hOle will never be finished. Instead, it will add new exhibits and expand into additional floors of its four-storey, 150,000-square-foot warehouse building.
“Most museums hire an external company to create their exhibits,” said the Rabbit hOle’s co-founder Pete Cowdin.
“Because of the responsibility we have to the authors, illustrators, and estates whose work we are creating experiences around, we have invested in a growing team of nearly two-dozen artists and fabricators to bring more than a century of children’s books to life.”
Highlights in the new museum include a tiger-themed carousel inspired by Sam and the Tigers, and the dragon from My Father’s Dragon flying around the first floor’s grand staircase.
Multi-sensory literary wonderland
Alongside the exhibits, the Rabbit hOle includes a bookstore, print shop, story lab, maker space, resource library, and discovery gallery. These areas will offer arts and literature programming, workshops for educators, and special events with authors and illustrators.
The Rabbit hOle worked with architecture partner Multistudio on the project. “Access to literary resources and experiences should be fundamental to every community,” said Robert Riccardi, principal at Multistudio. “The Rabbit hOle will have a profound impact on our city.”
Jay Holley, vice president at Multistudio, added: “It’s been immensely rewarding to help the artists inside the hOle realise this museum of children’s literature in North Kansas City that’s sure to surprise, delight, and educate visitors of all ages.”
Images courtesy of the Rabbit hOle / Multistudio
