Exhibit Review: Adventures With Clifford the Big Red Dog

Clifford has come home to Minnesota! After traveling to many children’s museums across the country, the MCM’s original exhibit returned — a big red day for a big red dog. If your family loves the top-rated TV show on PBS Kids you do not want to miss this “paws-on” presentation of Clifford’s Big Ideas. Birdwell Island’s familiar settings and favorite residents provide activities designed to present essential life lessons: share, play fair, have respect, work together, be responsible, be truthful, be kind, believe in yourself, be a good friend, and help others. There truly is something entertaining for every age. Cleo’s area is perfect for crawlers and toddlers, T-Bone’s beach allows preschoolers to hunt for shells amid the color and shape coordinated sandcastles, and big kids can put big bones in Clifford’s big food dish, work at Samuel’s Fish and Chips Shack, and help Emily Elizabeth take care of her back yard. A large screen with video clips and costumes lets kids create shows to present their own big ideas. I loved the Birdwell Island Library with its collection of Clifford books that kept my kids entertained while I enjoyed the Norman Bridwell Art Retrospective covering his 40 years (280 dog years!) with Clifford. The centerpiece of the exhibit is the real gem — a nine-foot-high big red Clifford with a tail kids can slide down, just like Emily Elizabeth does!

*Museum insider tip: On the first, third, and fifth Tuesdays of each month, school group visits are not booked, allowing for a more peaceful experience. If you prefer to visit on another weekday, afternoons from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. are also quieter and a great time to bring kids who do best with less peer stimulation.

This exhibit is no longer at the Children’s Museum.
$8.95 per person
MCM.org