{"id":325390,"date":"2026-03-12T05:21:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T05:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/325390\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T05:21:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T05:21:11","slug":"seattle-art-museum-with-kids-animal-intelligence-exhibit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/325390\/","title":{"rendered":"Seattle Art Museum with Kids: Animal Intelligence Exhibit"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Installation view of A Room for Animal Intelligence at Seattle Art Museum, 2025. (Image: Chloe Collyer)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

In the ninety-one years since the beginning of Seattle Art Museum (SAM)<\/a>, there has never been an exhibition like \u201cA Room for Animal Intelligence.<\/a>\u201d Art about animals comes from the genius of curator Pam McClusky, who descended into the bowels of SAM\u2019s storage to bring up beloved work and treasures never before seen. Some were even a surprise to staff, unknown till the crates were opened.<\/p>\n

All but one work, Marie Watt\u2019s wolf, come from SAM\u2019s permanent collection. I suspect McClusky\u2019s idea came from her own skill as a curator, but also the animals who are in residence at her home. Dogs, cats, and even chickens are part of her family.<\/p>\n

You will find the exhibit on the fourth floor at the top of the escalator. It\u2019s in space, often used as a corridor to more destination galleries. Walls have been removed to reveal windows and light from Seattle\u2019s urban environment.<\/p>\n

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Installation view of A Room for Animal Intelligence at Seattle Art Museum, 2025. (Image: Chloe Collyer)<\/p>\n

The first animal kids will meet is the gigantic wolf by Indigenous artist Marie Watt<\/a>. I promise it is the biggest wolf your kids will ever see. Many a kid on my tours has been disappointed that we don\u2019t have a dinosaur for them to see. Finally, this wolf gives a monumental impression. The artist calls it an entry point for a conversation about how we are related to animals and the natural world. This wolf, the mother of dogs, our pets, is a moment to talk about our companion from the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n

Another curious element of this exhibit is that animals are their own narrators. They speak for themselves on the labels. The wolf, \u201cCompanion Species (Underbelly)\u201d says: \u201cMy quest to help your species began in ancient times. When the twin boys, Romulus and Remus, were abandoned and hungry, I nursed them and became exhausted. Through me, wolf milk entered the human bloodstream, and I gave birth to the species you know as dogs\u2026 What a gift they are! Just as I lie here with an alert gaze and a drooping tail, so do my descendants sit by you and walk with you as your companion.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are tons of things this exhibit will introduce your youngster to. The basic elements of art material abound. There is wood, metal, beads, stone, clay, grass, paint, and even feathers. Stories and myths from many cultures are told. Super, often secret powers are presented. The animals shown love and protect their offspring. Families are not just for us.<\/p>\n

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Installation view of A Room for Animal Intelligence at Seattle Art Museum, 2025. (Image: Chloe Collyer)<\/p>\n

Most of all, the concept of empathy is abundant. The horses seen are all about the Golden Rule. Animals that can hear your heartbeat and respond in kind to your mood provide therapy for human anxiety. Deborah Butterfield\u2019s steel horse called \u201cPascal\u201d<\/a> is a chance to peer inside someone else\u2019s body and see through their eyes for just a minute. Finally, I offer an activity designed to slow down and really look at and learn from the beautiful sculptures in this SAM exhibit. It\u2019s a treasure hunt that encourages a child to hear what animals have to say for themselves. Here are the clues and the answers. You decide which ones to use.<\/p>\n

Animal Treasure Hunt<\/p>\n

Find the animal<\/p>\n

The animal that can predict a heart attack before it happens and can find lost kids.
\nThe animal that suffered the most from contact with humans. Of 30-60 million, only 541 survived before things changed.
\nThe group of this animal is called a \u201cclowder.\u201d What is the difference between the two clowders of this animal?
\nCan you find the only yellow sculpture and tell what the artist made of this animal? Hint: He has a key.
\nAt least three animals were made to be worn on a dancer\u2019s head. How many can you find?
\nWhich animal can be ridden by a god?
\nFind the animal that its creator wants you to see what\u2019s on its inside.
\nOne animal is called the lord of new beginnings and removers of obstacles. Which one is it?
\nThis animal eats salmon, and is the national symbol of America, and in this exhibit, it is a mask.
\nCan you find the pair that are a mom and dad.
\nThere is an animal with two heads. Why did the artist do that?
\nCan you find the \u201csnake in the grass?\u201d Why do people say that? But why is this snake in this grass?
\nWhich animal seems to like cookies?
\nCan you find the mother and baby? Where do they live?
\nI\u2019m called public enemy #1. Who am I? What do I do that is good?<\/p>\n

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Installation view of A Room for Animal Intelligence at Seattle Art Museum, 2025. (Image: Chloe Collyer)<\/p>\n

Answers<\/p>\n

Chinoiserie #3 bulldogs
\nBison #1
\n7 cats (Purr and Roar)
\nLion stool
\nLeopard, Sky snake, Mukyeem Mask (there are others)
\nShimme (God Horse)
\nPascal
\nGanesha seated
\nEagle chief mask
\nRooster & Hen
\nThe one who made himself into millions
\nDeep plate
\nOsiris
\nMonkey holding a baby (Japan)
\nMosquito Mask.<\/p>\n

Seattle Art Museum is located at 1300 First Avenue in Seattle. They are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, and are free on the First Thursday<\/a> of each month. Ticket information can be found online<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Installation view of A Room for Animal Intelligence at Seattle Art Museum, 2025. (Image: Chloe Collyer) In the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":325391,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[442,498,499,500,501,156,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-325390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=325390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325390\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/325391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=325390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=325390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=325390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}