[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 136 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE DESIGNATION OF THE CAPITAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AS THE 
                       NATIONAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 30, 2003

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to support enactment of H.R. 
13, the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003. In addition to 
authorizing Federal funding support for our Nation's museums and 
libraries, the bill contains a small provision with great importance to 
the District of Columbia. It designates the Capital Children's Museum 
as the National Children's Museum which will be a new state-of-the-art, 
interactive museum offering a national model for exhibits oriented and 
dedicated to children. The purpose of the museum will be to explain the 
Nation's institutions and ideas to American children, providing a 
gateway of understanding not only for children in the Washington, DC, 
metropolitan area, but also for the millions of school children and 
families who visit the Nation's capital from across the Nation and the 
world.
  The National Children's Museum designation is critical for several 
reasons. The designation enables the museum to highlight its activities 
and exhibits, and expand the reach of its educational experiences to 
children both in the United States and abroad. The museum serves as a 
flagship for the Nation's children's museums, and the Association of 
Children's Museums supports the designation because it increases public 
understanding of the purpose of all children's museums. In addition, 
the designation will help facilitate partnerships for the National 
Children's Museum with other regional museums to create models for 
innovative learning experiences.
  For almost 30 years, the Capital Children's Museum has been serving 
the children of the Nation's capital. I hope my colleagues will join me 
in thanking the Capital Children's Museum on its service to children 
for these many years, and in congratulating the museum on this 
designation and its commitment to the creation of the National 
Children's Museum.

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