Creative Discovery Museum

Board the Birdwell Island ferry and journey to the world of Clifford™, America’s beloved big red dog with a heart to match. See Emily Elizabeth™ and many of the residents of Birdwell Island. Inspired by Scholastic Entertainment’s top–rated TV show Clifford The Big Red Dog® on PBS KIDS®, the exhibit offers numerous immersive “paws–on” adventures that reinforce “Clifford’s Big Ideas”—ten simple tangible life lessons designed to help young children navigate their world: Share, Play Fair, Have Respect, Work Together, Be Responsible, Be Truthful, Be Kind, Believe in Yourself, Be a Good Friend and Help Others. Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog opens at Creative Discovery Museum Saturday, May 17 and will be here through September 28, 2008.

Kids can visit a colossal Clifford with a tail to slide down, just like Emily Elizabeth does on the television show. Guests can then help fill Clifford’s big dog bowl with bones using a conveyor belt. Browse the Norman Bridwell Art Retrospective and see 40 years (that’s 280 dog–years!) of artwork and stories by the creator and award–winning author of Clifford The Big Red Dog.

Exhibit Entrance

Welcome to Birdwell Island, the home of Clifford and his owner, Emily Elizabeth Howard. Clifford was the runt of the litter when Emily Elizabeth adopted him. Much to everyone’s surprise, Clifford outgrew all the other dogs because of Emily Elizabeth’s limitless love. So, the Howards left the city and moved to Birdwell Island, a place big enough for Clifford to live.

Visitors enter Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog by passing Birdwell Island’s lighthouse and then board the ferry. Children and adults can join “Victor” and “Pedro” in the pilot house and try their hand at “steering” the ferry. Visitors hear the sounds of seagulls and ocean waves roaring as they navigate their way to Birdwell.

Samuel’s Fish and Chips Shack

Say “hello!” to Samuel and his son Charley, pull up a stool at Samuel’s Fish and Chips Shack on the pier, and place your order (maybe Samuel’s delicious fish and chips!). Children and adults can enter Samuel’s Shack and role–play restaurant employees working together to restock the shelves, cook, clean, and serve meals. Kids can grab an order pad, take their family and friends orders and total their bill at the cash register.

T–Bone’s Beach

No island is complete without a beach! T–Bone welcomes children and adults to a bone–shaped “beach” where kids can play with beach toys. Kids can follow Clifford’s Big Ideas and “Play Fair” by taking turns.

Clifford The Big Red Dog’s Doghouse

A collosal Clifford greets visitors in his backyard outside his doghouse. Children can take a seat next to Emily Elizabeth on the giant paws of her big red best friend and slide down Clifford’s tail.

Kids can “Be Responsible” by helping fill Clifford’s giant dog bowl using a bone–shaped conveyor belt to keep the crimson canine’s giant dog bowl full of bones.

Inside Clifford’s Doghouse, fans can create pictures, invitations, letters and more using paper, crayons, pencils and other supplies. They can display their masterpieces in the doghouse, mail them to a Birdwell Island resident or take them home and bring a smile to a family member or friend.

Emily Elizabeth’s Backyard Theater
and The Howard’s House

Mac invites visitors to take the stage with Clifford and his pals in Emily Elizabeth’s Backyard Theater.

Dressed in Cleo, T–Bone, Mac or Clifford costumes, children can get ready to be the best in show. Young children can use their imagination to create their own performance using maracas and rhythm sticks.

Children and adults can visit the Howard’s house. In the front of the house, kids can pick, sort and replant flowers in a flower box. Fans can “Be a Good Friend” to Emily Elizabeth™ and Clifford by using lawn tools, watering cans and lawn mower to spiff–up the backyard.

Cleo’s Backyard

Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog’s youngest visitors will dig Cleo’s Backyard, designed especially for tots with a soft floor and foam “stone” wall enclosure. Cleo encourages toddlers to crawl through a tunnel, or play a shape–sorting activity at Cleo’s doghouse.

Birdwell Island Post Office

Children can join Mr. Carson at the Birdwell Island Post Office, and help sort and mail letters. Then they can deliver mail and pictures to the Birdwell Island residents’ mailboxes.

Birdwell Island Library and Norman Bridwell Art Retrospective

Take a break from all the action and cozy–up for a reading adventure. “Ms. Lee” welcomes visitors to the library, host to a collection of Clifford books. Children can practice believing in themselves and building confidence (just like Clifford!) as they share Clifford stories and play Clifford’s Learning Adventures, an interactive CD–ROM, on the computer.

At the Norman Bridwell Art Retrospective, Jetta invites visitors to view clips from an interview with the author himself. Children and adults can also browse artwork and get an inside look at Clifford’s character and story development during the past 40 years.

For more Clifford adventures, please visit www.scholastic.com/clifford Or see Clifford on Tennessee Valley PBS WTCI.