Abby makes a wish! GIF by Skyla Choi
Have you ever wished to run away to a beautiful place like The Met? That's exactly what Claudia Kincaid did in the beloved children's book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg. For 50 years, kids all over the world have joined Claudia and her brother Jamie in their adventures. Follow in their footsteps!
Alice Schwarz, who taught at The Met for 31 years, gives an Art Trek tour based on the objects in the book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. Photo by Kimberly Cionca Sebesanu
This month, families visited The Met to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the book and do a treasure hunt like Claudia and Jamie. On an Art Trek tour led by veteran educator Alice, kids traveled through the Museum to learn fun facts about artworks just like the ones Claudia and Jamie discovered in Mixed-Up Files. You can join Alice and Abby, age 10, on a tour too!
Abby, age 10, dives into the beloved book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg. Join her as she follows in Claudia and Jamie's footsteps.
Kids also did a scavenger hunt to find five works of art in the galleries. When they found an object, they took a picture. Then they got their adults to post it to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, using the hashtag #MixedUpMetContest. Look at the artworks one contestant found:
Althea Brown shared this Instagram layout of objects from The Met's Social Media Scavenger Hunt: #MixedUpMetContest
Do you want to participate in a Mixed-Up Files scavenger hunt too? You can do it at the Museum or at home! Here's how.
On the #MetKids interactive map search for :
- a marble sarcophagus from the Roman Empire
- the fountain in The Charles Engelhard Court
- the pool in front of The Temple of Dendur
- the Tomb of Perneb
- a statuette of a cat from ancient Egypt
When you find one of these objects, click on the red or yellow pin to discover a fun fact and more!
Found all five? Hop in our time machine and discover over 5,000 years of art from around the globe!
In Mixed-Up Files, Claudia and Jamie discovered treasured artworks and explored interesting places at The Met. Now you've done the same. What's your favorite? Let people know! Just ask an adult to share your ideas in the comments below.