Christina Melton aims to make a difference. As executive director of Knock Knock Children’s Museum in Baton Rouge, she’s doing just that by creating a formative, educational experience for children and families. Learning zones inside the 26,000-square-foot museum offer hands-on opportunities to dig deep into science, art and math.
Melton took on the role in September 2022, during the museum’s early stages of pandemic recovery. For 447 days, starting in March 2020, it was closed due to restrictions. “That’s devastating for a high-touch, face-to-face, on-site institution that relies heavily on admission, revenue and programming revenue,” she says.
Melton says Knock Knock’s focus now is building on what worked prior to COVID-19, bringing back popular programming, longer admission and a focus on inclusivity. Signature events like its seasonal parties are returning, plus programming for infants and toddlers.
|
|
|
“There seems to be sort of a renewed excitement around the museum, which is really thrilling to me,” she says.
Melton joined the museum following years in public television, documentary production and communications. Much of her work focused on families, including overseeing the education department while she was Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s deputy director and chief content officer. During her time at consulting firm Emergent Method, Melton worked on outreach to under-resourced communities for state programs, including educational and health programs.
These roles helped her learn about engaging with all corners of the community.
“I felt like I had a lot of the skills that would be required to make sure the museum was consistent and serving its mission, its membership, its donors and its community partners,” she says.
Hailing from Atlanta, Melton calls herself a “new native” to Baton Rouge after living here with her husband (a local to the Capital City) for the last 22 years and raising their children here. The city’s families will be a priority for her, as she knows they are always in need of a safe, clean space for their children to explore, create and learn.
|
|
|
“Every single inch of this museum,” she says, “has been intentionally designed to be educational.” knockknockmuseum.org
Quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity.
This article was originally published in the June 2023 issue of 225 magazine.