Hands-On Hip Hop Brings Culture, Creativity to Minnesota Children’s Museum
Hands-On Hip Hop is a six-week celebration at the Minnesota Children’s Museum honoring Hip Hop’s history, creativity, and community impact. Families and young people can explore the culture’s five core elements through interactive activities included with museum admission.
Hip Hop culture takes center stage this winter with Hands-On Hip Hop, a six-week, museum-wide celebration honoring the history, creativity, and community impact of one of the world’s most influential cultural movements.
Launched on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 19, the series continues on Saturdays from Jan. 31 through Feb. 28 at the Minnesota Children’s Museum. Families and young people are invited to engage with the five core elements of Hip Hop: Deejayin’, Emceein’, Breakin’, Graffiti (Street Art), and Knowledge of Self. All programming is included with museum admission at no additional cost.
| Saturday, Jan. 31 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Atrium | Emceein’ Led by Hip Hop artist Desdamona, participants will learn about call and response, rhythm and rapping through engaging activities that invite the audience to create using their bodies and voices to blend music and words. |
| Saturday, Feb. 7 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Atrium | Deejayin’ A live, interactive exploration of the fun of deejayin’. Learn the art of scratching with one of the best — Timberwolves and Twins DJ Mickey Breeze. |
| Saturday, Feb. 14 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Atrium | Breakin’ Feel the beat and learn to break! In this interactive session with McKnight artist Herb Johnson, visitors will learn Hip Hop choreography and transitions, then showcase the new moves as a crew. |
| Saturday, Feb. 21 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Atrium | Graffiti (Street Art) Artist Jordan Hamilton leads this wildly creative art making experience using markers, paper, cutting and collage to develop graffiti style inspired artworks. Explore graffiti art references, examples, basic techniques and approaches to creative graffiti lettering while developing your own unique style. |
| Saturday, Feb. 28 Workshops: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. in Flex Rooms 1 & 2Performance: 4 p.m. in the Atrium | Finale Workshops and Performance Participate in drop-in workshops that dive deep into the Hip Hop element of your choice. Then, join the artist instructors onstage to perform or display your art for all museum visitors. |
Developed in partnership with TruArtSpeaks, Hands-On Hip Hop places cultural expression, storytelling, and self-discovery at the heart of the experience. Teaching artists and museum staff guide interactive activities throughout the building, creating opportunities for participants to move, create, listen, and learn together.
Each Saturday highlights a different Hip Hop element. Visitors explore emceein’ through rhythm and call-and-response with Desdamona, experience the art of deejayin’ with live scratching demonstrations, learn breakin’ choreography and crew-based movement, and experiment with graffiti-inspired art under the guidance of Jordan Hamilton.
The celebration culminates on Saturday, Feb. 28, with drop-in workshops in the afternoon followed by a finale performance in the atrium, where participants can perform, display artwork, and share what they created throughout the series.
Beyond scheduled workshops, Hands-On Hip Hop includes ongoing activities designed to encourage self-expression and connection. The Remix Runway invites visitors to design custom patches, shoelaces, and accessories inspired by Hip Hop’s remix culture. The Cyphersphere offers a space for shared movement, dialogue, and creativity, featuring a dance floor and a Knowledge Corner styled as a retro living room filled with Hip Hop-inspired memorabilia. Power Portrait Stations throughout the museum allow participants to strike a pose and celebrate individuality, with images shared during the finale performance.
Organizers say Hip Hop provides a powerful entry point for young learners, supporting early literacy, communication skills, collaboration, creativity, and cultural awareness in accessible and engaging ways. Rooted in storytelling and community, the series reflects Hip Hop’s longstanding role as both an artistic practice and a vehicle for confidence, voice, and belonging.
Hands-On Hip Hop runs through Feb. 28 and is open to all museum visitors during regular hours.
Find out more here – https://mcm.org/hands-on-hip-hop/