Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog, an interactive, bi-lingual (English and Spanish), exhibition featuring Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and all the residents of Birdwell Island will delight Upstate fans when it makes a stop at the Upcountry History Museum in the summer of 2020.

Inspired by Scholastic Entertainment’s top-rated TV show Clifford The Big Red Dog on PBS Kids, the 2000 square foot multi-sensory experience offers numerous “paws-on” adventures that reinforce “Clifford’s 10 Big Ideas.” These simple tangible life lessons are 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.

As visitors explore Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog, they encounter the people and places that make-up Clifford’s world. From boarding the Birdwell Island ferry to greeting the nine-foot tall Clifford The Big Red Dog in his own backyard, visitors playfully explore the exhibition’s themed areas and discover “Clifford’s Big Ideas”.

Designed for children ages 2 to 8 and their caregivers, the exhibition’s content and themed environments are drawn from the places found on Birdwell Island. Each of the ten exhibit areas emphasize the importance of literacy and social-emotional development. Activities are designed to offer safe and inviting experiences for the youngest visitors while offering challenges for older children. Adult caregivers are addressed specifically through text and graphics, which highlight the exhibit’s educational messages and “Clifford’s Big Ideas”.

Visitors will also meet Norman Bridwell, creator of Clifford The Big Red Dog at the Birdwell Island Library. Bridwell created the first Clifford The Big Red Dog book in 1962, based on the dog he dreamed of riding and sharing adventures with as a little boy. Today, the best-selling
book series includes more than 160 Clifford titles, 100 million books in print and an award-winning PBS Kids television show.

The exhibit’s timeless lessons, bolstered by the series’ enduring popularity and multi-generation appeal, support adult-child engagement and a child’s growth in 21st century skills laying a foundation for success in life, school and work.