LEWISTON — Museum L-A is announcing the first Kids as Curators exhibition for its gallery space. The Kids as Curators program is a collaborative effort between Museum L-A and students in the Lewiston-Auburn area to create a special exhibition at the museum. Teacher Diana Carson at Auburn Middle School, a veteran of the Kids as Curators program, is leading her students to curate, design, and install a “Hidden Treasures” exhibition. The public is invited to attend the free opening reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 26.

“Museum L-A has been making great strides in connecting directly with the local community by allowing young people to become amateur curators who create their own exhibitions at the museum,” Carson said. “Students have learned about their own history and the history of the community, interviewed family members, created label copy, and learned how to work together in small groups.”

This year, the Kids as Curators program will produce an exhibition with a new twist. Eighty 8th grade students were invited to create a professional exhibition that followed the guidelines of Museum L-A’s mission of connecting generations and cultures to help people experience the rich history of Lewiston-Auburn.

Students visited Museum L-A for a behind-the-scenes view of how history is preserved and shared with the public. They chose artifacts from the collections at Museum L-A and used them to explore different themes. They are sharing stories about the people who owned the items and how the objects relate to the history and heritage of the community of Lewiston-Auburn. “Hidden Treasures” will be on display through May 20.

In the exhibit, museum visitors will see unique objects that have long been hidden away in storage and have not had the chance to be exhibited in the museum. Students worked extensively with Emma Sieh, collections and exhibits coordinator for Museum L-A, to create the exhibit from start to finish.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to teach students how a museum works while incorporating an experience of learning about their local community,” Sieh said. “They are eager to learn and demonstrate their creativity.”

This Kids as Curators exhibit was supported by grants from the Maine Humanities Council, the Maine Arts Commission and the Lewiston-Auburn Children’s Foundation, as well as sponsorship from Mechanics Savings Bank.  Another Kids as Curators program  — this one with Lewiston High School —  is coming to Museum L-A this spring.

Museum L-A is located in the Bates Mill Complex at 35 Canal St. Its hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Special tour requests and large group tours outside of these hours are available by appointment.

For more information, please contact info@museumla.org or call 207-333-3881.