The Library of Congress is developing a new experiential gallery designed to invite children and teens, with their families and school groups, to investigate primary source collections and build meaning through research and discovery. Developed with kids and for kids, the new learning space, The Source: Where Curiosity Sparks Discovery, will open in May.

As educational institutions across the country seek creative ways to engage young audiences, the new gallery is spearheading a shift toward curiosity-driven, participatory, youth-centered learning in the nation’s library, one of the country’s most historic spaces.

Created especially for visitors ages 8-15, the experiential gallery will encourage budding researchers to engage with primary sources in creative, personalized ways. The world’s largest library has designed and developed the new learning space with input from a youth advisory council. The Source will feature interactive stations where youth can investigate items from the Library's image, film, sound, and text collections through guided exploration and open-ended discovery.

“This experiential gallery represents a new way of thinking about how the Library of Congress can serve young people as they explore topics of interest; we want to encourage them to think like creators and researchers,” said Shari Werb, director of the Library’s Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement. “It’s a place where questions are welcome, experimentation is encouraged and curiosity leads the way, helping kids build confidence at a formative age.”

The 4,000-square-foot gallery, which will be housed in the Jefferson Building, is intended primarily to serve young people and their families, school groups in grades 3 to 10, and educators. The Source has been designed over a multiyear effort that began in 2021 and is part of a broader institutional commitment to youth-centered learning and public engagement.