THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS AND NICKELODEON PARTNER
ON FIRST-EVER THE BACKYARDIGANS AND THE WONDER PETS!
INTERACTIVE TRAVELING EXHIBITS

NEW YORK and INDIANAPOLIS–April 13, 2009–The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and Nickelodeon are partnering to create two new interactive exhibitions based on the network's award-winning preschool television series: The Backyardigans and The Wonder Pets!. The visually and musically dynamic exhibits—currently in the design stages and scheduled to debut in the next two years—will allow families to join along with the Backyardigans and Wonder Pets on interactive learning adventures that explore imaginary play, problem solving, music and movement. After initial stints at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the exhibits will then travel to 15 international markets.

Early conceptual designs for The Backyardigans exhibit invite kids to join the backyard pals in adventures such as a jaunt in the jungle or sailing the seas as pirates. Children can participate in the adventures through activities like dress up, treasure hunts or by playing musical instruments. The Wonder Pets! exhibit designs showcase the unlikely heroes in their classroom where children can help them build a flyboat and join them as they rescue animals in need. Children and their families can work together to free a baby dolphin trapped in a net or build a house for the three little pigs.

"The Backyardigans and The Wonder Pets! have influenced millions of children around the world with their educational curriculum, said Gerald Raines, Senior Director of Nickelodeon Recreation. "Bringing the interactivity of these television shows to life in an exhibit is a terrific way to bring the learning experiences to families on a grassroots level."

"The Children's Museum is excited about the exclusive opportunity to work with Nickelodeon to create and debut The Backyardigans' and The Wonder Pets! first traveling exhibits," added Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. "The exhibits will reach millions of children and will offer them extraordinary learning experiences that closely mirror each show's messages of problem solving, imagination and teamwork."

Both The Backyardigans and The Wonder Pets! air during Nickelodeon's preschool programming block weekdays from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The Backyardigans is an animated musical-adventure series featuring five friends who use their imaginations to embark on epic journeys. The Wonder Pets! is a photo-puppetry animated series, where the story is told in mini-operetta with dialog often sung to an original score from some of Broadway's top composers.

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Nickelodeon, now in its 30th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 98 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a non-profit institution committed to creating extraordinary family learning experiences that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. The 465,000 square-foot facility houses 12 major galleries. Visitors can explore the physical and natural sciences, history, world cultures, the arts, see how dinosaurs lived 65 million years ago in Dinosphere: Now You're in Their World®, experience Dale Chihuly's Fireworks of Glass and examine children's impact in shaping history in The Power of Children: Making a Difference. The Children's Museum, situated on 19 acres of land in Indianapolis, presents hundreds of programs and activities each year. For more information about The Children's Museum in English and Spanish, visit www.childrensmuseum.org.

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