Museum launches audio tour narrated by elementary students

By AI, Created 10:40 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque is debuting a new audio tour built and voiced by local third graders to make complex exhibits easier for families and young visitors to explore. The tour opens May 15 after a May 14 celebration, with QR codes in Periodic Hall linking to 15 student recordings.

Why it matters: - The project gives families and young visitors a simpler way to approach the science and history of the atomic age. - The student-led format turns museum interpretation into peer-to-peer learning, which can make difficult topics feel more accessible. - The tour also highlights the museum’s push for accessibility and inclusive learning.

What happened: - The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History is launching For Kids, By Kids, an audio tour created and narrated by local elementary students. - Third-grade students from Lavaland Elementary School in Albuquerque selected museum objects, researched each topic and recorded 1-2 minute explanations in their own words. - The project started when the students were in second grade and was completed earlier this year, when the same students finalized their recordings with museum staff. - The tour officially debuts May 14 with a red carpet celebration for students, families, the Lavaland community and invited guests. - The public opening begins May 15.

The details: - The tour includes 15 student recordings. - Visitors can access the recordings by scanning QR codes in Periodic Hall with a smartphone. - A special For Kids, By Kids icon marks each featured object. - The tour opens with a welcome from third grader Xiomara, who invites visitors to “travel through this wonderful museum.” - The tour closes with a kid-centered joke: “like a uranium atom, we hope you don’t split.” - Topics include Fat Man and Little Boy, the USS James K. Polk submarine sail and Marie Curie. - Gabriel Nemiroff, the museum’s chief operations officer and director of education, conceived the project. - Nemiroff said the goal was to help families feel more comfortable engaging with the Atomic Age by hearing the material explained through children’s voices.

Between the lines: - The museum is using child narrators to lower the barrier for families who may find nuclear science and history intimidating. - The student recordings also show how elementary students can interpret complicated subjects with clear research and storytelling. - Abby Flores, the students’ teacher, said the project grew from a research and speaking exercise into a mission to bring history to life for future visitors. - Museum President and CEO Jennifer Hayden said the project deepens visitor engagement and supports family learning.

What’s next: - Visitors will be able to use the QR codes in Periodic Hall to hear the student-made recordings starting May 15. - The museum is positioning the tour as part of its ongoing education and community engagement work. - The student voices will remain part of the visitor experience as long as the tour stays installed and accessible.

The bottom line: - For Kids, By Kids turns a museum tour into a student-led learning tool, with young voices helping explain one of the most complex chapters in modern history.