A new perspective on child’s play

Carolina Nachtigall see things from a different perspective at MoPA. (Louisa Jones) 232295_07

Kids are clamouring to play with LEGO car ramps and have “graffiti wars” at Geelong’s Museum of Play and Art (MoPA) as restrictions ease, according to co-owner Tom Mahon.

He and wife Billie Georgieff were devastated when COVID-19 hit just months after they opened their new million-dollar investment in January 2020.

“We had literally just finished building and investing in a new museum, and we were relying on 2020 to recover that investment,” Tom said.

But after gradually opening again from last October, the museum’s bookings have increased every month in line with public confidence.

“We sold out every single day [in] January,” Tom said.

With restrictions easing further this week and half-price flights into Avalon Airport available from April 1, Tom is excited for the upcoming school holidays and beyond.

“When the government says we can rip the masks off, that does fill people with confidence that things are under control and that it’s safe to go out again,” Tom said.

Details: museumofplayandart.com.au

Luke Voogt