Garden of the Senses

A cultural and artistic enrichment workshop, in conjunction with the “SENS” exhibition at the Musée de la main Unil-CHUV. After a sensory exploration of three immersive artworks, children extend their experience by freely exploring a variety of materials, sounds, smells, colors, objects, and natural elements. The youngest children are invited to create their own “garden of the senses”—a personal, evolving sensory space shaped by their perceptions, movements, and creativity.

Children ages 2–4 accompanied by their families or attending an early childhood center in the Lausanne area. Free admission ensures access for as many people as possible.

CONTEXT: The “Garden of the Senses” project is part of an early cultural enrichment initiative that takes into account the rhythms, modes of exploration, and perceptual abilities specific to children aged 2 to 4. It is directly linked to the “SENS” exhibition, on view at the Musée de la main from February 24, 2027, to September 24, 2028. The exhibition explores human perceptions through immersive installations that blend artistic practices, scientific research, and sensory experiences. Its approach invites children to feel before they understand and uses the body as the primary tool for exploration. It thus provides a particularly conducive environment for artistic and sensory development, tailored to young children and their families. KEY ISSUES: The senses are young children’s primary means of engaging with the world. Before words, they feel, manipulate, repeat, compare, and transform. The challenge is to offer them a first encounter with art and culture that builds on these modes of exploration and respects their perceptual abilities. After a sensory exploration of three immersive artworks, “Jardin des sens” invites children to freely explore different materials, sounds, smells, colors, objects, and natural elements, and then to create their own garden of the senses. The workshop thus fosters sensory exploration, awareness of the body and one’s perceptions, expression through movement, play, and imagination, as well as confidence in each child’s creative abilities. It also allows participants to physically experience the exhibition’s themes: the diversity of perceptions, the importance of the body, and the influence of the environment. The fact that the workshops are free helps ensure access to culture for as many families as possible. OPPORTUNITIES: The Musée de la main hopes to expand this program following the very positive feedback from the “Guirlandes d’idées” workshop (2022–2023), conducted in collaboration with the City of Lausanne, Réseau-L, Pro Enfance, and the Lapurla initiative. Discussions with early childhood professionals have confirmed interest in sensory cultural projects, open-ended and non-prescriptive approaches, and tools specifically designed for very young children. The project thus offers an opportunity to strengthen the exchange of expertise between the cultural sector and early childhood education, to develop an educational tool tailored to a museum exhibition, and to raise awareness of the importance of early cultural enrichment. Developed collaboratively with early childhood professionals, an artist, and a cultural mediator, the project will also document the process, evaluate its impact, and identify avenues for future collaborations and initiatives in other settings.

Musée de la main Unil-CHUV, Lausanne

April–May 2026: Formation of the working group; May–November 2026: Development of the workshop concept; October 2026: Drafting of a presentation text for the Musée de la main’s communication materials; December 2026 – January 2027: Preparation of the necessary materials for the workshop; February 2027: Promotion of the workshop through the partners’ various channels; March 2027: Pilot testing of the workshop with children from an early childhood center; March 2027 – September 2028: Workshops at the Musée de la main; March 2027 – September 2028: Collecting feedback and sharing experiences; Fall 2028: Drafting a project evaluation report;

4,000

Musée de la main Unil-CHUV: infrastructure, human resources; Early Childhood Services, City of Lausanne: human resources; Maude Sauvage, artist: workshop design and cultural mediation; Child Welfare Office, City of Lausanne: CHF 2,000 in funding secured for this project.