TIME For Kids have revealed the first-ever list of the World’s 50 Coolest Places of 2019, spotlighting mix of educational, innovative, and fun destinations that are tailored to the interests of kids and Moat Brae has been selected.
To assemble the list, TIME for Kids gathered nominations from its network of TFK Kid Reporters and from young readers around the world. Each nomination was then evaluated on several factors, including quality, originality, sustainability, and accessibility.
The result: a list of 50 exciting, innovative, and iconic destinations around the world—from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Singapore with a gourmet kids’ menu to America’s tallest sand dunes, which are perfect for sledding. The categories are Play, Learn, Explore and Eat. Moat Brae in Dumfries and Galloway has been chosen as one fourteen coolest places to learn in 2019 alongside other amazing places including U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama USA, ImagiNations Activity Center at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C., Deichman Biblo Tøyen Oslo, Norway and Statue of Liberty Museum Liberty Island, New York.
Dr Simon Davidson, Moat Brae’s Centre Director said: “We’re absolutely delighted and flattered to be part of Time’s Top 50 Coolest Places for Kids and to be in such esteemed company! Reading down the list you see Mission Control, Houston, Notre Dame, Paris, Statue of Liberty, New York, and then Moat Brae, Dumfries, Scotland, UK.
Moat Brae opened in June 2019 to celebrate the ‘enchanted land’ that inspired the writer of Peter Pan when he played here as a child. One of our key objectives was create an attraction for Dumfries that people from all over the world would want to come to learn about our phenomenal history and to be inspired to find the creative spark within themselves. Receiving this kind of recognition in the first few months since opening is a huge endorsement, particularly as the TIME FOR KIDS’ list has been chosen by young readers and Kid Reporters.
J.M. Barrie, wrote ‘I’m not young enough to know everything’ and if young readers and writers think we are so cool it must mean we are getting something right. The people of Dumfries should be really proud that their wee corner of the world has inspired some of the world’s greatest literature from Burns to the most widely known and well-loved children’s story of all time – Peter Pan
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