Mattress Factory

The Mattress Factory will build upon a previous IMLS-funded archival digitization project, to develop educational programs and a mobile application to make this historical material accessible to a broad, diverse audience. The application will let visitors enhance their museum experiences and delve into the creative process of artists who have worked at the museum. The museum will invite visitors to incorporate their own stories into the active archive, helping staff evaluate audience needs and educational impact. The project will enhance education programs for the general public, students and teachers, scholars and researchers, museum and cultural professionals, and individuals in rural communities in western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and the urban Pittsburgh community. The project will increase audience technology skills and help museum educators, teaching artists, and education staff integrate technology into museum education.