Marbles sets opening date for new musical staircase

Marbles Kids Museum's new musical staircase exhibit is getting a lot closer to reality. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony for StepNotes is now set for June 9.

The exhibit at the downtown Raleigh museum will be in a staircase in the southwest corner of the building just to the left as you walk into Curiosity Square.

The exhibit will turn an ordinary staircase that leads to Power2Play and ArtLoft, but doesn't get a whole lot of use, into an interactive musical experience. As visitors move up and down the stairs, they'll make noise. It also lights up.

Here's how Marbles described it late last year when I last wrote about it: StepNotes will rely on non-contact robotic sensors that detect feet. Software will filter and transform movement into musical notes as museum guests pass through the stairs. Each note will be accompanied by an interactive LED lighting feature to further amplify the guest experience.

The exhibit is being built thanks to a donation from the MetLife Foundation.