The Science of Human Thriving: Celebrating 100 Years of the Child Development Lab exhibits the innovative, research-based work of University of Wisconsin–Madison teachers, faculty, scholars, and students in the science of early relational health. Rooted in this history, visitors are encouraged to consider how design shapes the spaces where children play, learn, and explore. Interactive displays and replicated study scenarios invite visitors into the world of the Child Development Lab throughout its first 100 years, with a focus on the research that takes place at every level in support of the social, emotional, and educational development of UW’s youngest students.

This exhibition is curated by Dr. Sarah Anne Carter, Chipstone Foundation Design and Material Culture Chair, Associate Professor of Design Studies, and Executive Director of the Nancy M. Bruce Center for Design and Material Culture, in collaboration with Saffron Gonzalez, the Child Development Lab Centennial Project Coordinator, and many generous colleagues in the Child Development Lab and Human Development and Family Studies Department. The Science of Human Thriving and its related programs are made possible with support from the Anonymous Fund, many generous donors and partners who share the vision of the Nancy M. Bruce Center for Design and Material Culture, and the School of Human Ecology. The center creates meaningful opportunities for students, faculty, and the broader community to engage with textiles, design, and material culture.

In 2026, University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Human Ecology is marking 100 years of its Child Development Lab, among the first university-based preschool laboratories of its kind in the U.S., and celebrating its leading role in the field of early relational health.