(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – The new exhibition If/Then – an interactive installation exploring the senses, rule-breaking, and creativity, opens at the Berkshire Museum on Saturday, January 24, 2015, and will remain on view through Sunday, May 3. An opening celebration for If/Then will be held Friday, January 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Visitors to If/Then will enter a topsy-turvy world of experience, where senses rule. They will traverse the horizontal climbing wall; dodge an obstacle course of pretend laser beams; and use dots and dashes to mark their height on a drawing wall. If/Then was conceived and created by Peter Garlington, a Berkshire-based designer, and Craig Langlois, Berkshire Museum’s education and public program manager.

This new exhibition is all about inspired rule-breaking and the exploration of irrational creativity. For children it is a chance to freely climb, jump, and explore the large-scale sculptural structures in the galleries; for older children and adults it’s an opportunity to release the confines of rational thought and re-engage with their own childhood. The two designers are working with illustrator Greg Matusic to create a visual vocabulary for If/Then, comprised of vibrant symbols and graphics that will guide visitors of all ages through the creative play space without written words.

The four large galleries offer a series of interactive stations intended to engage the senses: museum-goers will interpret scents, identify objects through touch, and speak and listen to messages sent through an intriguing system of tubes and tunnels. Visitors will be able to try a series of innovative drawing stations, jump onto a giant hopscotch board, and venture into a walk-in “kaleidoscope” experience.

“There is no doubt that If/Then will break new ground in how we achieve our mission to spark creativity and innovative thinking. It is designed to encourage interaction with a landscape full of wonder at a scale we have never attempted before,” says Berkshire Museum executive director Van Shields. “It holds the promise to be the kind of meaningful experience that our visitors will remember forever.”

Part labyrinth, part artful fun-house, If/Then is designed to challenge museumgoers to think differently about their surroundings, much as early learners experience the world, as a surprising place full of discovery and adventure. Each gallery holds a new adventure for kids, families, and visitors of all ages as they encounter the artful installations and physical, emotional, and magical interactions along the way.

Located in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at 39 South St., the Berkshire Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $13 adult, $6 child; Museum members and children age 3 and under enjoy free admission. For more information, visit Berkshire Museum or call 413.443.7171.

In association with the Smithsonian since 2013, Berkshire Museum is part of a select group of museums, cultural, educational, and arts organizations that share the Smithsonian’s resources with the nation.

Established by Zenas Crane in 1903, Berkshire Museum integrates art, history, and natural science in a wide range of programs and exhibitions that inspire educational connections between the disciplines. Objectify: A Look into the Permanent Collection is currently on view. Little Cinema is open year-round. Spark!Lab, Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation, Worlds in Miniature, Aquarium, and other exhibits are ongoing.