A recent exhibition about generational gap was presented on the fourth floor atrium of Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School. Curated by Dorothy Cui from class 11-4, the exhibition placed an elderly experience area and a children’s growth area side by side. Through immersive sensory simulation, authentic nostalgic objects, and an interactive survey, the exhibition guided visitors into the inner worlds of the elderly and the young, inviting them to reflect on the meaning of companionship and understanding.

On the other side of the wall, the children’s area presented a completely different atmosphere. Inflatable chairs, large plush toys, pitch pot games, and shuttlecocks recreated the playful and dependent nature of childhood. These traditional games not only added fun to the exhibition but also allowed visitors to recall their own childhood memories in a light hearted setting.

“I designed the exhibition with two contrasting zones because I wanted to show that the beginning and the end of life share very similar needs, such as gentleness, companionship, and understanding,” the curator Dorothy Cui explained in the interview. “Generations are not naturally divided by a huge gap; we simply lack empathy. Empathy is the bridge.”

The core of the exhibition was not only the physical simulation of aging but also a focus on psychological needs. A text panel in the elderly area read: “Behind those easily overlooked details lie the elderly’s deep longing for understanding and companionship.” Dorothy hoped that through the authentic recreation of scenes and objects, visitors would slow down, sympathize with the slowness of their elders, and read the memories embedded in old belongings.

At the end of the exhibition, an interactive message wall and an electronic survey were set up. Visitors could scan a QR code to write down their observations about the psychological state of their elderly family members, share stories between generations, or express their feelings and suggestions about the exhibition. “When a young person suddenly finds that simple daily tasks become frustratingly difficult, they experience a moment of real empathy. It makes visitors realize that their grandparents or elderly neighbors face these small but constant challenges every single day, and that patience and help are not just nice but necessary,” said Dorothy. “We hope that empathy does not stop at the exhibition space but continues into everyone’s daily life.”

From the side by side narrative structure of the two zones, to the hands on sensory simulation, and finally to the reflective survey that leads to action, this small campus exhibition did not offer grand answers. Instead, it raised a question worth thinking for: have we truly heard the unspoken voices at both ends of life? Perhaps the first step toward understanding generations is not to eliminate differences, but to try walking a short distance in the other person’s shoes.