New Please Touch Museum exhibit grants families comfort amid COVID-19

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The family of 84-year-old Ida Robinson, who lost her life to COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic, is grateful to keep her legacy alive through a beautiful piece of artwork created through the Please Touch Museum's new exhibit.

Robinson was born in Virginia but moved to Philadelphia in her childhood.

She worked years at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, so her family says it is fitting they received a piece of art in her honor.

"She didn't just love children. Especially everybody in the community, they would call her Ms. Ida," her daughter JoAnn Robinson said.

Ms. Ida Robinson passed away on April 26, 2020.

A little more than a year after her death, her legacy lives on through a rainbow. But not just any rainbow, as her daughter holds up a painting of a rainbow by a 4-year-old.

"A baby painted it, and his name was Malachi, and my mother was dear to the Bible," Robinson said.

The family draws strength from the colorful painting they recently received. Malachi has become their angel who they never met.

He is one of hundreds of children who participated in the Please Touch Museum's Double Rainbows exhibit.

The artwork was purposely intended to go out to families who lost a loved one to COVID-19.

The exhibit kicked off in April when the museum reopened. Any child who comes in can create a rainbow work of art, or parents can drop one off.

"It teaches little ones that small gestures can be deeply meaningful and can change someone's life," Please Touch Museum CEO Patricia Wellenbach said.

The exhibit is ending soon and the pieces of art will land in the hands of more grateful families.