DAVIE — Dora is a big deal for a little girl. She drew record crowds to the Young at Art Children’s Museum where her interactive exhibit, La Casa de Dora opened last month. In an agreement with Nickelodeon, the museum is the only stop for the Latina explorer and her replicated 2,000-square-foot house in the United States.

“It’s unbelievable,” executive director Mindy Shrago says. “We had record attendance for Young at Art; everyone seems to loves Dora, even the boys.”

In the exhibit, families are teleported through a porthole into Dora’s casa. Her home, complete with Spanish-tile roof, is filled with bilingual messages, games and interactive stations. For example, explore the kitchen and learn about Dora’s horno (oven) or lavaplatos (dishwasher).

“The kids can help Dora and crawl through her dishwasher,” Shrago says. “Or they can see what she has baking in the oven.”

There is a television set up in the living room broadcasting live sessions of other children in the museum playing with Dora. There are games featuring Dora’s family set up around the room for those too shy to make their big TV debut. In Dora’s bedroom, there is a dream tunnel, with bilingual labeling for children to climb through.

A treat awaits ninos in the backyard, where Dora herself poses for photos among the NickJr.com game computers.

“Everyone seems to have such a warm affinity for her,” Shrago says. “She explores just as our children coming through the museum are learning to do.”

The museum teaches children to investigate their surroundings, including other cultures, and learn about them through art, Shrago says.

“We teach how art is impacted by traditions,” she says. “So this aligns right with that. It’s important for us to teach children about cultures.”

In her investigation of her own culture and other cultures, Dora teaches preschool-aged viewers the process of self-discovery.

The museum is including special art classes with the exhibit featuring Latin American art techniques. Classes will make a mola, cut out appliqués on a colored background, or create tissue paper Mexican flowers or make Aztec masks.

Classes are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.?noon.

“They love it; they are enthralled,” Shrago says of the children who have tried this art at the exhibit. “It’s really a special treat for children to see the real deal.”

As Dora says, “¡Vamanos!”