| << Back |  |
Cultural Scene and Heard: Dream, Create, Inspire, Learn – The Children’s Discovery Museum
By Meghan Pescio
As a Las Vegas native, some of my clearest and fondest memories of my childhood are of annual field trips to the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum. The bus would stop, my classmates and I would pour out and get completely lost in a whimsical world of dress up, curiosity and make believe. Entering the new DISCOVERY Children’s Museum located in Symphony Park alongside The Smith Center, that feeling of wonderment and fascination returned. I was welcomingly swept right back into my childhood as I wandered from exhibit to exhibit. The new location harkens back to the good ol’ days of Lied, and so much more.
From the River to “The Summit”
The mission of the museum to create a hands-on and engaging experience for children is immediately evident as you enter and are greeted by a giant apparatus that literally lifts a car, permitting the little lifter to dictate how much pressure he or she will need to do so. Every inch of the three-story, 58,000 square foot building allows for active and practical learning encounters. Exhibits such as “Water World” on the first floor create a different experience for each age – splashing around for the little ones and a deeper understanding of water’s movement and power for school aged kids. Even the adults will learn a thing or two.
A new addition to the museum is known as “The Summit” and it is as powerful as it sounds. Scaling the full three stories of the building, this 70 foot tower of entrancing educational adventures could keep you occupied for hours on its own. From giant ears to a spacecraft and an incredible view upon reaching the top, “The Summit” is a refreshing challenge of both body and mind.
Other exhibits new to those of us with Lied nostalgia, work not only to create fun environments for children to learn, but also give them practical knowledge for choices they will have when (or if) they decide to “grow up.” The “It’s Your Choice” exhibit is dedicated to health and wellness, and with live classes (taught by employees daily around the museum) about skincare in the sun and interactive games about food choice and exercise, I felt like I should be taking notes. “Eco City” mixes some old with the new as you will recognize children shopping in a Smith’s grocery store and pondering fiscal responsibility in the nearby Wells Fargo, but be pleasantly surprised by a new focus on environmental sustainability and community. The “Solve It!” exhibit puts a premium on analytical thinking as it leads you through a mystery and asks you to collect evidence, scrutinize it and crack the case.
Creative Flare
While pragmatic decision-making is important for the real world, the museum isn’t only for our left-brained offspring. Exhibits that celebrate imagination and creativity light up each floor – you can almost hear the little minds buzzing! “Fantasy Festival” on the first floor is a dreamlike hodgepodge of ships, castles and, of course, the giant stage that graced the former museum floor, complete with purple curtains and a box of costumes. “Young at Art” is reminiscent of a young Salvador Dali meets Dr. Seuss as colors melt off the walls around pink zebras and other human-like animals. My personal favorite, “Patents Pending,” is a brilliant tribute to the tinkerers, inventors and creators among us. Encouraging our future generation to “Dream,” “Design” and “Invent,” the exhibit offers future engineers the equivalent of a canvas to an artist.
As I followed the trail of tears from children prematurely pried from their fun, having been asked to leave this fantasy land by the parents or teachers who also secretly wanted to stay, I noticed a tribute to facility donator Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. The last line states the mission of the foundation to support organizations that “demonstrate a sustainable program, entrepreneurial spirit, and assist those served to be healthy, self-sufficient and productive members of their community.” The DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, at whatever location in the big neighborhood we call home, does just that and is a landmark to be proud of and patronize- at any age.
For more information on visiting, becoming a member or participating in programs of the DISCOVERY Children’s Museum visit www.DiscoveryKidsLV.com
