Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
There’s never a bad time to visit the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, which, despite its name, is chock-full of compelling exhibits and experiences for students of all ages. But beginning this summer, the museum is rolling out a trio of initiatives, known collectively as the Year of Extraordinary Science, that provide focused experiences in the popular science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The biggest news is the launch of the Beyond Spaceship Earth exhibit, which will open in late June and be a permanent part of the museum experience. Focusing on the International Space Station, Beyond Spaceship Earth is an immersive exhibit based on the work of astronauts who have lived and worked aboard the space station. Highlights will include full-scale replicas of portions of the space station as well as an all-new planetarium and space object theater. The display will also include the NASA space capsule Liberty Bell 7, which was piloted by Indiana native and astronaut Gus Grissom.
On the heels of that exhibit, a reimagined ScienceWorks will open in late August. An update of one of the museum’s most popular exhibits, this redesigned experience will use a high-tech water table to teach young visitors about a wide range of water systems such as the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Ocean. Guests can also scale a horizontal climbing wall, discover precious gems and minerals in a re-created cave and use tools to predict weather systems in a meteorological area.
“We’re providing a realistic environment to help children and families visualize how real scientists manipulate experiments to understand the importance of research, exploration, and data collection and analysis,” said Jeffrey Patchen, the museum’s president and CEO. “These quality science-based programs encourage children to continue learning through their lives and, hopefully, inspire new discoveries.”
The Year of Extraordinary Science program is being rounded out by a Scientists in Residence program that will feature a pair of internationally renowned paleontologists.
Museum of World Treasures
Wichita, Kansas
One of the best things that education can impart into students is a healthy curiosity for the world. One of Wichita’s most interesting attractions, the Museum of World Treasure, is built on just such a curiosity.
“We were founded in 2001 by a doctor and his wife,” said Crystal Neihoff, the museum’s development director. “It came as a result of his experiences as a child traveling to the Holy Land. Our mission is to educate and inspire lifelong learning.”
Instead of focusing on one particular region of the world or a single point in history, the museum offers a cross section of some of the most interesting cultures and events on earth. Visitors will see mummies, a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, presidential artifacts and a variety of military exhibits from the Civil War, World War I and World War II.
“If you’re a military buff, one of my favorite things to see is a surrender document signed by Admiral Nimitz, who led the U.S. Pacific Fleet during World War II,” Neihoff said.
Other highlights include an 1843 copy of the Declaration of Independence, long underwear belonging to legendary Army Gen. George Custer and an activity area where young visitors can dig for fossils.
The museum offers a variety of special experiences for student groups.
“There is a classroom where we do hands-on activities with students,” Neihoff said. “We do a scavenger hunt through the museum, or we can do activities like pottery and jewelry-making. We also do overnight camp-ins.”
Ripley’s Aquarium
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a student who doesn’t enjoy the fascinating world of marine biology at Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, one of two aquariums that the company operates in the United States. The aquarium has a shark tunnel, where guests walk underneath the Dangerous Reef tank, as well as touch tanks, dive shows and more.
Student groups that want to learn about the science of the sea can participate in a number of special programs offered at the aquarium.
“We do a lot of hands-on activities for middle and high schoolers,” said Jessie Hairston, the aquarium’s director of education and fun. “We do a lot of dissections — you can dissect a shark, squid or a perch. We go over the external features of the specimens we’re dissecting; then we open them up and go through all of the internal organs.”
Students also enjoy behind-the-scenes tours, where they see the equipment and staff required to care for the animals and keep the aquarium tanks functioning properly.
For an even more immersive experience, the aquarium recently began offering field excursions on a boat that goes out into the wetlands and coastal areas around Myrtle Beach.
“We learn about the ecosystem in the marsh and what lives there,” Hairston said. “We catch crabs, net through the water and see what kind of critters are living there, and we talk about their biology. It’s a three-hour program that is offered in early fall and in the spring. It’s really cool because the kids get firsthand experiences and see what we’re talking about.”
