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Coordinates: 35°13′46″N 80°50′27″W / 35.22944°N 80.84083°W / 35.22944; -80.84083
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==History==
==History==


The museum traces its history to 1946, and the foundation of a small museum on Cecil Street, Charlotte, by Laura Owens, a school teacher. The popularity of this museum led to the foundation of the Children's Nature Center adjacent to the new [[Freedom Park (Charlotte, North Carolina)|Freedom Park]]. This museum opened in 1951, with a focus on bringing families and nature together. It further expanded in 1965 to include a planetarium. By the 1970s, it had been renamed the Charlotte Nature Museum.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History {{!}} Discovery Place |url=https://www.discoveryplace.org/about/history |access-date=2022-06-02 |website=www.discoveryplace.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
The story begins in 1946 with a school teacher named Laura Owens.


At tis time, interest in science education was growing, including due to the [[Space Race|space race]] between the United States and the Soviet Union. The community of Charlotte approved funding and plans for a comprehensive hands-on science and technology center. It was decided to locate the new Museum on North Tryon Street, to encourage development in uptown Charlotte and maximise access in the growing city.
Friends, colleagues, parents and community members had been bringing her objects, live animals and specimens from the natural world, and she decided that her students needed a hands-on environment in which to observe and learn about these things. With help from the community, she opened a small museum on Cecil Street in Charlotte.


⚫
This new museum opened in 1981, known as Discovery Place at 301 North Tryon Street with {{convert|72000|sqft}} of space. Its first director was Russell Peithman. The facility has expanded as the needs of the community have grown. In 1986, exhibition space was added to accommodate traveling exhibitions and, in 1991, ''The Charlotte Observer IMAX® Dome Theatre'' opened as the first giant-screen motion picture theatre in the Carolinas. The Carol Grotnes Belk Education and Parking Complex was completed in 1996. In 2010, Discovery Place was significantly redeveloped, with an 18-month, $31.6 million renovation, resulting in a re-designed museum with new interactive exhibitions and state-of-the-art labs allowing the public to engage in real-world science problem solving.
Ms. Owens’ small experiment was so well-received that soon the community, led by the Junior League of Charlotte and the Lions Club, worked with Mecklenburg County to develop a new Children's Nature Center. The building was situated on property adjacent to the new Freedom Park, which allowed for access to the outside and the wonders of the natural world.


⚫
The museum has continued to grow as the community has expanded, and the first Discovery Place Kids museum was opened in 2010 in [[Huntersville, North Carolina|Huntersville]], North Carolina. Planned as a network of community-based children's museums, Discovery Place Kids aspires to maximize the whole child by offering imaginative environments that encourage learning through play. Through public-private partnerships, the network continues to expand with a second Discovery Place Kids opened in 2013 in [[Rockingham, North Carolina|Rockingham]], North Carolina.
When the new Museum opened in 1951, it was one of the first facilities in the Southeast focused on bringing families and nature together. Its new hands-on approach to science and nature education was embraced by the community, and in 1965, the Museum opened a planetarium to begin educating students about the skies above. Students traveled from all over the state to learn about the night sky.


⚫
Discovery Place has committed to training the region's educators to be inspired and inspiring teachers of [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics]] (STEM) education. In 2014, Discovery Place Education Studio at Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development opened on the museum's uptown campus. The program is dedicated to educator professional development with a goal of advancing student and teacher attitudes and achievements in STEM.
By the 1970s, Charlotte Nature Museum had grown into one of the most popular attractions in town, and its leaders were intent on expanding its reach and scope. Interest in science education was growing, spurred on by a post-Sputnick Soviet Union. The community responded to the demand for quality science education by approving funding and plans for a comprehensive hands-on science and technology center. Seeking to provide access for a growing Charlotte and to encourage uptown development, leaders decided to locate the new Museum on North Tryon Street.


⚫
In 2016, the organization rebranded as '''Discovery Place''', consisting of three brands: '''Discovery Place Science''' in uptown Charlotte''', Discovery Place Nature''' in Freedom Park and '''Discovery Place Kids''' in Huntersville and Rockingham. Additionally, the organization provides professional development through the Education Studio and educational programming through its community outreach program.
In 1981, a new museum known as Discovery Place opened its doors at 301 North Tryon Street with {{convert|72000|sqft}} of space. Its first director was Russell Peithman.

⚫
As the needs of the community grew, the facility expanded. In 1986, exhibition space was added to accommodate traveling exhibitions and in 1991 ''The Charlotte Observer IMAX® Dome Theatre'' opened as the first giant-screen motion picture theatre in the Carolinas. The Carol Grotnes Belk Education and Parking Complex was completed in 1996. In 2010, Discovery Place was completely transformed, with an 18-month, $31.6 million renovation, resulting in a re-imagined Museum with all-new interactive exhibitions and state-of-the-art labs that allowed the public to engage in real-world science problem solving.

⚫
With the region continuing to grow, Discovery Place followed suit, opening the first Discovery Place Kids museum in 2010 in Huntersville, NC. Planned as a network of community-based children's museums, Discovery Place Kids aspires to maximize the whole child by offering imaginative environments that encourage learning through play. Through unique public-private partnerships, the network continues to expand with a second Discovery Place Kids opened in 2013 in Rockingham, NC.

⚫
As the learning needs of the Charlotte region continued to expand, Discovery Place made a commitment to training the region's educators to be inspired and inspiring teachers of STEM education. In 2014, Discovery Place Education Studio at Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development opened on the Museum's uptown campus. The program is dedicated to educator professional development with a goal of advancing student and teacher attitudes and achievements in STEM.

⚫
In 2016, the organization became known as '''Discovery Place''', consisting of three Museum brands: '''Discovery Place Science''' in uptown Charlotte''', Discovery Place Nature''' in Freedom Park and '''Discovery Place Kids''' in Huntersville and Rockingham. Additionally, the organization provides extensive professional development through the Education Studio and educational programming throughout the community through its outreach program.


==Discovery Place Nature==
==Discovery Place Nature==
Discovery Place operates [[Discovery Place Nature]], formerly Charlotte Nature Museum, located at 1658 Sterling Road, adjacent to [[Freedom Park (Charlotte, North Carolina)|Freedom Park]] and the [[Little Sugar Creek Greenway]]. The Museum features interactive nature exhibits and live animal displays, including a [[butterfly]] pavilion, live species, [[insects]] and a variety of native North Carolina animals.
Discovery Place operates [[Discovery Place Nature]], formerly Charlotte Nature Museum, located at 1658 Sterling Road, adjacent to [[Freedom Park (Charlotte, North Carolina)|Freedom Park]] and the [[Little Sugar Creek Greenway]]. The museum features interactive nature exhibits and live animal displays, including a [[butterfly]] pavilion, live species, [[insects]] and a variety of native North Carolina animals.


==Discovery Place Kids==
==Discovery Place Kids==
In Fall 2010, Discovery Place opened its first Discovery Place Kids Museum in [[Huntersville, North Carolina]].<ref name="hunt">{{Cite web|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/23/1450528/discovery-place-kids-nears-its.html|title=Discovery Place Kids nears its fall opening|access-date=2010-06-14|date=2010-05-23|work=The Charlotte Observer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905124702/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/23/1450528/discovery-place-kids-nears-its.html|archive-date=2012-09-05|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="hunt2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/10/22/1778614/now-opening-discovery-place-kids.html|title=Now Opening: Discovery Place Kids|access-date=2010-11-23|date=2010-10-22|work=The Charlotte Observer}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Part of a larger vision to develop other Discovery Place Kids locations across the region,<ref name="rock">{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsoctv.com/sponsors/25181967/detail.html|title=Discovery Place Announces Discovery Place KIDS Rockingham|access-date=2010-11-23|date=2010-09-27|work=WSOC-TV|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205031549/http://www.wsoctv.com/sponsors/25181967/detail.html|archive-date=2010-12-05}}</ref> Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville appeals to families with young children and offers those living in outlying suburban communities the opportunity to visit a Discovery Place Museum closer to home. An $18.7 million public-private venture between Discovery Place, Inc. and the City of Huntersville, Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville offers unique, learning-through-play experiences for young children. Through unique public-private partnerships, the network continues to expand with a second Discovery Place Kids opened in 2013 in Rockingham, NC.
In Fall 2010, Discovery Place opened its first Discovery Place Kids Museum in [[Huntersville, North Carolina]].<ref name="hunt">{{Cite web|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/23/1450528/discovery-place-kids-nears-its.html|title=Discovery Place Kids nears its fall opening|access-date=2010-06-14|date=2010-05-23|work=The Charlotte Observer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905124702/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/23/1450528/discovery-place-kids-nears-its.html|archive-date=2012-09-05|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="hunt2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/10/22/1778614/now-opening-discovery-place-kids.html|title=Now Opening: Discovery Place Kids|access-date=2010-11-23|date=2010-10-22|work=The Charlotte Observer}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Part of a larger vision to develop other Discovery Place Kids locations across the region,<ref name="rock">{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsoctv.com/sponsors/25181967/detail.html|title=Discovery Place Announces Discovery Place KIDS Rockingham|access-date=2010-11-23|date=2010-09-27|work=WSOC-TV|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205031549/http://www.wsoctv.com/sponsors/25181967/detail.html|archive-date=2010-12-05}}</ref> Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville appeals to families with young children and offers those living in outlying suburban communities the opportunity to visit a Discovery Place museum closer to home. A $18.7 million public-private venture between Discovery Place, Inc. and the City of Huntersville, Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville offers unique, learning-through-play experiences for young children. Through unique public-private partnerships, the network continues to expand with a second Discovery Place Kids opened in 2013 in Rockingham, NC.


Discovery Place also offers off-site educational experiences to community groups and schools throughout N.C. and S.C. through its Outreach program.
Discovery Place also offers off-site educational experiences to community groups and schools throughout N.C. and S.C. through its Outreach program.

Revision as of 17:28, 2 June 2022

Discovery Place Science
Map
Former name
Discovery Place
Established1981
Location301 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
TypeScience Museum
Visitors520,000 (as of 2009)
DirectorCatherine Wilson Horne
WebsiteDiscovery Place

Discovery Place Science is a science and technology museum designed for all ages, located in Uptown, Charlotte, North Carolina. The facility's exhibits and activities focus on hands-on experiences. It has a "Thinker Space" and labs, a two story urban rain forest, aquariums, live animal exhibits, stages for demonstrations, space for traveling exhibits, and event space. Discovery Place Science also operates The Charlotte Observer IMAX Dome Theater, sometimes referred to as an OMNIMAX theater. It is the largest IMAX Dome Theater in the Carolinas.[1]

The museum opened in 1981 and was renovated in 2010. The IMAX Dome was opened in 1991.[2] The theater naming rights were secured by The Charlotte Observer.

Discovery Place's main entrance from Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte

Rebranding

In 2016, on the organization's 70th anniversary, the Discovery Place network of museums underwent rebranding for naming clarity. The Discovery Place moniker now refers to the 501(c)3 non-profit and network of museums as a whole. The Uptown Charlotte location: Discovery Place became Discovery Place Science. The Freedom Park location in Charlotte: Charlotte Nature Museum became Discovery Place Nature and the facilities in Huntersville, NC and Rockingham, NC retained their names: Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville and Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham.[3]

History

The museum traces its history to 1946, and the foundation of a small museum on Cecil Street, Charlotte, by Laura Owens, a school teacher. The popularity of this museum led to the foundation of the Children's Nature Center adjacent to the new Freedom Park. This museum opened in 1951, with a focus on bringing families and nature together. It further expanded in 1965 to include a planetarium. By the 1970s, it had been renamed the Charlotte Nature Museum.[4]

At tis time, interest in science education was growing, including due to the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The community of Charlotte approved funding and plans for a comprehensive hands-on science and technology center. It was decided to locate the new Museum on North Tryon Street, to encourage development in uptown Charlotte and maximise access in the growing city.

This new museum opened in 1981, known as Discovery Place at 301 North Tryon Street with 72,000 square feet (6,700 m2) of space. Its first director was Russell Peithman. The facility has expanded as the needs of the community have grown. In 1986, exhibition space was added to accommodate traveling exhibitions and, in 1991, The Charlotte Observer IMAX® Dome Theatre opened as the first giant-screen motion picture theatre in the Carolinas. The Carol Grotnes Belk Education and Parking Complex was completed in 1996. In 2010, Discovery Place was significantly redeveloped, with an 18-month, $31.6 million renovation, resulting in a re-designed museum with new interactive exhibitions and state-of-the-art labs allowing the public to engage in real-world science problem solving.

The museum has continued to grow as the community has expanded, and the first Discovery Place Kids museum was opened in 2010 in Huntersville, North Carolina. Planned as a network of community-based children's museums, Discovery Place Kids aspires to maximize the whole child by offering imaginative environments that encourage learning through play. Through public-private partnerships, the network continues to expand with a second Discovery Place Kids opened in 2013 in Rockingham, North Carolina.

Discovery Place has committed to training the region's educators to be inspired and inspiring teachers of Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. In 2014, Discovery Place Education Studio at Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development opened on the museum's uptown campus. The program is dedicated to educator professional development with a goal of advancing student and teacher attitudes and achievements in STEM.

In 2016, the organization rebranded as Discovery Place, consisting of three brands: Discovery Place Science in uptown Charlotte, Discovery Place Nature in Freedom Park and Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville and Rockingham. Additionally, the organization provides professional development through the Education Studio and educational programming through its community outreach program.

Discovery Place Nature

Discovery Place operates Discovery Place Nature, formerly Charlotte Nature Museum, located at 1658 Sterling Road, adjacent to Freedom Park and the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. The museum features interactive nature exhibits and live animal displays, including a butterfly pavilion, live species, insects and a variety of native North Carolina animals.

Discovery Place Kids

In Fall 2010, Discovery Place opened its first Discovery Place Kids Museum in Huntersville, North Carolina.[5][6] Part of a larger vision to develop other Discovery Place Kids locations across the region,[7] Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville appeals to families with young children and offers those living in outlying suburban communities the opportunity to visit a Discovery Place museum closer to home. A $18.7 million public-private venture between Discovery Place, Inc. and the City of Huntersville, Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville offers unique, learning-through-play experiences for young children. Through unique public-private partnerships, the network continues to expand with a second Discovery Place Kids opened in 2013 in Rockingham, NC.

Discovery Place also offers off-site educational experiences to community groups and schools throughout N.C. and S.C. through its Outreach program.

Discovery Place Education Studio

As the learning needs of the Charlotte region continued to expand, Discovery Place made a commitment to training the region's educators to be inspired and inspiring teachers of STEM education. In 2014, Discovery Place Education Studio at Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development opened on the Museum's uptown campus. The program is dedicated to educator professional development with a goal of advancing student and teacher attitudes and achievements in STEM.

References

  1. ^ "Explore the Museum". Discovery Place. Discovery Place. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Our History". Discovery Place. Discovery Place. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Brand New: Discovery Place Unveils New Branding Initiative in Celebration of 70 Years of Science in the Carolinas". Discovery Place. Discovery Place. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  4. ^ "History | Discovery Place". www.discoveryplace.org. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  5. ^ "Discovery Place Kids nears its fall opening". The Charlotte Observer. 2010-05-23. Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  6. ^ "Now Opening: Discovery Place Kids". The Charlotte Observer. 2010-10-22. Retrieved 2010-11-23.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Discovery Place Announces Discovery Place KIDS Rockingham". WSOC-TV. 2010-09-27. Archived from the original on 2010-12-05. Retrieved 2010-11-23.

35°13′46″N 80°50′27″W / 35.22944°N 80.84083°W / 35.22944; -80.84083

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