Latest news with #Children'sDiscoveryMuseum
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Children's Discovery Museum gets $1 million for new agriculture exhibit
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — The Children's Discovery Museum in Normal announced Wednesday it will be using a $1 million gift to build a new agriculture exhibit next year. The gift from the McLean County Farm Bureau was accepted by the museum at the annual McLean County Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Awareness Breakfast, a museum news release stated. 'This is the largest single gift the Museum has ever received, and it makes perfect sense that it would come from the agriculture community that drives so many parts of the Central Illinois economy,' Museum Executive Director Beth Whisman said. 'It's been exciting to work with the McLean County Farm Bureau and other ag partners to design a new exhibit that accurately reflects the landscape today.' Children's Discovery Museum gets special recognition The gift will go towards a new exhibit called 'From Farm to a Healthy Me' and will double the size of the existing agriculture exhibit opened in 2006. The new exhibit is expected to feature: A ball drop maze representing the journey of grain from the field, through trucks/barges, grain elevators, and processing, to the world An 'Ag Lab' connecting agronomy, weather, soil and STEM concepts of science, technology, engineering and math A colorful grocery store complete with a bakery, pizza kitchen and deli counter with hands-on interactives for ag based food and household products A dynamic food truck with changing themes and menus to fit seasons, family traditions and cultures Pigs, cows and chickens Two drone simulation activities Dedicated toddlers play space themed with pollinators and specialty crops grown in Illinois McLean County Farm Bureau Board President Brian Dirks said he is excited to see how the new exhibit will help grow the community's understanding of food and farming. 'Our gift to help update and renovate the agriculture exhibit represents one piece of our ongoing commitment to supporting agricultural education in our community,' Dirks said. More information on the Children's Discovery Museum is available here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Normal Museum holds 2nd annual International Day of Women and Girls Science
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — The Children's Discovery Museum in uptown Normal held its 2nd annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science. At the event were 10 local STEAM organizations that gave kids a hands-on experience with science, technology, engineering, art and math. Kids practiced being doctors, experimented with water power and checked out geology experiments to name a few of the many activities. They also heard from women with STEAM-related careers like nurses, engineers and biologists. Nick Papineau with the museum said it's a great way to expose kids to STEAM at a young age. 'We want them to see themselves as problem solvers, and that extends beyond a job, it extends into social life. It extends into just basic things at home, so it is becoming more of a community member,' said Papineau. He said one-third of people in the steam workforce are women. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
