Something around every corner
World of Wonder
EdVenture Children's Museum, located in the heart of Columbia's Vista, is 67,000 square feet of fun and educational discovery. Its state- - of- the- art facility holds the title of the largest children's museum in the South and the 10th largest in the world. There are eight main galleries with over 350 individual exhibits, each geared for children ages 0 to 12. In every nook and cranny, there is something to entertain any type of child, whether he or she is an avid reader, an aspiring auto engineer, or a child who just wants some inside or outside playtime in a kid- friendly environment.
Bright Ideas
In the mid- 1990s, talk of a children's museum started among a group of parents, who envisioned something unlike anything the Columbia area had seen. By 1995, a non- profit organization had formed. Co- founders Katherine Frankstone and Sue Oliver, along with the board and staff, helped to raise funds, which originally totaled $1 million in personal commitments.
The next step was to gain support from the city and county and then choose a building site. Over 20 properties were looked at as possible locations for the children's museum, but only one would be the best fit. In 1997, Gov. David Beasley and the S.C. Budget Control Board helped EdVenture find its current site on Gervais Street near the State Museum.
Kate Jayroe, interned at The Columbia Star March 3- 7, 2008. She is a sophomore at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School. Jayroe plays lacrosse and enjoys art and music. Many Columbia residents saw the EdVenture vision come to life as construction of the museum took place over the course of a few years. The museum opened November 8, 2003, and has since had over 800,000 visitors.
Tina Gills, director of Annual Giving for EdVenture, explained that each exhibit in the museum was carefully laid out with the help of experts from various fields, and the museum even has four fire and life safety educators on staff For the Kid and the Kid at Heart
With over 350 individual exhibits inside EdVenture's walls, it would be impossible to list them all. However, there are eight main sections of the museum that catch the interest of any child.
Madelyn Smith, interned at The Columbia Star March 3- 6, 2008. She is a junior at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School. Smith is on the varsity basketball team and loves singing. Perhaps the most unique of all the exhibits is EDDIE®, a larger than life, 17.5 ton, 40- foot boy. Children can explore the body navigating from his brain to his stomach and then sliding down to his feet. A working watch and a pet dragonfly named Flutter accompany this crowd- pleaser and the world's largest child.
BodyWorks, a wing of the museum devoted to exploring the body's many systems, allows children to learn about the brain, heart, digestive system, and more. They can become a dentist and floss a set of oversized teeth, walk in a doctor's shoes and look at actual X- ray, or become a nutritionist and prepare a healthy meal in the restaurant.
For all of those budding entrepreneurs, World of Work is sure to please. Located in the kid- friendly EdVenture City, this exhibit shows little ones a handful of occupations of South Carolinians from a supermarket employee to a firefighter. Children can manage their Eddie Bucks, a special form of currency, and can even vote.
David Bryant and his sister Elizabeth check out their groceries in a miniature version of a Piggly Wiggly store. This is one of the most visited sections in EdVenture's World of Work. In Mission Imagination, children participate in a news broadcast or construct their own newspaper called the Big Ed Gazette. They also have the opportunity to explore their creative sides with the art and music studios, called "Art a la Carte" and "Sounds Good."
Children ages three and younger have their own space away from the bigger kids in My Backyard, which offers a friendly environment of scenic surroundings that represent the diverse geography of S.C. Complete with a miniature shrimp boat and several fun areas to crawl and play, My Backyard is a perfect place for the youngest children and their parents or grandparents.
From Here to Timbuktu, EdVenture's current traveling exhibit focusing on the culture of West Africa, is staying in Columbia until January 2009. A virtual reality drumming lesson and a look into the jungles of the region are just two aspects of this culturally enlightening exhibit for children of all ages.
Faith and Raymond take the driver's seat in the real firetruck located in the World of Work. In The Great Outdoors, children get to explore nature and the outside world. They learn all about the environment, electricity, and the conservation of energy. A life- size recycling truck, a watershed, and an energy tower make up this section, which is located outside and is perfect for a sunny day.
Critter Garden, an exciting outdoor gallery, contains many exciting activities about the ecosystem and the different species of plants and animals in South Carolina. Children can ride on a loggerhead turtle's shell or climb in a giant spider's web.
In and For the Community
In addition to the exhibits, EdVenture has many educational and outreach programs for children as well as for parents and teachers. Summer brings with it the popular Camp Edventure offered for children up to age 12, and there are half- day and full- day options.
An after school program is also available for children during the school year, where snacks and homework help are provided. Preschool children can attend playgroups and Read to Me storytime. For teachers, there is the Hands- On! MindsOn! summer program, which helps them to better prepare for the upcoming school year with workshops, helpful tips, and materials.
Upon entering the museum, EDDIE® greets children as they begin to explore a new and fascinating terrain they might not otherwise encounter. EdVenture is a fitting destination for fun throughout the year.
