John Thompson
Board President Terre Haute Children’s Museum
TERRE HAUTE —
Many of us in Terre Haute and the Wabash Valley are looking forward to the grand opening of the new Children’s Museum on Sept. 24 with great anticipation. For us, that event represents the culmination of a process of several years’ duration and the realization of a common dream.
When the new Children’s Museum opens its doors, the community will be enriched by the addition of a first-class educational resource at a critical time in American history for science education.
The importance of science and technology in today’s world is readily apparent. The application of science and technology has transformed the world through dramatic advances in medicine, engineering, electronics, construction, aeronautics and a host of other fields.
Through the years, studies have shown the correlation between scientific and technological innovation and economic and industrial development. In order to retain its position of economic leadership in the world, however, America must continue to be the source of those innovations. Accomplishing this goal will require the continuation of existing educational partnerships and the forging of new ones.
Since its inception, the Children’s Museum has sought partnerships with schools throughout the Wabash Valley in order to complement their science education programs. These collaborations will continue in the future but with a difference. That difference exists in the new Children’s Museum’s ability to offer an enhanced environment for teaching and learning science. The museum’s exhibits, in particular, have been designed to promote active learning in which children can explore, test and create.
For example, one exhibit will feature a 26-foot replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. Children will be able to follow the dinosaur’s footsteps to a cave where they will use special brushes, chisels and scraping tools to unearth dinosaur bones and learn about paleontology, anatomy and geology.
Our intention in providing these kinds of experiences is for children to emerge from the museum with a sense of excitement about science. We also want them to begin to learn how to think, how to evaluate and judge, how to process information and how to come to conclusions about the world. That’s what science is all about.
Beyond its educational role, the Children’s Museum is another key element in the continued revitalization of downtown Terre Haute. It represents one more attractive new building and will help attract increased numbers of people to the downtown area. The current Children’s Museum attracts between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors a year. It is estimated that the new museum will draw 30,000 to 50,000 people annually.
Despite our excitement, we need to remain aware that there is some unfinished business as far as the Children’s Museum is concerned. We still need to raise $400,000 in order to reach our goal of $5.6 million for the project.
The community’s financial support of the Children’s Museum has been more than generous, and we appreciate every gift. However, we need your continued support to bring our campaign to a successful conclusion. Given the way the community has responded so far, I am confident we will achieve this goal.
Please help us “Finish it now — for the kids.”
John Thompson is president of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Museum and president of Thompson Thrift Construction. To make a donation to the Terre Haute Children’s Museum, please visit www.terrehautechildrensmuseum.com or contact Lynn Hughes at (812) 235-5548 or lhughes@terrehautechildrensmuseum.com.
