| After being closed for more than six months for repairs and renovations, Museum of Discovery is reopening to the public on Saturday, August 21. There will also be a soft opening on Friday, August 20. The Little Rock-based science center experienced $7 million in damages when several boiler pipes burst on its roof and flooded the building in mid-February.
Museum guests have several new experiences to look forward to, including an expanded Tinkering Studio and animal care facility that is now viewable from a large bay window. Both spaces will allow for guest-staff engagement and public programming. Additionally, there will be a variety of interactive exhibitions that take the place of the exhibits destroyed by the flood. These include Mystery of the Mayan Medallion, an immersive archeological adventure; How People Make Things, based on Mister Rogers’ factory tours; Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed, a paleontology exploration of dinosaur bone and fossil replicas; and Magnificent Me, a hands-on look into the human body.
According to Museum of Discovery CEO Kelley Bass, these exhibitions, while compelling and engaging, are temporary. “The exhibit design and fabrication process is lengthy as the interactive pieces must be tailored to each museum’s needs. There are also a limited number of exhibit design and fabrication companies. With that said, we are in the middle of the design phase of this process and expect our new exhibits to be installed in about two years.” Bass notes that museum guests can anticipate the installation of a few permanent, high-engagement features before the permanent exhibits arrive.
Guests, including members, who want to attend opening weekend must purchase tickets in advance to ensure limited crowds and allow social distancing. Tickets will be available in two-hour increments on Saturday: 9 a.m.; 11 a.m.; 1 p.m.; and 3 p.m. and Sunday: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are available at museumofdiscovery.org. Advance tickets will not be required for the Friday soft opening. Following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, the museum is encouraging all guests 2 and older to wear proper face coverings.
Museum of Discovery plans to resume its pre-pandemic schedule: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday: and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission prices will remain the same: $10 for adults, $8 for ages 1-12; $2 for SNAP recipients; and free for children younger than 1; and museum members.
If you wish to reserve or purchase tickets to the museum on Saturday, August 21 or Sunday, August 22, you may do so by clicking the links for the following timeslots:
Saturday, August 21
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, August 22
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Museum members must reserve tickets online for opening weekend
Advance tickets are not required for the soft opening on Friday, August 20 as area schools will be in session, therefore a large crowd is not anticipated. |
