The Creative Discovery Museum is excited to announce the opening of the last permanent internal exhibit as part of the Ignite Discovery capital campaign, UnEarthed!
Designed to engage children ages 13 months through 12 years and their caregivers, UnEarthed is a natural science exhibit aimed at building environmental literacy and cultivating respect for the natural world through observation, exploration, and investigation.
UnEarthed invites visitors to embark on an adventure to understand Earth’s interconnected systems. By delving into the exhibit’s experiential activities and engaging with real scientific techniques, tools, and samples, children and families will develop a deeper understanding of the natural world and its intricate networks.
"UnEarthed integrates the best and most beloved parts of the former Excavation Station with new technology and natural science experiences,” says Karen Dewhirst, CDM’s Science Specialist who played an integral role in developing the content for this exhibit. “It is our hope that these experiences will help build a generation of scientific thinkers who are equipped to address the issues facing our Earth.”
As guests enter UnEarthed, CDM’s beloved T-Rex skeleton towers overhead, setting the scene for discoveries around the physical and biological sciences. Once inside the exhibit, guests will engage in hands-on learning through a variety of exhibit components, including:
- The Dino Dig, a returning guest favorite that has been refurbished and is ready for young paleontologists to uncover buried fossils.
- A shake and wind table where guests can build a structure and test its strength in hurricane or tornadic force winds as well as in a simulated earthquake.
- An augmented reality sandbox that invites guests to create mountains and valleys in sand and observe how water moves through the topography.
- A multisensory walk through the interior of a volcano.
- An augmented reality arthropod encounter where guests can virtually hold arthropods such as butterflies, scorpions, and more.
- An insect construction station to build 3D insects, learn the purpose of insect body parts, and understand the importance of insects.
In addition, authentic fossils along with artwork created by local artist, Jessalyn Beasley, contribute to the thematic design for this natural science exhibit. In this immersive experience, children and families can explore the effect of human interactions with Earth’s systems. “Digging deeper” questions are featured throughout the exhibit and encourage families to further engage with the educational content of the exhibit.
UnEarthed opened with a special member and capital campaign donor playtime on Saturday, June 24. Guests were excited about the return of the beloved dino dig area and enjoyed the new additions to this exhibit. Adults and children alike commented on the immersive experiences available in this exhibit, from feeling the volcano shake under their feet to comparing their height to the size of the T-Rex femur.
CDM is planning to add an outdoor area to this exhibit later this year. This area will feature a mud kitchen and additional opportunities for nature play.
This exhibit is generously supported by CARE Foundation of America, Chuck Chitty, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. UnEarthed is part of the Ignite Discovery capital campaign which has raised $12.5 million for the comprehensive renovation of the Museum. The exhibit is now open to the public, perfect for the hot summer days ahead! To learn more about the latest news and openings at CDM, visit our website at cdmfun.org and follow us on social media.