Museum of Discovery

Combining fun and education, the Museum of Discovery has established itself as a popular destination for inquiring minds of all ages. The museum is in the midst of plans to renovate its downtown Little Rock quarters and update its exhibits, part of a $12.7 million makeover.

The 44,000-SF museum will gain a new entryway accessible from President Clinton Avenue and three new galleries for physical, earth and health science exhibits. The improvements will expand its offerings to more than 80 hands-on exhibits.

The project is funded by a combination of local support and a $9.2 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

“You’ll be looking at a new museum in 2012,” said Nan Selz, executive director. “Bringing new exhibits and new experiences to the museum is very exciting.”

The museum’s roots date back to 1927 when it was founded as the Museum of Natural History & Antiquities. Touted as the oldest museum in Little Rock, the Museum of Discovery adopted an interactive model and focus on science during the 1990s.

That emphasis is reflected in today’s mission to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic interactive environment.

In 2003, the museum merged with the Children’s Museum of Arkansas and three years later helped establish the Arkansas Discovery Network of Arkansas.
The network, a statewide outreach to teach science in rural and underserved areas of the state, was launched with a $7.3 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

Since 2006, a half-million students around Arkansas have visited the network’s mobile exhibit, Escape to Planet X.

The Museum of Discovery presents 30 programs linked with state education curriculum to reinforce what students are learning in schools. Backed by a staff of 35 and more than 2,500 volunteers, the museum hosts tens of thousands of visitors annually.

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