The staff behind the Mid-America Science Museum, 500 Mid America Blvd., Hot Springs, unveiled new schematic designs this week for a $7.8 million renovation of the building and exhibits.

Made possible by a capital grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in 2011, museum staff has been working with construction consultants, architects and exhibit developers to create a state-of-the-art educational experience for all Arkansans.

The Reynolds Foundation gift was a matching grant, requiring the museum to raise $1.6 million before it could begin construction. A major donation by the Oaklawn Foundation allowed the Museum to meet its fundraising goal in time to receive the Reynolds grant.

Construction on a new skywalk connecting the main building with the forest canopy that surrounds it will begin this summer. By fall 2014, the museum will close its doors to the public for approximately six months in order to complete the interior facility work and exhibit installation in time for a March 1, 2015, grand re-opening.

In addition to the physical renovation, the museum will offer new and updated programming for school groups, introduce unique and engaging activities for adults, and provide teacher professional development in hands-on science education, said Diane LaFollette, executive director of Mid-America Science Museum.

Here are a few of the renovation highlights: 

Oaklawn Foundation Digital Dome Theater: This will offer a diverse array of shows that complement the museum’s educational objectives and traveling exhibit content. The theater will seat up to 50 people and have a full-dome projection-style show that will immerse audience members with a 180-degree viewing area.

The Bob Wheeler Science Skywalk: Sponsored by the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission, the outdoor exhibition will extend into the forest canopy from the main building, offering visitors young and old an opportunity to experience a shift in perspective as they investigate science in nature. The skywalk will allow visitors to explore up close the native plants and animal life surrounding the museum.

Arkansas Gallery: Exhibits in this gallery will explore the effects of erosion and weather on the state’s geology, geography, flora and fauna. It includes a refurbished "underground" cave experience (a long-time popular feature of the museum), refurbished Mastodon skeleton replica and a central tree-shaped structure, that will function as a base for exhibits about soil and may also house a variety of small works by local artisans. For all Arkansans, this gallery will provide opportunities for a deeper understanding of the place we call home.

Forces in Motion: The exhibit gallery will be devoted to forces and effects of matter, energy and gravity. These exhibits will serve as valuable tools for teaching physics content to school groups, but will also engage the interest of the general public.

The Inventors Workshop: The gallery will provide a major new platform for the museum to increase its emphasis on discovery learning. Through core principles of structure, movement, control and communication, these individual workstations will use common materials to engage visitors on a variety of experience levels. Potential themes for the five to six planned workshops include heat and temperature, mechanics, fluids, math and patterns, time and motion perception, structures, and electricity and magnetism. An Investigation Station will be programmed with activities related to each theme or feature an open-ended and "messy" creative exhibit element. This concept gives visitors the chance to develop confidence and skills for taking on creative projects in all aspects of their lives.

As part of the announcements, the museum will be launching a new extended membership program due to the upcoming temporary closing. Every membership renewed or purchased between Nov. 6 and Aug. 1, 2014, will be valid for 18 months from purchase date. 

Memberships purchased after the grand re-opening in 2015 will return to the usual 12-month cycle.

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