Many were disappointed to see the Discover! Children’s Museum pilot project come to an end last year.
In its short time as an experimental destination for youths and their parents, the museum realized success to a degree that organizers already had plans for a permanent location when shuttering the temporary one.
Those plans remain in play as leaders attempt to raise $1 million through donations, gather $1 million in state grants and obtain another $1 million from education-focused foundations throughout the country.
No one would blame the museum’s organizers if they decided to rest on their laurels as donations came trickling in, waiting on an influx of money before taking the next step toward growth.
But the Discover! Children’s Museum leadership is proving what we already know — pressing forward is the best option, and the museum’s dedicated team of volunteers is not one to remain in one place.
The museum announced last week that it will take its exhibits on the road as it continues raising finances and awareness for a permanent location near the Twin City Town Center.
Portable exhibits will be delivered to festivals and events throughout the spring and summer months, beginning with the Family Fun Fest at Centralia College Friday.
Similar displays will be erected at the Onalaska Apple Harvest, the Southwest Washington Fair, the Spring Youth Fair and other festive community gatherings where children and their parents would benefit from the offerings of the museum.
The Children’s Museum Advisory Board has proven that success is the result of hard work and a shared vision. Those two forces in tandem will no doubt lead to a top of the line facility that will be prized by residents of Lewis County for decades to come.
It’s part of a Chehalis Renaissance effort that has brought tangible, positive change to the Mint City, improvements that make life more enjoyable for all of us.
The true beauty of many of these projects — the children’s museum perhaps being chief among them — is that they are powered by volunteers who are truly invested in the success of the community.
We look forward to seeing the Discover! Children’s Museum engage the community as it charts its path toward the future. With solid leadership and dedicated volunteers, success undoubtedly awaits the permanent location.
To learn more about the museum, visit http://discovermuseum.org/.
