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| Children’s Museum of Los Angeles. Courtesy MATT Construction. |
Santa Ana, CA, USA (December 17, 2012) /PRWEB/ — The Los Angeles City Council voted for and approved the funding and finance allocation directed towards Discovery Science Center (DSC) to manage and operate the former Children’s Museum of Los Angeles. The project, which has been in a planning and negotiation phase, will fill a much needed S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, math) educational gap for the County of Los Angeles and specifically San Fernando Valley.
“We have accomplished a major hurdle having the leadership of Los Angeles approve this project,” said Joe Adams, president of Discovery Science Center. “We are thrilled to open a second facility in the San Fernando Valley. The need for a hands-on science and education facility in Los Angeles is strong and we’re very excited to be a partner in bringing that dream to fruition.”
The two-story, 58,000 square foot facility will serve as an educational and science resource center for hundreds of thousands of kids across Los Angeles County. Just as DSC in Santa Ana has been successful in reaching over 220,000 kids per year through exhibits and outreach programs, the tentatively named DSC-LA, will aim to do the same. Permanent, hands-on exhibits concentrating on the environment, children’s health and literacy, a “Making the Grade” gallery for California’s Science Standards, plus a 4D Theater will make up the majority of the facility. The design and concepts of these featured exhibitions will take place in the coming months.
The Children’s Museum LA project was nearly never completed after the original non-profit operator of the facility went bankrupt in 2009, leaving an incomplete building on the site at Hansen Dam. The project, however, was resurrected under the leadership of Councilmember Richard Alarcon and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who approached the Science Center and worked with DSC to secure the necessary remaining funding to complete and open the Center.
“I am very proud to finally announce that within a few years, the site formerly known as the Children’s Museum Los Angeles will open as Discovery Science Center LA. This will provide kids from throughout Southern California with an excellent resource to learn important lessons about conservation and our environment,” said Councilmember Alarcon. “It took years of very hard work to get here, but today’s progress proves how hard work and refusing to give up on a good idea can improve Los Angeles.”
FACTS ABOUT TACO BELL DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER – Orange County
- 59,000 square foot learning facility in Santa Ana, California.
- Over 100 interactive, hands-on exhibits.
- Ranked in top 25 of Science Center by attendance with over 500,000 visitors each year.
- Ranked #3 among Science Centers by number of students taught in schools – over 220,000 each year.
- Over 100,000 students annually attend field trips to the Center.
- Provide after-school science programming in all 38 schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District.
- Provides professional development programs for 600 teachers each year.
- Accolades and awards by: OC METRO, Parents Magazine, OC Register, Bank of America, IAAPA, OC Business Journal. And most recently, voted as one of 10 “Most Trusted Brands” in Orange County.
ABOUT DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER
Imaginations run wild through more than 100 hands-on exhibits at Discovery Science Center, Orange County’s leading destination for hands-on science fun. Take the Eco Challenge and become a green superhero, feel the power of a real rocket engine “launch”, explore the inner workings of a two-story tall dinosaur and try your best slap shot against the Anaheim Duck’s goalie! Traveling exhibits and annual events such as Spooky Science and Bubblefest throughout the year ensure that there is always something new to discover. Currently on display is Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology, an interactive exhibit experience following Dr. Jones through the four famous films. Since 1998, Discovery Science Center has been a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young minds, assisting teachers and increasing public understanding of science, math and technology through interactive exhibits and programs. Open daily from 10am – 5pm.
