GALLERY SPOTLIGHT
Welcome Back To Your Discovery Room
DISCOVERY ROOM REOPENING SUMMER 2022
After a two-year closure, we are thrilled to welcome members and guests back to the Discovery Room, a gallery that provides time and space for children (ages six and under) and their caregivers to play, build, learn and discover together.
The Discovery Room has undergone some changes while closed, providing upgrades as well as a fresh, engaging space for young learners and their caregivers. Some of the guest favorites from the Discovery Room’s previous incarnation have been retained, including the saltwater aquarium, the wind machine, the STEAM easel and the play-on rocket ship (now with a new tube slide)!
New additions will align with the Discovery Room’s goal of supporting children’s social, emotional, cognitive and motor development, while empowering caregivers to fulfill their roles as their children’s first teachers.
These include a crawler corner for infants and young toddlers to safely explore and play, a magnet wall, an engineering area for building with blocks and other materials and the new Creation Station.
As often as possible, we like to make sure that members experience our newest offerings first. As a result, the Discovery Room’s first week of reopening, June 2-6, will be Member Week. Starting June 9 tickets will become available to the general public.
Each Discovery Room session is 60 minutes in length and requires at least one adult for every four children. These sessions will be offered Thursday through Saturday at 10:00, 11:30am and 2:00pm. On Sundays the sessions will take place at 11:30am and 2:00pm. Summer sessions last through September 6.*
Learn more about our relaunched Discovery Room and other early childhood programs.
*Times are subject to change; check the website before visiting.
Preschool Science Series
Formerly known as Discover Science with Me, our Preschool Science Series is moving to a new location: The Learning Lab.
The Life Science Lab Activity Benches have been designated as the new space for our Preschool Science Series, and the area has been renamed the Learning Lab. But despite the new location and name, parents of preschoolers will be happy to hear that the program will continue to offer fun and engaging learning experiences for young scientists and their grownups.
This program is designed especially for young scientists, ages three to six, and their families and friends. Sessions provide opportunities for little ones and their caregivers to wonder, play and discover together.
Sessions include experiments and playful, hands-on STEAM exploration as well as activities focused on helping children develop motor, language and cognitive skills. The activities will also provide ideas for caregivers to support their child’s learning.
Preschool Science Series sessions last 45 minutes and are guided by a Science Center educator. Tickets will be $10 per child for members and $12 per child for nonmembers. Adults are free, and there must be one adult for every four children. Due to space limitations, if classes are full, it may not be possible to accommodate multiple adults per child.
These sessions are offered on weekends only, Saturday at 10:30am and Sunday at 1:00pm.
Q: Brittaney, how long have you been with the Saint Louis Science Center?
A: I have been with the Saint Louis Science Center since November of 2019.
Q: Where can guests typically find you in the building?
A: Guests can usually find me in the Discovery Room, working to prepare for its reopening. Sometimes I am in other galleries with an early childhood tabletop area, or helping children learn how to play games like the corn game in the GROW Pavilion.
Q: What are some of the STEAM topics you’re interested in?
A: I have always been intrigued by the biological sciences such as environmental science, conservation, ecology and zoology. My interest in art has always walked hand in hand with my interest in science since I am a visual learner. Learning science through art is always a fun way to engage with others.
Q: What are some recent examples of activities you’ve helped facilitate for members and guests?
A: Some recent activities I have helped facilitate for members and guests include Rig-a-ma-Jig Jr. and tabletops such as “Engineering Origami,” “Innovating Ice Cream,” and “What Part of the Plant Do We Eat?”
Q: Can you tell us a little about some of your favorite interactions with guests and members of the community?
A: I have had so many fun interactions with guests, but a few recent favorites have been during our Discover Science With Me: Cardboard Construction sessions. One little girl created a large robot and when asked what job her robot had, she announced that it would protect her from the large T-Rex on the Lower Level. While the little girl continued her Science Center adventure, she graciously allowed the Discovery Room to borrow her robot to protect the classroom until she was ready to leave for the day. I love these interactions with guests to see their imagination at work and how they apply that to become scientists.
Q: What is your proudest moment as a Science Center educator?
A: I am proud to be a part of an institution where we encourage guests to geek out and spark their interest in anything science related. When I see that spark or can geek out with someone over a certain subject, I feel like I have done my job as an educator.