Museum re-opens with new exhibits

Elizabeth Wylie of Ann Arbor turned 4 years old yesterday. But she wasn't the only one having a party. Elizabeth and 300 other local pre-schoolers, students and parents spent part of yesterday celebrating the grand re-opening of the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum.

The recently renovated and expanded museum welcomed visitors through its new bright red doors after being closed for more than 40 days.

The science museum, a popular community destination for the past 20 years, increased in size fourfold with its 30,000-square foot addition. Visitors yesterday were greeted with more than 25 new science exhibits, five extra galleries and several educ

SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily Malik James-Danielson plays with toys in water at the grand re-opening of the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum yesterday. Renovations to the museum include KidsWorks, an area designed specifically for pre-school-aged children.

ational programs in development.

The museum, originally constructed in 1978 in the building that formerly housed the city's central fire station, has more than 200 exhibits. In 1995, the museum began a program to raise $4.2 million to build an addition. With the new addition and programs in the works, the museum has seen its renovation budget needs rise to $6.5 million and has raised $5.5 million to date, Museum Educator Becky Hattner said.

Donations from corporations, associations and individual museum members have funded the building and exhibit construction.

Many students and parents said they were enamored with the museum's bright colors and open space. Elizabeth Wylie's mother Christine Wylie of Ann Arbor was impressed with the addition of KidsWorks, a gallery set aside just for pre-school children and their parents. She brought her three children, Elizabeth, Austin, 2, and Brian,10 months. Elizabeth and Austin shared laughs when crouching inside a 12-foot model of a 1927 fire truck.

"They have stuff for all ages," Christine Wylie said.

Museum President Jim Frenza said KidsWorks is monumental because the original museum did not have much available for children of pre-school age and younger.

Many parents said they appreciated the museum's new additions and clean environment.

Scott Sunberg brought his 11-month-old son Simon to soak in the fun atmosphere. Sunberg of Jackson, Mich., said he has brought his son before, but now more activities are "kid-friendly."

Kathleen Cayne of Indiana, while in the area on vacation, said the museum was perfect for her two sons, Sam and Joshua, because they are "learning real life things like how a muffler works." Bouncing around his mother, 6-year-old Sam's enthusiasm was visible.

"It's neat. I learned how to build that thing," the young Cayne said, pointing to an intricate 5-foot replica of a roller coaster.

While the museum has been a consistent draw for local schools, Hattner predicted that the site will become even more popular with the additions. Hattner said 145,000 people visited the museum last year, and she hopes 200,000 will visit this year.

The museum now provides visiting groups a cafeteria for lunches. Prior to this new addition, space was not available for meals, Hattner said.

Etta Dickerson, a fifth-grade teacher at Ludington Middle School in Detroit, said that prior to yesterday her school had never organized a trip to the museum

"We will probably make this a yearly event," Dickerson said, adding that more than 90 Ludington students made the trip and 60 more were expected today.

One of the new programs for students is ScienceWorks. In this gallery, laboratory classes are available for students from kindergarten to sixth grade.

"It was a beautiful facility. The lab for the kids was just delightful," Dickerson said.

While the museum has the reputation a place only for kids, Hattner said this should not keep adults from visiting.

"We are not a children's museum," Hattner said. "We are a science museum," she said, adding that people should never stop learning.

Exhibit Coordinator John Bowditch said all of the attractions in the MediaWorks gallery are new to the museum. Visitors can play a harp that has a "laser beam for each tone" or watch their faces distort on a computer screen. The computer photographs an onlooker's face and with the reorganizing of its pixels, proves "seeing is not believing."

10-20-99