Hands On! On the Grow
Hands On! Regional Museum, an anchor attraction in Downtown Johnson City for over 20 years, continues to record growing attendance and an increase in outreach programs as well as broad regional support. Offering educational and entertaining activities, exhibits and programs for children and their families, Hands On! seeks to continue this success, and increase its positive impact on our region’s educational and economic growth.
Even in these challenging economic times, Hands On! welcomed 33% more visitors in February, March, and April 2008, compared to attendance in the same months of 2007. “Hands On! is excited about these attendance numbers,” says Kristine Carter, Hands On! Marketing Manager. “Trending attendance over the past 15 years, Hands On! shows a steady rise in visitor attendance, along with the financial support of our region.” By creating new programs for members, school groups, tourists, and outreach visitors, Hands On! intentionally works to increase the number of children whose lives are enriched each year. This past year, Hands On! added free performances, specialized workshops, and science activities, like squid dissection, to attract and educate additional children and families.
Planning to welcome this anticipated growth, the Museum’s Board has determined that this is the right time to consider a new facility. “Finding the right location and facility for Hands On! is the priority for the Museum’s Board of Directors during the remainder of this year,” states Rebecca White, Hands On! Board Chair. “The current facility is nearing its affordable life for Hands On!, and the Board is investigating a variety of options and locations suited to continue the growth of this region’s premiere children’s learning center. One good option is the renovation of the current facility, but as the Board considers the future of Hands On! we will investigate all reasonable proposals and locations from throughout this region.” The Museum search committee will evaluate each proposal based upon the site’s accessibility for school groups and walk-in visitors, its affordability and visibility, the potential for expansion in the future, and the location’s alignment with the Museum’s mission to serve as an educational attraction.
Offering changing feature exhibits, Hands On! provides valuable learning experiences for children who may otherwise never visit a museum. Each year, Hands On! installs two different feature exhibits in the 5,000 square foot Duffie Jones Exhibition Hall. Under Construction, the museum’s current feature exhibit, continues to break attendance records. This interactive exhibit, developed by the Louisville Science Center and the National Science Foundation, has drawn twice the attendance of other feature exhibits. Welcoming over 1,500 people each week, Carter observes, “Part of the appeal of this exhibit is that it is designed for all ages.” The young and the young at heart sit at the crane, working together to stack wooden boxes and then topple them. Three people work together to build the 7’ arch. Families work together operating the car assembly line. Creative minds build their own houses. And, children try on costumes and play musical instruments from different countries. “Every day, I see parents and grandparents interacting with their children. This makes me smile because I know these families are making memories they will keep forever.” Hands On! looks forward to welcoming a record number of visitors with Return of the Dinosaurs, a traveling exhibit set to open in September, which will include lifelike animated reproductions of T-rex, triceratops, stegosaurus, ankylosaurus, and many interactive stations. “We look forward to another great exhibit for school groups and children of all ages who love to see, hear, and learn about dinosaurs,” says Franci Sloan, Exhibits Manager for Hands On!
New school groups from Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina make reservations every day, booking the Museum’s group calendar through the middle of June. Hands On! is also offering 24 exciting weeklong summer camps, beginning on June 2. Interactive camps include themes of forensics, the ocean, cooking, art, fossils, and travel for children ages 4 through 13. Participants are encouraged to register early as camps are filling up.
For more information about Hands On!, to plan your visit, or to register for summer camp, please call (423) 434-HAND or visit www.handsonmuseum.org. Hands On! is located in downtown Johnson City at 315 East Main Street.