Frequently Asked Questions

What is Discovery Place KIDS?

Discovery Place Kids is an innovative concept in regional children's museums. Based on the idea of creating community-based facilities, Discovery Place KIDS aspires to maximize the whole child by providing extraordinary and rich play experiences that value imagination, fun and learning.

What is a children's museum and how does it differ from a "play space?"

Children's museums are cultural institutions that serve the needs and interests of children by providing exhibits and programs that stimulate curiosity and motivate learning. As opposed to typical play spaces, Discovery Place KIDS will provide play experiences that encourage children and adults to have fun while exploring together, and will offer exhibit areas that focus on development of motor, communication and social skills while encouraging a love of learning.

How does Discovery Place KIDS differ from Discovery Place?

Discovery Place KIDS is a community-based children's museum designed specifically for early childhood development, whereas Discovery Place is a regional science education center targeting a broader age range. Because of its convenient neighborhood location and rich play environment, each Discovery Place KIDS location will be a regular - daily, weekly, monthly - lifestyle element for the family that requires little or no advanced planning.

Where is Discovery Place KIDS located?

The first Discovery Place KIDS will be located in the Huntersville Town Center development in downtown Huntersville, near the intersection of Gilead and Old Statesville Roads.

When will Discovery Place KIDS open?

The first Discovery Place KIDS location will open in Huntersville in Fall 2010.

What ages are appropriate?

Discovery Place KIDS is designed for children birth through grade 2 and their parents and care-givers.

Will older children be admitted?

The exhibits and programs at Discovery Place KIDS are specifically targeted toward early childhood development - birth through grade 2. Some older children will find the content stimulating; others may not. Parents and care-givers are asked to use their best judgment regarding the appropriateness of Discovery Place KIDS for children over the age of seven. Families with multiple ages of children are encouraged to visit and play together.

Will adults be admitted without children?

Adults must be accompanied by children.

How much of the experience is designed for my child's age group?

The exhibits at Discovery Place KIDS are designed to provide a rich play environment for all children birth through grade 2. The "I CAN Grow" area is specially designed to stimulate the brains of babies to age three. Within each of the exhibit areas there are experiences targeted toward the birth to three, three to five and five to seven age groups.

How long does it take to "go through" the exhibits?

Discovery Place KIDS is a self-paced interactive learning and play experience based on role playing, participation and cooperation. Children and their care-givers are free to explore whatever areas interest them and to spend as much or as little time in each exhibit as they choose.

Will children benefit from visiting the facility more than once?

Multiple visits are encouraged. Free play is a critically important to the healthy development of children. Play has been proven essential to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of children. The more familiar with the facility and comfortable your child becomes the more learning can occur. Also, as your child develops and grows they will be able to experience the exhibits in new ways.

What is the price of admission?

The admission price for Discovery Place KIDS has not yet been set but the Museum will be priced to encourage frequent visits. There will be one admission price for all ages. Children younger than one year will be free.

Can I use my Discovery Place Membership?

Information about Membership will be available in early 2010

How large will the facility be?

Discovery Place KIDS facilities will be between 15,000 and 25,000 square feet - about the size of a typical neighborhood grocery store.

What kind of exhibits will be featured?

Discovery Place KIDS will be based on a traditional small town layout, with several exhibit areas resembling typical small town structures, such as a grocery store, a fitness center, a cafe, and an airport, all surrounding a town square. Click here for more information on the exhibits planned for Huntersville.

How often will the exhibits change?

Numerous studies have shown that young children prefer familiarity in their play areas and are often confused or upset when those areas change. Children, themselves, are constantly changing, and experience things from a slightly different perspective each time they are encountered. For that reason, only the "I CAN Explore" exhibit area will change on a regular basis, with various themes such as, "I CAN Explore Underwater," or "I CAN Explore Outer Space."

What types of educational programs and activities will be offered?

Discovery Place KIDS will offer a variety of educational programming designed to meet the needs of early childhood development. These will include monthly themes and event days, live theater with puppet shows, story times and science presentations, daily "Big Fun" celebrations, special age-specific workshops, summer camps, group visits and birthday celebrations, and special events such as book signings by children's authors and ever-changing visual and performing arts projects.

Can I drop my child off and pick him/her up later?

No. Discovery Place KIDS is designed for interactive play between the parent or caregiver and the child.

How will you ensure my child's safety?

Discovery Place KIDS will build on Discovery Place's reputation as a safe and fun environment for children. The facility will be monitored by a full-time staff of experienced early childhood development professionals, carefully screened and trained specifically for Discovery Place KIDS. An extensive electronic security system and security protocols will insure the safety of your child.

Will there be school field trips?

Visits by local school and pre-school groups of the appropriate age range are available along with educational programming correlated to North Carolina State Standards of Learning.

What are the hours of operation?

The exact hours of operation have not yet been set, but the facility will be open 45 hours each week.

Will there be convenient parking?

Each Discovery Place KIDS facility will be designed with ample adjacent parking. At the Huntersville location, a parking garage - will be located immediately behind the building, allowing safe, easy access to the facility. Parking in the deck will be free for Museum visitors.

Will there be a place to eat?

Each Discovery Place KIDS facility will have a small vending area that will include a variety of healthy items and provide tables for snacks brought from home.