Mississippi Children's Museum
Introduction
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The Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM) is located in a 40,000 square foot building with five galleries of educational, interactive exhibits and enriching weekly program activities in the key focus areas of cultural arts; literacy; health and nutrition; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); and Mississippi heritage.
After nearly ten years of planning and development, the museum opened to the public in December 2010. The journey to create the museum was undertaken as a community, and is a collaboration among a statewide team of educational partners, community leaders, elected officials, philanthropists, corporate and private business leaders, parents, volunteers, children, and nationally recognized children’s museum experts. MCM’s goal is to empower and inspire all our state’s children, regardless of their social, educational or economic background, to discover their potential through tapping their curiosity and creativity. Exhibit design and development is rooted in the best research in early childhood development to reach children ages 0-12. Visits to and activities of MCM instill in children the wonder of discovery and a love of learning, with special emphasis on those children who need new, creative experiences otherwise not available to them.
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Backstory and Context
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The museum was born from the vital need to improve the health and literacy of Mississippi’s children. Ranked 50th in the nation for both childhood health and literacy, members of the community recognized an immediate need for creative, engaging educational resources for Mississippi children and their families. In 1994, inspired by children’s museums across the country, a small handful of supporters rose up in response to this need, and began the extensive process that led to what is now MCM.
Sources
http://www.mississippichildrensmuseum.com/about/history/