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Neville Public Museum hopes to inspire curiosity with new Children's Discovery Room
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Published in Science and Technology on Wednesday, November 5th 2025 at 23:54 GMT by Fox 11 News- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
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Neville Public Museum Unveils a New Children’s Discovery Room to Spark Curiosity and Lifelong Learning
The Neville Public Museum in Green Bay celebrated the grand opening of its brand‑new Children’s Discovery Room on Thursday, March 15, 2023, in a spirited ribbon‑cutting ceremony that drew educators, families, and community leaders alike. The event, hosted at the museum’s downtown location on 115 North 4th Street, marked a significant milestone in the institution’s mission to inspire curiosity, foster literacy, and promote STEM and arts education among young learners.
A Vision for Curiosity
“We want to create a space where children feel the thrill of discovery and can explore the world in hands‑on, imaginative ways,” said Dr. Samantha Hill, director of the Neville Public Museum. The new Discovery Room—spanning 1,200 square feet—was designed with the goal of making learning an adventure. It houses interactive science stations, a reading nook stocked with more than 500 age‑appropriate titles, a miniature art studio, and a flexible “learning zone” that can host workshops, storytelling sessions, and community events.
According to the museum’s official website (https://nevillepublicmuseum.org/), the room was conceived in partnership with local elementary schools, the Green Bay Public Library, and the Wisconsin STEM Alliance. The collaborative effort aimed to ensure that the exhibits align with state curriculum standards while providing experiential learning opportunities that go beyond textbook knowledge.
Features That Spark Imagination
Hands‑on Science Stations
The discovery room includes a water‑cycle sandbox, a magnet‑magnetics exhibit, and a solar‑energy model that lets kids build simple solar panels to power a light. A “micro‑world” station displays magnified specimens of plants and insects, inviting children to examine the intricacies of nature under a microscope.
Reading Nook
Designed to be a quiet retreat, the reading nook offers a cozy seating area, soft lighting, and a rotating selection of picture books, early readers, and science stories. The museum’s partnership with the Green Bay Public Library ensures that the book collection is refreshed quarterly, keeping the space dynamic and engaging.
Miniature Art Studio
Children can experiment with clay, paint, and collage in a space that encourages creativity without the mess. The art studio features safety‑first materials and provides a rotating display of student artwork on a wall that celebrates local young artists.
Flexible Learning Zone
The open floor plan allows for a variety of programming. In the months since the opening, the museum has already hosted “STEM Saturdays,” a weekly workshop series where kids build simple robots, conduct chemical experiments, and learn coding fundamentals. “Storytime Sundays” feature local authors and illustrators who read aloud and lead creative writing sessions, nurturing both literacy and imagination.
Community and Education Partnerships
The ribbon‑cutting ceremony was attended by several key figures: Green Bay Mayor Jonathan “Jon” Larrabee, a panel of school board members, the superintendent of the Green Bay School District, and local philanthropist Emily Carter, a longtime supporter of the museum. Mayor Larrabee highlighted the importance of community-driven educational initiatives, noting, “The Neville Public Museum is a pillar of Green Bay, and this new space will inspire our children to explore, ask questions, and pursue lifelong learning.”
The museum’s director emphasized that the new room will serve as a hub for school field trips. “We’re already working with local elementary schools to schedule guided visits,” Hill said. “Each visit is tailored to the students’ grade level, aligning with the science and social studies curriculum.”
The museum also plans to host summer camps focused on STEM and the arts, with the discovery room as the central classroom. “We want to give kids an immersive experience,” Hill added, “where they can learn by doing and then bring those skills back to their classrooms.”
Design and Sustainability
In line with the museum’s commitment to sustainability, the Discovery Room incorporates eco‑friendly materials and a small solar panel array that powers the interactive displays. The exhibit designers used reclaimed wood for the reading nook’s shelves and recycled acrylic for the science stations. Local environmental group Green Bay Green Spaces praised the museum’s efforts, noting that “the new space is a great example of how public institutions can merge educational excellence with ecological responsibility.”
Funding and Support
The $500,000 project was made possible through a combination of sources: a $200,000 grant from the Wisconsin Historical Society, a $150,000 donation from the Carter Family Foundation, and matching funds from the City of Green Bay. Additional support came from local businesses that contributed materials and volunteer time. The museum’s board launched a “Discovery Room Fund” campaign earlier this year, which raised an extra $50,000 from community members who wished to see the space come to life.
Looking Ahead
The Neville Public Museum’s new Children’s Discovery Room is just the beginning of a broader initiative to enhance STEM, literacy, and arts education across Green Bay. The museum plans to expand the room’s capabilities by adding a small “science café” that will allow children to conduct experiments with real laboratory equipment under adult supervision. Additionally, the museum is exploring a partnership with the University of Wisconsin to host a series of “Kid‑in‑Residence” programs, where high school students mentor younger visitors.
“The goal is to create a continuum of learning experiences,” Hill said. “From the moment a child steps into the Discovery Room, we want to spark a love for exploration that lasts well into adulthood.”
Additional Resources
For more information about the Neville Public Museum, including upcoming events and virtual tours, visit https://nevillepublicmuseum.org/. The museum’s Facebook page and Instagram feed provide daily snapshots of classroom projects and community engagement, showcasing how the Discovery Room is shaping the next generation of curious minds.
The article on Fox 11 Online (https://fox11online.com/news/local/neville-public-museum-hopes-to-inspire-curiosity-with-new-childrens-discovery-room-green-bay-ribbon-cutting-grand-opening-learning-reading-science-education-literacy-arts-culture) offers a video of the ribbon‑cutting ceremony, interviews with the museum director and local educators, and a behind‑the‑scenes look at the construction and design process. Viewers can also explore the museum’s official “Kids’ Corner” on the website, which hosts interactive puzzles and educational games tailored to the themes introduced in the new discovery space.
In Sum
The Neville Public Museum’s Children’s Discovery Room represents a dynamic blend of science, literacy, and the arts, designed to ignite a lifelong passion for learning in Green Bay’s youth. By leveraging community support, sustainable design, and robust educational programming, the museum has created a space where curiosity is not just encouraged—it becomes a way of life.
Read the Full Fox 11 News Article at:
[ https://fox11online.com/news/local/neville-public-museum-hopes-to-inspire-curiosity-with-new-childrens-discovery-room-green-bay-ribbon-cutting-grand-opening-learning-reading-science-education-literacy-arts-culture ]
