Exploration Place

Exploration Place, in coordination with the City of Wichita Kansas, would like to inform the community about temporary closures of the riverfront pathway for construction and maintenance work. The closures will occur in two phases: • Phase 1: August 5 - 19, 2024 • Phase 2: August 26 - September 15, 2024 During the closure periods, a clearly marked detour route will be in place to guide foot and bike traffic safely around the construction zones. Signage will be posted to ensure the safety and convenience of all pathway users. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and ask for your understanding that the temporary disturbance is part of a plan to create a more beautiful and usable riverfront space for the community. We truly appreciate the public's patience and cooperation during this time. For updates and more information, please visit https://lnkd.in/gbVPFuDc

Kudos to Exploration Place in Wichita, Kansas, for setting a new attendance record. Visitorship is up 13% from last year and family memberships have increased by 17%. What are you seeing where you are? https://lnkd.in/ei9_A6m2

Welcome to our new members serving on the 2024-2025 Board of Trustees: Amelia Bardwell, Colin Marsh, Jason Craine, CFP®, AWMA®, AAMS®, Jennifer Marshall, Leigh Bellinger and Tim Nelson. We appreciate their dedication to our mission of inspiring a deeper interest in science and technology through creative and fun experiences for all. Please join us in welcoming them to our esteemed board.

We would like to take a moment to introduce and thank our 2024-2025 Executive Committee members. Patrick Goebel – Chair Gayle Malone – Vice Chair Richard Holt, CFA – Treasurer Jenifer Hitschmann, CPA – Secretary John Mosley – At Large Mindy McPheeters – At Large We are confident that their expertise and passion will drive us forward and inspire a deeper interest in science and technology through creative and fun experiences for all. We look forward to the year to come!

Years of planning turned into action as we broke ground for the new adventure playscape opening at Exploration Place. Thank you to those who have impacted the project through support of both time and resources. The generous support of the Wichita community, companies and organizations have helped breathe life into this dream. We look forward to watching the space transform over the coming months. Learn more about the EP2 Expansion, including FAQs, at: https://lnkd.in/gbVPFuDc

In February we highlighted Ed Dwight, a Kansas native, as a pioneering black leader in STEM history for his work as an astronaut trainee and sculptor. Unfortunately, Dwight was not selected to join NASA and never realized his dream of space flight... until now. Nearly six decades later, Ed Dwight has made his first trip into space, at age 90, along with five crewmates aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. The approximately 10-minute suborbital flight put Dwight in the history books as the oldest person ever to reach space. Congratulations! It's never too late to fulfill your dream! #STEMleader #BlackHistoryMonth #EdDwight #BlueOrigin #NewShepardRocket The Black History Month project was in collaboration with @Tkaam. See more about the project by using the link in the comments!

Thank you for being HEROES and inspiring our campers during Construction & Destruction week! Dondlinger & Sons Construction Co. Inc.

This week, the City of Wichita- Government recognized the kick-off of the Sunflower Summer program in Kansas. Did you know that Wichita has 19 participating museums, zoos and attractions? • Botanica • CityArts • Exploration Place • Field Station: Dinosaurs • Great Plains Nature Center • The Kansas African American Museum-TKAAM • Kansas Aviation Museum • Kansas Wildlife Exhibit at Riverside Park • Mark Arts • Mid-America All-Indian Museum • Museum of World Treasures • Old Cowtown Museum • Rock River Rapids • Sedgwick County Zoo • Tanganyika Wildlife Park • Ulrich Museum of Art • Wichita Art Museum • Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum • Wichita Wind Surge Visit sunflowersummer . org to see the full list and to download the app! To plan your free Exploration Place visit, check out https://lnkd.in/g65cWgZc #SunflowerSummer #WichitaKS #SummerInWichita #WichitaAttractions #WichitaMuseums #MuseumsOnTheRiver #Wichitawesome Visit Wichita #VisitWichita

Exploration Place’s Volunteer of the Year for 2024, Leann Smith, embodies the spirit of dedication and service that defines the organization’s volunteer program. Since she started volunteering on February 24, 2023, she has devoted an impressive 415 hours to various tasks and projects at Exploration Place! “It is with great pride and gratitude that we celebrate Leann’s well-deserved recognition as Volunteer of the Year,” said Ashlie Brockleman, Director of Guest Relations. “Her contributions have left an indelible mark on our organization, and we are fortunate to have her as part of our team.” [read the full article at the link below] Thank you, Leann! We appreciate you!! #ExplorationPlaceVolunteers #VolunteerOfTheYear #VolunteersRock #WichitaVolunteers #CommunityImpact #ThankYouVolunteers

Intern spotlight: Abigail Ellermann, Friends University. Abby's contributions to our digital marketing efforts showcased her talent in content creation by gathering photos and videos to use in social media marketing. Abby also proved to be a consistent and positive contributor at special events in both a marketing role as well as with guest engagement. Her outgoing nature and strong teamwork skills have been a great boost to our projects. Always reliable and eager for new challenges and collaborations, she has made a memorable impact. Thank you, Abby, for your dedication and hard work. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors! #MarketingIntern #ExplorationPlace #DigitalMarketing