LEHI, Utah – Ground was broken Monday at Thanksgiving Point for what will eventually be Utah’s largest children’s museum. It’s a multimillion-dollar project aimed at helping children explore their curiosity.
“I think the most successful people in the world don’t ever stop asking why or where or what,” said Thanksgiving Point co-founder Karen Ashton, who says the groundbreaking is a dream come true.
The Museum of Natural Curiosity will occupy a five-acre area of the Thanksgiving Point gardens and feature 150 exhibits with activities ranging from water geysers, a rainforest and entire kid city.
“All of this fun will also be educational,” said Mike Washburn, Thanksgiving Point's president and CEO. “It will all be tied back to common core curriculum.”
Students from Westfield Elementary in Alpine had the honor of turning the first dirt. Ashton said it’s fitting because the building will be for them
“Children’s museum is a bit of a misnomer,” said Washburn. “They’re really family museums. These are places families come together.”
The museum will join the Discovery Gateway Museum in offering hands on learning for kids.
The Discovery Gateway doesn’t mind, they say they’re excited about the variety of educational opportunities for children across the state and welcome additions to the market place.
“We feel like we’ve taken the best of science museums and children’s museums and tried to marry those two concepts,” said Washburn.
The building is expected to be complete in 2014.
