•Wonderscope is currently located in a former elementary school in Shawnee and includes ten exhibit areas, with a focus on arts and science exhibits and programming for younger children. In our current facility, we seek to provide a friendly, convenient and accessible environment for young children, but we have been limited by our aging building and exhibits, as well as by inadequate resources. Wonderscope has committed to an investment in an expanded children's museum that serves the entire metropolitan area, attracts tourists, and rivals what is found in other communities. We are developing this new children's museum for Kansas City metro area children and families, consistent with the quality, size, and depth of experience provided by children's museums in comparable cities.
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• A leading-edge, top-quality family destination
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• World-class in design with dynamic, relevant interactive experiences that spark a lifelong love of learning in young children
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• An interdisciplinary approach to teaching the arts and sciences in an informal learning environment, including the effective use of literature
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• A dependable resource for families, care providers and educators
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• A hub for early childhood services and programs throughout the community
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• A leader in applying the science of early learning to outstanding exhibits and programming
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• A research base for understanding and strengthening family learning opportunities
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• A customer-centric organization
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• A place of wonder, joy and magic
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Kansas City is a vibrant and growing city with a demonstrated commitment to supporting the arts, science and technology, literacy and education. However, there is not a market-dominant leader meeting the informal learning needs of our youngest children as demonstrated by leading children's museums in comparable markets. A new, top-quality children's museum will enhance the Kansas City metropolitan area by offering programs and services targeting the needs and interests of area children and families.
The expanded museum will also serve as an anchor attraction for tourists and convention visitors. Because children's museums are central to top travel destination cities, our new museum will enhance our community's ability to achieve its tourism goals. Families traveling to have fun and learn together will seek out our compelling, unique regional attraction. We will help attract meetings, conventions and conferences to the Kansas City area, and we will serve as a feeder and audience development arm to other area cultural attractions.
Wonderscope's expanded museum will communicate a compelling and positive message of a child-friendly and child-focused community to businesses and families that are considering moving to the Kansas City metropolitan area. The new children's museum will bring educational and economic benefits to the Kansas City metropolitan area and will become an essential component of the quality-of-life mix for residents, businesses and tourists.