FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Lynda LeVan, 423-648-6043, lhl@cdmfun.org
Director of External Affairs
Touch a Real Moon Rock at Creative Discovery Museum
NASA’s Driven to Explore Mobile Exhibit featured May 12
(April 15, 2011 – Chattanooga, TN) – Creative Discovery Museum exhibits are out of this world – literally. From 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 12, the Museum will host NASA’s Driven to Explore (DTE) mobile exhibit on the Museum Plaza. This unique compact exhibit gives children and guests a once in a lifetime opportunity to touch a real moon rock. The mobile, multi-media exhibit takes approximately 10 minutes to tour and provides guests with a journey through NASA’s history and shows how new research is helping to ensure safe and sustainable future space missions.
The highlight of DTE is a 3 billion-year-old moon rock that was brought back during Apollo 17’s expedition in 1972, the last manned mission to the moon. The rock is one of only eight lunar samples in the world made available for the public to touch.
“We are very honored to partner with NASA to host the Driven to Explore exhibit in Chattanooga,” states Karen Dewhirst, Museum Experience Manager. “Touching a rock collected from the moon is a rare opportunity that brings the reality of space exploration into sharp focus.”
In addition to the moon rock, guests will learn why we explore space, the challenges of human space exploration and NASA’s critical technological advances that are improving life on Earth. The exhibit includes audio and visual technology to connect visitors with the space program, highlighting next-generation vehicles and surface systems to be used exploring beyond low earth orbit.
“Learning about the technology and engineering involved in space exploration never ceases to amaze me,” continues Dewhirst. “I can’t wait to experience the exhibit!”
Driven to Explore is a free exhibit on the Plaza of Creative Discovery Museum and is designed for all ages. Additionally, Creative Discovery Museum will open their doors for the monthly Free Family Night, sponsored by Chattanooga Gas, from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. the same evening.
About Creative Discovery Museum
Creative Discovery Museum is open Mon-Sat: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun: noon-5 p.m. 321 Chestnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402. Creative Discovery Museum is recognized as one of the top children’s museums in the nation. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to educational enrichment for children age’s 4-months to 12-years-old through interactive, hands-on experiences that foster creative and critical thinking. Creative Discovery Museum focuses on a broad range of areas encompassed by Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Technology and the Sciences. In addition to its exhibits, Creative Discovery Museum provides local residents and visitors with special events, educational programming, teacher resources for the classroom, field trips, after school programming, early childhood education classes, artist residencies, camps, art lessons, science demonstrations, and a branch of the local library. Creative Discovery Museum is a funded agency of Allied Arts and Tennessee Arts Commission and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
###