Measurement Rules Opens at Creative Discovery Museum
Chattanooga, Tenn. (May 16, 2026) – How many chickens do you weigh? How tall are you in apples or inches or pennies? Can you use your foot as a ruler? The answers to these and other questions can be explored at Measurement Rules, an interactive exhibit at Creative Discovery Museum from May 16 – September 13, 2026. This exhibit was created by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and is locally sponsored by Volkswagen Chattanooga.
It might be common to measure using standard tools such as measuring tapes and vessels, but this exhibit will explore some nonstandard ones such as balancing scales, odometers, calipers, 3-D imaging, and counting "Mississippis."
“Measurement Rules invites families to experience math and measurement in ways that feel playful, surprising, and hands-on, creating the kind of shared discovery and joyful learning that makes summer at Creative Discovery Museum so memorable,” says Tim Sears, President and CEO of Creative Discovery Museum.
You can explore concepts of length, time, volume and weight in a variety of ways:
LENGTH
· Height Wall – How tall are you in apples or pennies?
· Treadmill Odometer – Get walking and add to the total yards we'll calculate visitors walked on our treadmill in the exhibit.
· Ball Gauges – Tinker with instruments such as calipers, height gauges and go/no-go gauges. Explore all of the possible ways to measure an ordinary wooden ball. Toss the balls down the chutes to test your findings.
· Giant Tape Measure – Extend a giant tape measure to measure the equally giant fish on our wall mural.
· Foot Ruler – Fit your foot into the gauge to make your foot a unit of measurement then measure yourself in your "feet" and other people's "feet."
TIME
· Five Mississippi – How good is your internal clock? Count to five Mississippi and see how close you come to five actual seconds.
· Ball Stopwatch – Build your own ball ramp and make it faster or slower with modifications.
VOLUME
· See Your Volume – Step before the screen and see yourself built from cubic-inch blocks.
· Bead Table – Little ones can explore volume at an open-ended bead play table.
WEIGHT
· Chicken Scale – Find out how many chickens you weigh.
· Balance Scale – Finesse the right balance between objects and standard weights on a large balance scale.
Measurement Rules will open on May 16 at Creative Discovery Museum with a special Member Preview from 9-10 a.m. before opening to the public. Member preview guests can expect an exclusive first look at the exhibit, plus an exciting take home activity to inspire families and children to explore measurement as it relates to the world around them. Plan your next visit and enjoy Measurement Rules at Creative Discovery Museum from May 16 – September 13, 2026.
About Creative Discovery Museum
Creative Discovery Museum (CDM) is a leading non-profit children’s museum that offers hands-on educational programs and exhibits in the arts and sciences. With 300,000 visitors every year, CDM is a popular tourist destination and is consistently ranked among the best children’s museums in the country. Our mission is to inspire all children to explore, innovate, create, and play, making our community the best place for a child to grow up. You can visit us every day except Wednesday from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. at 321 Chestnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402. For more information, visit cdmfun.org or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is a place that provides innovative and inclusive museum experiences that inspire kindness, joy, creativity and curiosity for all learners. Our imaginative, open-ended exhibits and programs give families the opportunity to explore topics like art, making and social-emotional learning in ways that are authentic, meaningful, and most of all, fun!