Discovery Park of America
|
Logo for the Discovery Park of America | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Address |
830 Everett Boulevard Union City, TN, USA |
| Coordinates | 36°26′18″N 89°04′11″W / 36.43833°N 89.06972°WCoordinates: 36°26′18″N 89°04′11″W / 36.43833°N 89.06972°W |
| Information | |
| Opening | November 2013 |
| Number of galleries | 10 |
| Principal benefactor | Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation |
| Director | Polly Brasher |
| CEO | Jim Rippy |
Discovery Park of America is a museum, park and garden located in Union City, Tennessee. The park sits on 50 acres (20 ha) of land off of Everett Boulevard, near the proposed Interstate 69. It features exhibits and activities on local history, nature, military history, art and science.
History
Design commenced on the $100 million project in July 2008. In 2009 Boston-based architect Louis Siriani was hired to replace the first architect.[1][2]
The park opened in November 2013.[3] It was financed by Union City-based Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation, which has also has earmarked $2 million a year for 20 years to cover operating costs and buy exhibits.[4]
Galleries
Discovery Park features many galleries in the Discovery Center, the main building at Discovery Park. The center includes:
- a children's gallery with hands-on activities;
- the Energy Gallery, which features a 20-foot model of a generator;
- an Enlightenment section that features a suit of armor and a model of the Ark of the Covenant;
- a Military section that includes a PT-17 Stearman airplane from World War II;
- a Native Americans' section that features many arrowheads and a Woolly Mammoth's skeleton;
- a Natural History section that features a Dinosaur room with skeletons of real dinosaurs;
- the Regional History section that features many living creatures from the local Reelfoot Lake complete with a crawl-space dome where people can look up in the water;
- a Science, Space, and Technology section that has an interactive star ship theater;
- and a Transportation section scheduled to feature cars from all over the world, including the NASCAR 2007 Chevy Budweiser #8 and a Ford Model T.
References
- ↑ Boston Architect designs soaring center building, WKMS, May 22, 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-15
- ↑ Discovery Park Article for the Messenger, August 5, 2009. Retrieved 2014-01-15
- ↑ Discovery Park of America To Open In Hopes Of Boosting Rural Tennessee Tourism, Huffington Post, 10/31/2013. Retrieved 2014-01-15
- ↑ Sheffield, Michael (2009-01-30). "Construction under way for $100 million Discovery Park". Memphis Business Journal (American City Business Journals, Inc.). Retrieved 2009-05-14.