UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

Discovery Science Place Temporarily Closing for Renovations

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September 5, 2014

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

September 5, 2014

On Monday, Sept. 8, the Discovery Science Place will close for a brief renovation period to update current exhibits and refresh the museum, Dr. Michael Odell, vice president for research and technology transfer at The University of Texas at Tyler, announced.

The museum staff is excited to bring in the new interactive Orion spacecraft exhibit, which will allow children of all ages to explore first-hand the inner workings of the spacecraft.

The Discovery Science Place will re-open Saturday, Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and partake in the Smithsonian magazine’s 10th annual Museum Day Live! event. This nationwide event offers free admission to visitors presenting a Museum DayLive! ticket at a participating museum or cultural institution.

The grand re-opening of the Discovery Science Place will also celebrate the official new partnership between UT Tyler and the Discovery Science Place Foundation that commenced on Sept. 1, 2014.

“The University of Texas at Tyler is proud to be partnering with the DSP Foundation to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning,” said Odell. “What better way to celebrate than participating in the Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live! event.”

The Museum Day Live! ticket will be available to download at Smithsonian.com/museumdaylive. Visitors who present the Museum Day Live! ticket will gain free entrance for two at participating venues for one day only. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address.

Alongside the renovation, the Discovery Science Place will be updating the discoveryscienceplace.org website and the Discovery Science Store. An array of new educational merchandise to be used in the classroom or at home will be available in the Discovery Science Store. Admission to the museum is not required to enter the store and the public is encouraged to visit the store for great educational products for all ages.

“We are excited to re-open soon with a fresh, new look and feel, that will create an even more enjoyable and educational atmosphere for families visiting the Discovery Science Place,” said Chris Rasure, MSNS, Texas Master Science Teacher.

For more information, contact Brandon Reynolds, UT Tyler Ingenuity Center marketing, 903.565.5950 or breynolds@uttyler.edu.

The Discovery Science Place is a children’s museum located in Tyler, Texas that strives to inspire interest and education in STEM learning through hands-on, interactive exhibits for children of all ages. Through its partnerships with The University of Texas at Tyler and local businesses, the Discovery Science Place offers an educational atmosphere where families are encouraged to create, invent and explore. The museum consists of three exhibit halls that house both signature exhibits that are permanently stationed at the museum, as well as those that rotate through for special exhibitions.

Smithsonian Media comprises of its flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, as well as Air & Space and Smithsonian Media Digital Network. Smithsonian Media is a division of Smithsonian Enterprises, the revenue-generating business unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. Approximately 30 million people from around the world visit the museums annually.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 7,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.