Great Explorations Children's Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1986 |
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| Location | 1925 4th Street North St. Petersburg, FL 33704 |
| Type | Children's museum |
| Public transit access | PSTA: Route 4 |
Great Explorations Children's Museum is a super fun place in St Petersburg, Florida, where kids can learn through play! It's a special children's museum that also has programs and a pre-school. The museum was started in 1986 by two groups, The Junior League of St. Petersburg and Hands-On, Inc. It's a place where you can explore, discover, and have amazing hands-on experiences.
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How It All Started
The museum first opened as "Great Explorations - The Hands-On Museum." It was located in a large building in Downtown St. Petersburg. The building looked a bit like the Salvador Dalí Museum.
Outside, there was a cool, life-sized model of a Tyrannosaurus rex. This dinosaur was made entirely from recycled metal!
Exciting Exhibits from the Past
Inside the original museum, exhibits were grouped into big rooms. Each room focused on a different sense, like sight, sound, or touch.
One of the most famous exhibits was the "Touch Tunnel." This tunnel was about 90-foot-long (27 m) and completely dark. Kids had to use only their sense of touch to find their way through the fun, twisty path. It was a real adventure!
There was also a smaller version of the museum. It was located in a hallway of the St. Petersburg Pier. This mini-museum had some of the most popular exhibits for visitors to enjoy.
A New Home and New Name
Later, the museum got new leaders and moved to its current spot. This new location is right next to the beautiful Sunken Gardens.
When it moved, the museum also changed its name. It became "Great Explorations Children's Museum." The "Hands-On" part was dropped from the name.
The new building was designed with more offices and classrooms. This helped the museum grow its team and offer even more educational programs.
Learning for Little Ones
Great Explorations also has a special program called the Early Learning Institute. It was started in 2007 by Jeanne and Bill Heller.
This institute offers daily classes for children aged 2 to 5 years old. The classrooms are right inside the museum building. They also have voluntary pre-kindergarten (VPK) classes. These classes help young children get ready for school in a fun and engaging way.
