Scott Family Amazeum facts for kids
| Established | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Location | 1009 Museum Way Bentonville, Arkansas |
| Type | Children's Museum Science Center |
| Visitors | 1,679,254 (2023) |
The Scott Family Amazeum is a super fun, hands-on museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, USA. It's a special kind of non-profit organization that offers exciting activities for families. The museum focuses on STEAM (that's Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) to help kids learn while they play!
Contents
About the Amazeum
What's in a Name?
The name "Amazeum" is a clever mix of two words: "Amazing" and "Museum." It perfectly describes a place where you can have amazing experiences and learn new things!
How It Started
People in Northwest Arkansas began talking about creating a children's museum way back in the early 2000s. They wanted a special place where kids could explore and discover. By 2006, the group officially became a non-profit organization, which means they work for the community and not just for profit.
For almost ten years, many people worked hard to raise money for the museum. Some big helpers included former Walmart CEO Lee Scott and his family, along with the Walton Family Foundation. Thanks to their support and many others, construction officially started in April 2014. The Amazeum finally opened its doors in July 2015!
The museum expected about 160,000 visitors each year. But guess what? In its first full year, over 311,000 people visited! By its fourth birthday, more than a million people had explored the Amazeum.
The Amazeum Building
The Amazeum is a huge place, covering about 52,000 square feet! The building itself is designed to be a learning tool. It has a special "LEED Silver" certification, which means it's built in a way that's good for the environment. You can even see some of the building's supports and connections, showing how it all fits together.
Outside the museum, there are paths for biking and walking. These paths connect the Amazeum directly to other cool places in Bentonville, like the Crystal Bridges Museum.
The Amazeum building has also won some awards for its design:
- In 2016, it won a Regional Excellence Wood Design Award. This was for using natural materials and fitting in well with the beautiful Ozark environment around it.
- It also received an award for its use of galvanized steel, which is a strong and durable material.
Explore the Exhibits
The Amazeum has many exciting areas where you can play and learn. These are called permanent exhibits because they are always there for you to enjoy!
- Tinkering Hub
- Hershey's Lab *
- The Neighborhood Market
- Art Studio
- Canopy Climber
- Lift, Load & Haul
- Cloud Theater
- Water Amazements
- Homestead Cabin and Farm
- Cave
- Nickelodeon Play Lab
- Studio Grow
- Emerging Explorers
- Outdoor Playscape
Besides these, the museum also has a special area for rotating exhibits. This means new and different exhibits come to visit the Amazeum several times a year, so there's always something new to discover!
- The Hershey's Lab is a very special exhibit! It's the only one of its kind outside of the main Hershey Company headquarters in Pennsylvania. You can learn all about chocolate and science there!
