Stepping Stones Museum for Children facts for kids
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| Established | 2000 |
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| Location | 303 West Avenue Norwalk, Connecticut, United States |
| Type | Children's museum |
The Stepping Stones Museum for Children is a fun, hands-on museum especially made for kids aged 10 and younger. It is located at 303 West Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut. The museum offers many interactive areas where children can learn and play.
Inside the museum, you can find a theater and a broadcast studio. There is also a large, high-definition screen for different shows. In the main entrance area, a huge moving sculpture called the ColorCoaster stands 27 feet (about 8 meters) tall. This amazing artwork was created by artist George Rhoads.
Outside the museum, there is a garden with three more moving sculptures. These sculptures were designed by Beinfield Architecture. They use natural energy from the sun, wind, and water to move. It's a cool way to see how clean energy works!
Museum History and Growth
The Stepping Stones Museum for Children first opened its doors in the year 2000. It was started by Gigi Priebe. In its first ten years, the museum welcomed two million visitors! That's a lot of kids coming to explore and learn.
Big Changes and Expansion
In 2010, the museum closed for about three months for a huge renovation project. This project cost $17 million. When it reopened on November 20, 2010, the museum was much bigger and better! Its indoor space almost doubled, adding about 22,000 square feet (2,000 square meters).
The new design, also by Beinfield Architecture, made the museum more energy-efficient. It used recycled materials from local places. A big part of the expansion was building a forty-foot screen for a multi-media theater. They also added a special telescope inside. This telescope lets visitors look at plants and animals living on the museum's roof!
Images for kids
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The ColorCoaster sculpture by George Rhoads
