Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum – Reno
Enlighten The Mind Of A Child
By Melissa Wynn
The mind of a child is the gateway to all great
things that the future has in store. The more
they experience the better chance they will have
the “ah-ha” moment that will shape history. One
amazing place to expose the children in your life
to a wide variety of hands-on experiments and
learning games and exhibits is the Terry Lee Wells
Nevada Discovery Museum at 490 South Center
Street in downtown Reno. By their own definition
“The Discovery is a hands-on science center
designed to spark visitors’ curiosity—regardless
of age. The museum boasts 67,000 square-feet of everchanging
galleries and exhibits focused on science, technology,
engineering, art, history and invention, all designed to inspire
curiosity, creativity and the joy of lifelong learning in all who
visit.”
After bringing my granddaughter Krimzen cross-country
on her first-ever Amtrak train ride, her Grandfather and I
decided to treat her to a visit to this place of wonder where it
is not just okay to touch everything, it is actually encouraged.
Suspended from the ceiling just above main entrance the
skeleton of an ancient plesiosaurus is your first greeting,
beginning the adventure with a gasp of wonder at the sheer size
of this magnificent creature. Seventeen hours is a long time to
ask a nine year old to be still but at the Terry Lee Wells Nevada
Discovery Museum the center of attention is the interactive
exhibit known as the Cloud Climber, part water system learning
experience and part jungle gym. She was immediately inspired
to climb through. After all, why not learn how it must be to be a
raindrop when you get the chance.
In the room dubbed Inside Out: an Anatomy Experience,
Krimzen and Grandpa placed their hands
beneath the seemingly magic light that
allowed them to see the main veins inside
their hands. This fascinating area is sure
to inspire the next generation of medical
professionals covering everything
from the number of bones you have to
measuring your own brain waves as you
watch on the big screen.
Flowing from Lake Tahoe high in the
Sierra Nevada mountains to Pyramid
Lake in the lower lands of the Great Basin
the Truckee River is the life-blood water
way of western Nevada. Highlighting the
major points of interest along the way, the
Truckee Connects display, meandering
beneath the Cloud Climber, gave
Krimzen a chance to play in the water
a bit while unknowingly learning about
the recreation, irrigation, hydroelectric
power, and the wildlife habitat that
thrives along this main water shed.
The day of our visit was the first day that
visitors could design a spacecraft in a new
exhibition titled Sun, Earth, Universe.
With foam blocks and components
similar to Tinker Toys Krimzen built
one of the very first spacecrafts in the
Under The Stars gallery. Full of exhibits
to connect visitors to outer space and the
questions NASA is trying to answer about
the universe this area of the Discovery
Museum is the perfect playground for
future astronauts of America.
Now boasting eight locations
nationwide, the first Spark! Lab
Smithsonian has always called the
Discovery Museum home. Every
invention begins with the spark of an idea
and from there all the way to successful
marketing is what this exhibition is all
about.
Over at The Shop real tools and building
materials allow young visionaries and
their parents to complete a take-home
project. Visitors are encouraged to tinker,
repurpose, upcycle, take apart and put
back together, developing the minds of
tomorrow’s architects and engineers.
When we wandered into Da Vinci’s
Corner it was hard to determine who
was having more fun, Krimzen or
Grandpa. Both had a ball playing with
the inventions of the famous prodigy of
science and mathematics. Every one of
the changing art projects and science
demonstrations give a real glimpse into
the amazing mind of the man inspired by
the fascination he found in nature and his
everyday life.
Offering adult-only discovery based
events as well, this is a fascinating visit
for any curious mind from age one to 100.
The Discovery opens at 9:00am
every Wednesday for Small Wonder
Wednesday, an hour just for families with
children age 5 and under and many adultonly
events can be found on the online
calendar of events at https://nvdm.org/
events/ .
From our visit to the Mind Bender
Mansion filled with brain teaser
exhibitions and Chinese style puzzles to
the gift shop filled with toys and games
designed to inspire and challenge the
mind, the wonderful Terry Lee Wells
Nevada Discovery Museum is a must
for families visiting Reno. We had
an adventure filled with fascination
and are sure to return each time our
grandchildren visit; it’s an amazing place
to enlighten the mind of a child.
Regular business hours:
Mon – Tue: 10:00am-5:00pm
Wed: 10:00am-8:00pm
Thu – Sat: 10:00am-5:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm-5:00pm
Admission and Discounts
$10 – children (ages 1-17)
$12 – adults
$10 – seniors (ages 65+)
Free – Under age 1
$5 per person after 4:00pm every
Wednesday.
$1 per person general admission discount
for groups accompanied by a Veteran or
Active Duty member of the military.
Special admission rates and programs
for school field trips and groups of 20 or
more.
Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery
Museum
490 S. Center Street
775-786-1000
https://nvdm.org r
