Children's Museum Houston

Purpose: Supporting Lifelong Learning The children's Museum of Houston uses the DEEP acronym to reflect its understanding that family learning must drive its planning processes, with emphasis on Designing for innovation (with exhibits and programs that provide dynamic experiences that encourage engagement and thinking), Exceeding Expectations, and Personalizing the learning. In this project, the museum will apply the DEEP approach to the Physical Science Center of Excellence (COE). The museum will create a five-year master plan to develop the Physical Science COE, including complete redevelopment of the 4,180-square-foot long-term exhibit "How Does It Work," modifications to related temporary exhibits, and the development of onsite and community-based programming related to physical science. In partnership with the Institute for Learning Innovation and the College of Education at the University of Houston, the museum will create an outcomes-based evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the COE and of the four other COEs. This grant will also enable the museum to execute the master plan as it pertains to the topic of mechanics, which will involve redeveloping a 900-square-foot section of the main "How Does It Work" exhibit and creating programming on this topic.