The Schroeder Family Exploreum in Joplin has partnered with NASA for an event tied to the upcoming Artemis II mission.
The Exploreum also is looking to its own spring launch.
Neely Myers, Exploreum executive director, said it applied to NASA to become the local NASA launch party site, sharing the designation with many science centers and organizations across the county.
No date for the launch has been set yet, but it is scheduled for this spring. When Artemis II establishes a launch date for its mission to the moon, the Exploreum will share information with anyone interested via email. People interested in receiving information on Artemis II can email Myers at [email protected].
If the Exploreum is open by the Artemis II launch date, it plans to have an on-site celebration for the public, Myers said. The north end of the building is scheduled to be finished with construction and open this spring.
Myers said with local connections of EaglePicher Technologies and other companies having manufactured products for the Artemis mission, this is a great opportunity to educate people.
“That’s really important first of all for regional, community knowledge,” Myers said. “It’s in terms of kids knowing that to be part of world-changing projects, it’s possible right here in their neighborhood. You can have amazing jobs, you can dream amazing things, right here in your backyard.”
Also, the Artemis mission is a historic event, Myers said, and will inspire children.
“I think it’s a very exciting look to the future. Their lives and what’s possible is a whole different world than what we have grown up with. It’s so critical from a technology and engineering standpoint. It’s what we do — we create dreams in the STEAM world,” Myers said, referring to science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
People can track the Artemis II mission through the Exploreum’s social media sites, including keeping up to date with the Artemis II launch date.
In the opening portion of the Exploreum, Myers said it will have 18 exhibits, as well as three new exhibits it has never debuted to the public.
These include the Bubble Monster provided by a grant from Missouri American Water and Rube Goldberg machines from a grant by Arvest Bank. Myers said a few surprises will be coming.
“Not only do we have some tried and true, very popular and beloved exhibits that families might have engaged with, but we’ll have more brand-new exhibits they’ve never been able to engage with,” Myers said. “It’s an expansion, it’s a growth, and we’ll have some expanded programming in terms of classes, workshops and adults only and family programming.”
Myers said it’s incredible to be within reach of the opening milestone. After the opening, the Exploreum will start promotion and reaching out to families in the area. Exploreum staff can’t wait to see these families engage with the exhibits and dream about their futures, she said.
“A dream is great, but it actually being open and real is a whole different thing,” Myers said. “Our board and staff are passionate about helping young people find what they’re passionate about. For it to become a reality, we all get butterflies talking about that opening day.
Once construction is completed, the Exploreum is looking for volunteer groups to help clean and move exhibits back into the finished space. People interested in helping out can contact Myers.
Photo credit: Roger Nomer, Joplin Globe