Written by Tanya Terry, with information provided a Sloan Longway news release
They say good things come to those who wait! After nearly four years of planning and construction, the new Sloan Museum of Discovery announced that it will re-open to the public Saturday, July 16, 2022. The new museum will feature brand new science, history and hands-on learning exhibits.
The museum’s gift shop will be twice the size of the old gift shop. The lobby will be able to be rented out for special events. A multi-purpose room with full service, fully commercial kitchen will be available for birthday parties. In addition, the museum will feature a coffee shop to be open to the public.
The $30 million expansion and renovation of the museum was re-imagined as an inclusive center for the entire community.
“This new museum is literally being built from the ideas of our members, guests and the community at large,” stated Todd Slisher, CEO of Flint Institute of Science and History (FISH), the nonprofit organization that oversees Sloan Museum, as well as the Longway Planetarium.
“They are asking for a more inclusive and interactive museum that reflects the people who have lived in Genesee County and who are important to its foundation,” Shisher added. “That input helped us design and build a world-class museum that’s fully accessible to all.”
There will be four learning labs.
“The mission of Sloan Museum and Longway is to engage the community in history and science-and make it a fun community to learn,” said Anne Mancour, marketing manager for Sloan Museum of Discovery & Longway Planetarium.
“We have a whole education staff that go into the community people don’t know about that is an extension of the education system,” Mancour added.
In the middle of Discovery Hall, the new hand-on science gallery of the new Sloan Museum of Discovery, there will be a three-story climbing stretcher where kids will learn about gravity, force and science.
“They won’t even know they’re learning,” Mancour expressed.
Additionally, a large interactive water table will teach visitors about sand dunes and the Great Lakes. The water table will be the first of the new hands-on science exhibits to arrive for installation in early January 2022.
Nearby, kids intrigued by art will be able to paint big murals and showcase their works, then wash it down and start over.
The Early Education Gallery will be “like a little town.” It will have a store where kids ages 0-4 can learn to shop, a post office and a giant treehouse.
Museum goers of all ages can learn about the Native Americans that lived in the area and about how the Flint River was used for lumber transportation. They will learn about the Flint Water Crisis, how I-475 was built and about the St. John neighborhood.
“The idea is to show both sides of the story and let the visitor make up their mind,” Mancour explained.
She pointed out carriages, cars and tank destroyers were all built in Flint.
“Visitors can learn about how the people of Flint helped with the war efforts in World War II.”
The Vehicle City Gallery is 11,000 square feet and will feature rotating vehicles showcasing the history and future of the automobile.
In the research room, the public will be able to check out archives.
Inside the museum is also a space called the Community Gallery.
“The Community Gallery Space is where organizations can have their own exhibits and display their history. It is the community’s museum.”
Most exhibits will be custom made and installed by Grand Rapids-based Xibitz. The general hands-on history and science exhibits will be free to Genesee County residents.
To help close the gap to their fundraising goal and finish installing new exhibits, the new Sloan Museum of Discovery has partnered with Patronicity, a crowdfunding platform with Michigan roots. Those wishing to contribute to the capital campaign through Patronicity can learn more at Patronicity.com/Sloan, or call Development Director Debbe Campbell at 810-237-7331.
Sloan Museum of Discovery is supported in part by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Sloan Museum of Discovery is funded in part by the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage. To learn more, visit SloanLongway.org/DiscoverSloan.
