CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — Museums across the country have steered away from standing around and reading exhibits, to creating a more interactive approach that the entire family can enjoy. The Corpus Christi Science and History Museum has already incorporated interactive elements to their older exhibits, but they say there still is more to come.
CEO and President Carol Rehtmeyer said as museums have seen a decline in attendance, they have tried to revamp many different exhibits to attract different audiences.
"We're looking at more interactivity, more group activity, things that you do together, more discovery -- a different approach than the 70's museum that used to be," she said.
Rehtmeyer says it has been a full year since the Friends of the Museum has taken ownership of the museum. Friends of the Museum give the museum a more entrepreneurship approach and allow them to add new components to the museum at a faster rate. Rehtmeyer says the museum plans to use 10 million dollars for new additions and renovations. Such as including virtual realty systems to the Science Center, and a 4-D theater with movable seats in the Planetarium section. As well as, adding newer technology to the older exhibits, "we will be adding interactivity to them, so they'll be touch screens and something called peppers ghost where items pop up and you can see different information, and you can interact with the birds and the animals that are in these dioramas."
She says adding iMapping to current statues and incorporating live elements where the characters talk about their exhibit, is also part of the plan. There will also be a musical garden, that is set to be complete in the next couple weeks. Rehtmeyer says she has noticed an enormous amount of out-of-country visitors, and wants to add a cell phone tour that will be available in numerous languages. Many of the new additions will be not be finished until December. One component that is in the works, is a whole new area just for toddlers. "Looking to add a science and math based preschool, as well as a children's museum as bump-outs or build-outs to the museum. And we're in the investigative stage right now to see how we can make that happen."
The Corpus Christi Science and History Museum want to bring more fun ways to experience museums for people of all ages.
"The question is, how do we continue to keep that engagement, what is it that the community here wants and are we delivering it?"
The museum will have a Halloween Bash this weekend, with games, a maze and free hot dogs all weekend.
You can find more event information here.
