Explorations V Children's Museum
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| Established | 1991 |
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| Location | 109 N. Kentucky Avenue Lakeland, Florida |
| Type | Children's museum |
| Website | www |
Explorations V Children's Museum is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) children’s museum in downtown Lakeland, Florida. It is dedicated to providing a hands-on, fun-filled adventure in learning for children and families through three floors of kid-powered exhibits and programs that celebrate the five sense, hence the “V” in the name, and everything is designed with hidden learning concepts.
History
Founded in July 1991 by parent volunteers, the museum’s home was a small building on North Kentucky Avenue in Lakeland. In 1998, the museum purchased the four-story historic Kress building which is also on North Kentucky Avenue, and reopened in 2000.
Exhibits
Our Town
The first floor features vocabulary-rich exhibits with a theme of "Our Town" which allow children to appreciate the basics of music appreciation, art, theater, math, science, and history. The exhibit areas include a doctor’s office, sheriff’s car, fire truck, gazebo, theater, hot air balloon, maker space, news station, space shuttle, airplane, school and grocery store.
"O’ is for Oranges, From Seed to Our World”
The lower floor exhibits introduce children to local history and the world through an interactive orange factory and cultural displays. Exhibits include an orange grove, tree house, truck, stand, juice factory, and world areas for Africa, Asia, Australia and America.
Other exhibits
The second floor features early science interactives, a small children’s art gallery, and program/party rooms which host daily programs, field trip workshops, and out-of-school/after-school camps.
Programs and activities
Daily in-house programs promote skills necessary for academic readiness and advancement, social problem solving, self-control, fine and gross motor skills, and creative expression. The museum also conducts off-site programs, like the free weekly program at Family Fundamentals, a center for the working uninsured. All exhibits and programs complement Florida Sunshine State Standards and Common Core Standards.
Explorations V is a teacher-approved field trip destination for several school districts and attracts home-school families, daycare centers, scouts, teen parent programs, and boys and girls celebrating birthdays.
In 2010, the museum began offering financial education classes for families. In partnership with United Way and local banks, the program help families learn about and achieve financial stability.