Washington Pavilion to create immersive water experience exhibit

Big improvements are coming to the Washington Pavilion with a new interactive water exhibit.

The Room to Grow exhibit in the Kirby Science Discovery Center is being reimagined thanks in part to a $1.2 million gift from the estate of Patricia Knutson.

The current Room to Grow exhibit

It will include colorful, educational features to help kids learn about the phases of water through fog pipes, fog mushrooms and rain clouds.

An example image from the new exhibit

Children also will explore how water moves through aqueducts, conveyors, faucets, river channels, squirt guns, whirlpools, fountains and more, all while having fun.

“We are so excited to completely overhaul this space and provide new experiences in our museum, especially for our youngest guests,” said Madelyn Grogan, director of education with Washington Pavilion Management Inc. “Toddlers and up will have so much fun with these new features that they won’t even recognize how much they are learning too. No kid or parent of young children is going to want to miss this new exhibit.”

An example image for the new exhibit

In July 2022, the Washington Pavilion announced the record personal gift. The donation was designated for the Kirby Science Discovery Center but otherwise had no restrictions or stipulations.

An example image from the new exhibit

“Patricia Knutson’s gift will have such a positive impact on so many children in our community. We are immensely grateful for her generosity and can’t wait to see her investment in our facility put to good use,” said Kerri DeGraff, chief operating officer with Washington Pavilion Management. “With this project and the new Sweetman Planetarium both opening this summer, it’s going to be the most exciting summer in the history of the Kirby Science Discovery Center.”

Construction will require a closure of the current exhibit in May to make physical improvements, install new flooring, paint and build the exhibit. But it won’t take long; the new exhibit is scheduled to open in June.

The project is expected to cost approximately $400,000. The remaining $800,000 of Patricia Knutson’s gift will be targeted for “significant and unique projects in the Kirby Science Discovery Center,” which are still to be announced.