San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum is Off to Great Places!

NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Citrus PR for San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
Lauren Walsh Forgione
760-889-2909 / lauren@citruspublicrelations.com
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum is
Off to Great Places!
Today is their day! Families take note of major achievements at the new museum facility
including new board leadership, camp and class offerings and exhibits
Escondido, CA - Date - San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum (SDCDM) has reached
significant milestones on its way to become a premier children’s discovery museum in southern
California. Since its soft opening this past December, SDCDM has hosted thousands of kids at
its new facility bringing attention to its mission to inspire children to learn about our world
through exploration, imagination and experimentation.
A series of very significant donations have been made possible by Brian Bonar including:
funding the Explorer Discovery Sailboat; furniture donated by the Bonar Family Trust; new
façade signage on the building as well as door and fence to the Children’s Discovery Garden
provided by Smart-Tek Automated Services, Dalrada Financial Corporation, and AMS
Outsourcing; and title sponsorship of Caribbean Nights benefit event May 3rd by Bandy Canyon
Ranch. SDCDM has also received funding from the Rokenbok Educational Foundation. These
funds will support the two organizations collaboration in creating curriculum that teaches skills
and literacies promoting success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM).
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SDCDM Partners with Major Organizations to Host
Educational Events
On March 2, more than 150 kids from nearby Title 1 schools
and preschools were read to from the book, Oh the Places
You’ll Go! In the book, Dr. Suess wrote, “You're off to Great
Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get
on your way!” The Read Across America event was one of a
series that brought in local students and kids to gain exposure to reading, world cultures and
science. In addition, on February 22, more than 350 area Girls Scouts and their families visited
SDCDM for World Thinking Day, which inspired attendees to learn about people’s cultures
through music, interactive class experiences and cultural performances.
The Museum has also had the pleasure of hosting both public and private events at the new
space such as: the Escondido Charitable Foundations Five Year Anniversary Party on January
20 and the North County Chamber of Commerce Mixer on March 14. Upcoming events at
SDCDM include: the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren event on April 21 and Caribbean
Nights charitable social on May 3, which will be the first preview of the Museum’s new outdoor
space. The Museum is also hosting the annual “Dia del Nino” Children’s Day event at Grape
Day Park, across the street from SDCDM, on Saturday, April 28.
Latest Construction Changes Bring Enhanced Features to the SDCDM
The list of construction improvements continue with a new doorway to the future Children’s
Discovery Garden to be installed in early April, new classroom set up and renovations, a
finished Explorer Discovery Sailboat, the wall take-down to begin installation of the doorway to
the Children’s Discovery Garden, new signage in place and landscape architect designs
underway for the Children’s Discovery Garden and fencing. The Museum continues to look for
partners for current and future projects, which are made possible due to corporate and private
support.
New Camp Offerings
SDCDM will host a number of kid’s camp offerings in the near future including Spring Break
Camps teaching kids about Grossology and Going Global from April 2 through April 13 and
Summer Camps throughout June, July and August.
New Exhibits
SDCDM’s new Miniature Microscope Station is a preview to a larger exhibit coming soon on
microscopes and magnification as well as microscopes for the classroom.
Future SDCDM exhibits include: Going Global, in conjunction with KPBS and the San Diego Girl
Scouts World Thinking day; Green Science Exhibit, coming this spring funded by Stater
Brothers Charity, Union Bank and the Escondido Rotary; and The Toddler Tidepool, which
would expand the Discovery Sailboat; and the Ancient Egypt exhibit.
New Board Members
Larry Zeiger, Rebecca Raymond and Kelly Mowery are the newest members to join the SDCDM
Board with diverse backgrounds in performing and media arts, non-profits, world cultures and
business management.
The current Board roster includes:
Catherine Sanders, Board Chair
Erick Altona-Board, Vice-Chair
Rodger Gieseke, Board Treasurer
Carmen Nava, Board Secretary
Dr. Christy Fortney, Member
Bob Mac Mahon, Member
Leila Sackfield, Member
Kim Dunham, Member
“We are incredibly proud of the support we’ve received from the community. We set forth to
move mountains and we’re in close reach of our first peak,” said Javier Guerrero, executive
director of SDCDM. “Right now, continued fundraising is critical to help us reach our goals. The
Board is in full support of strategic collaborations with local businesses and organizations. I
know we’re going to surpass everyone’s expectations of what we can achieve in building
SDCDM to be the best we can be!”
About SDCDM
San Diego Children's Discovery Museum’s (SDCDM) mission is to inspire children to learn
about our world through exploration, imagination, and experimentation. The museum serves
local families, school and play groups, and visitors from across southern California and beyond.
The new 6,000 square-foot facility located at 320 North Broadway, Escondido CA 92025 has an
additional 6,000 square-foot outdoor space. The site allows for exciting exhibits for interactive
children's play such as Rokenbok, Imagination Playground, Sensation Station, Keva Planks and
Origami-try. New exhibits at the facility include a brand new Explorer Discovery Sailboat with
toddler area, newly designed Puppet Theatre with new puppets and a large Imagination Stage
with musical instruments and new costumes for kids to enjoy. Future exhibits will include the
launch of Ancient Egypt as well as Life, Earth and Physical Science Stations in 2012. With
additional fundraising support, SDCDM plans to open a Children's Discovery Garden spring in
2012. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on
Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SDCDM was founded as a non-profit organization in 2001 as Escondido Children's Museum,
with the focus of learning through play and inspiring children from newborn to age 12 to learn
about our world through exploration, imagination and experimentation. Admission costs at the
new location is $6 per person, $3 for military and disabled, and free for children 12 months and
younger. Memberships, group discounts, birthday parties, and spring and summer camps are
available. San Diego Children's Discovery Museum is affiliated with the Association of
Children's Museums.
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