It wasn’t very long ago that Santa Maria was a different place—a smaller place, and definitely a place with few venues devoted to appealing to children’s sense of curiosity about the world around them.
These days, the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum fills that need. But it took a lot of brainstorming, planning, and, of course, funding to get to this point. That’s why, in light of its 15 years in existence, the museum is celebrating.
The museum first began taking shape when a group of people started dreaming of a place that would be enriching for children. The founders worked on making the museum a reality, starting five years before ever opening its doors. The city’s population was about half of what it is now, so the group represented small-town residents with big-city ideas, Executive Director Kelly White-O’Neill said.
“They were parents of young children and wanted to create a community that had the best of everything,” she explained.
The anniversary celebration will recognize donors, supporters, and everyone who’s been a part of the museum’s success. White-O’Neill said an important element will be to recognize and thank anyone who was involved in the project. There will also be an interactive timeline at the event that marks some of the biggest milestones over the years and allows anyone to add their own memories of the museum. White-O’Neill noted a few already in place:
• The donation of the Coca Cola building and the fundraising campaign to turn it into a suitable location for the museum.
• A large gift from a local donor shortly after that, which helped financially sustain the museum.
• Going from a volunteer organization to a paid staff in the late 1990s.
• Large donations from organizations like the Ronald McDonald House and Lockheed Martin.
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• The start of the Family Kite Festival three years ago.
• The introduction of the Bippity Boppity Boo Ball fall fundraiser.
White-O’Neill said she hopes the museum will continue to evolve and improve over the next five years. But for that to happen, she said users need to invest in the museum as much as the museum invests in children and families. She said that kind of support would allow the museum to retire some of its older exhibits that have been on display for a while and make room for new ones.
She said the museum also hopes to play a bigger role in local schools, with features like its Museum in Motion program making up for cuts to activities and opportunities in the classroom and beyond.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone is looking forward to another 15 years. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 2, 2012.