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1,700 adults, children take advantage of free museum admission
By Mary Ann Ford
mford@pantagraph.com
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NORMAL -- Grant Zimmerman painted his first circle on the paint wall Monday at the Children’s Discovery Museum. He also went on the two-story Luckey Climber -- where he got stuck and unstuck. Then the 2-year-old ventured outside and played with the monster bubbles.

“He’s having fun,” said his mother, Rita Zimmerman of Normal.

And he wasn’t alone. More than 1,700 children and adults took advantage of free admission and a variety of special activities at the uptown Normal museum in celebration of its 500,000th visitor. That’s eight times the number of people who typically visit the museum on a Monday and double the usual tally of weekend-day visitors.

The event was the first in a series of free activities planned for Twin Cities Fitness Week, coordinated by Bloomington and Normal parks and recreation departments and The Pantagraph’s Fit Kids initiative.

Fit Kids is a nearly yearlong initiative dedicated to identifying and highlighting commonsense approaches to preventing childhood obesity and developing healthier lifestyles for children and their parents.

A crowd lined up outside the museum before the doors opened at 9 a.m. Among those arriving at the start were Michelle Davis and her 5-year-old daughter, Rachel, of Downs.

“We came because it was free and it’s a nice day,” said Davis. Two hours later, the two had covered the entire museum inside and out.

“We’ve been up and down (the inside of the museum) and then came outside,” Davis said.

While Rachel was busy drawing a masterpiece on the ground with chalk, other children were jumping rope or taking part in fitness activities offered by Fitness Quest of Bloomington. There also were opportunities to tumble, play volleyball, try cheerleading and play games through the day.

Inside, children and adults could “family jam” to a variety of music and take part in a parent-child yoga class. All of the activities were designed to help burn a total of 500,000 calories.

“Our focus and attention has always been nurturing healthy children and families — especially as we identified our newest exhibit initiative, Healthy Kids-Healthy Future several years ago,” said Heather Young, public affairs coordinator for the museum.

Young said the museum reached its 500,000th visitor two years earlier than anticipated.

“It is amazing how much our community and the region have embraced the museum,” said Young. “It’s quickly become a destination for many school field trips, tourists and families.”

Monday was a field trip day for 34 children from the Peter Rabbit Day Care Center in Kicakpoo. Parent helper Jen Shriber said they didn’t know it was a free day with special events so it made it an even better trip.

“This is wonderful,” Shriber said. “The kids are having a lot of fun. They’re learning a lot.”

Her daughter, Holly, 4, burned a few calories on kids-size fitness equipment at the Eastland Chiropractic and Wellness exhibit on the second floor of the museum.



Fit kids



Bloomington and Normal parks and recreation departments have partnered with The Pantagraph’s Fit Kids initiative to offer Twin Cities Fitness Week, five days of free activities this week. Events began Monday, and following is a list of remaining events.

Tuesday

-- Free swimming at Holiday and O’Neil pools, Bloomington, 4 to 7 p.m.

-- Kid’s Challenge Cup at Carden Park, Normal, 5 to 8 p.m.; competitions and prizes

Wednesday

-- Free buckets of balls at Ironwood Golf Course, Normal, and Prairie Vista Golf Course, Bloomington, 5 to 8 p.m.

Thursday

-- Free ice skating at Pepsi Ice Center, Bloomington, 1 to 3 p.m. (Limited to the first 200 people)

-- Free swimming at Fairview Family Aquatic Center, Normal, 5 to 8 p.m.

-- Celebrate America concert at Miller Park Bandstand, 7 p.m.

Friday

-- Celebrate America concert at Miller Park Bandstand, 7 p.m.; fireworks at dusk at Fairview Park, Normal, and Miller Park, Bloomington.

Take a look
Grant Zimmerman, 2, works on making bubbles during the 500,000 Day! held at the Children's Discovery Museum in Normal. The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
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Reader comments on this story - 4 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Woodford Pundit wrote on Jul 1, 2008 5:25 PM:

" Just as a point of order - when did the Discovery Museum become "free"? Aren't they supported by taxes? "

ziggy wrote on Jul 1, 2008 10:31 AM:

" We were there for about 2 hours between 11:30 and 2 and it really wasnt too bad. Kids had a blast! Thanks discovery museum! "

What?!?! wrote on Jun 30, 2008 11:05 PM:

" 1700? Glad we didn't go today!! "

kadiddlehopper wrote on Jun 30, 2008 9:55 PM:

" What a cute picture!! If that was one of my gransons, it would be framed on my wall!! "
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