For many people, exploring the outdoors, making messy science experiments and learning fun facts embody an exciting childhood. Along Columbus Road, houses an establishment where people of all ages can explore their imaginations and dive into educational topics, creative projects and new friendships.
The Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery opened 18 years ago with one goal in mind: to discover, learn and practice. Local families and others from neighboring cities are invited to participate in engaging activities with a confident and open mindset.
OVMoD is powered by “STEAM,” which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math. The museum strives to be a catalyst for learning in not only the Athens neighborhood but more than seven additional counties in southeast Ohio.
“Our goal is to be a place where a child can grow up,” Sara Hartman, co-founder and board president, said. “We really try to be a resource in many different ways within the region.”
Hartman is an Ohio University graduate, a current associate professor of teacher education and an associate dean at University College, bridging the gap between fellow Bobcats and OVMoD.
“My passion for the museum intersects with my work as an educator,” Hartman said. “I have always felt dedicated and committed to being able to bring opportunities like this to our region.”
Hartman said larger suburban or metropolitan areas typically offer more “educational opportunities” for children and introducing OVMoD to Athens was a priority in her career.
OVMoD is a member of the “Museums for All” initiative, a national program encouraging people from different backgrounds to regularly visit and learn from museums. The initiative helps low-income families with membership costs and includes art museums, natural history museums, children’s museums and science centers.
The OVMoD membership prices vary depending on party size. The museum offers a duo membership for $75 per year, a family membership for $100 per year, family memberships with Electronic Benefit Transfer or Women, Infants and Children cards for $25 per year and family “PLUS” memberships for $150 per year.
OVMoD also allows OU students to get involved through volunteer opportunities and collaborative projects. The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program is a national STEM initiative launched in 2010 for grade levels five to 16.
There are 40 scientific Bobcats designed and proposed real microgravity experiments and submitted them to the SSEP board in the fall with the hopes of having their experiment “fly in low Earth orbit.” Part of the program included a patch design contest as well.
Corey Beck, associate professor of instruction and OVMoD executive board member, brought the patch design contest to the museum, allowing kindergarten through eighth grade students to submit designs.
“We have a lot of faculty members on the board at (OVMoD) and it just kind of meshed together,” Beck said. “The museum is set up for K through eighth graders and so it was just kind of an easy ask to … have this event and multiple events at OVMoD.”
Beck said over 200 designs were submitted and two were sent to the SSEP to fly 400,000 miles with the OU student’s experiment to the International Space Station. A presentation of the winning certificates and launch party is to take place in the middle of June.
Through inclusivity, collaborations and a plethora of engaging activities, both the young and old can dive into the realm of possibility. Didi Chilcott, an Athens local, is a mother and lifelong fan of OVMoD.
“We usually go on Saturdays … and every time we have been there, there has been something programmed in terms of a demonstration or hands-on activity which has been awesome,” Chilcott said. “The volunteers and the folks who are giving the demonstrations are just always so kind and also helpful, especially with the little ones.”
Chilcott said she witnessed a circuit beetle craft where children learned about electricity and created their own beetle to take home.
With a lack of science and other educational museums in Athens, OVMoD offers countless opportunities for locals. The museum receives travel funding from the Joe Burrow Foundation, and Ohio Health recently helped establish a classroom space for school visits, birthday parties and more.
“We want this to become a hub here in the Athens area (and) for all the surrounding areas,” Beck said. “We all want to expand our reach to the local community so that kids who are in the Athens area (and) the Appalachian area who are underrepresented, underserved, have a place to go that has some real quality educational parts.”
To learn more about OVMoD, Beck encourages families and students to attend the spring fundraiser in May and check out the soon-to-be-installed climbing structure.
