The Explorations V Children’s Museum of Lakeland and the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board will celebrate the grand opening of a new exhibit that highlights the valuable resource of water.
The grand opening of Water Matters! will be held Saturday, January 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. and Ripply, the District’s water mascot, will visit the museum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The hands-on exhibit illustrates the water cycle and explains the importance of protecting natural water resources. The exhibit is composed of an activated water cycle, a flowing river and a large globe, which together encompass a 10-by-14-foot area of the museum.
Visitors can experience part of the water cycle, as actual water falls as rain from a cloud and is carried through a flowing river into a pond and lake. With the touch of a button, visitors can simulate drought conditions by draining the water bodies or flood conditions by increasing the rainfall. Educational signage accompanies the exhibit.
The design, development and construction of the educational exhibit cost approximately $30,042, with the District’s Peace River Basin Board contributing up to $8,225.
Approximately 70,000 people visit the museum each year, 40,000 of which are children.