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LEARNING IS ALWAYS
HANDS-ON AT CMOW!
"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood."
-Mr. Rogers
Our current exhibits
AHOY!
WILMINGTON
Arrgh, Mateys! Board our pirate ship and join the crew! The exhibit features a pirate ship where kids can pretend to steer the ship and swab the deck! Encourages role playing and navigating.
DISCOVERY
DINER
The Discovery Diner was created to highlight the importance of educating young children about making healthy eating choices. This interactive exhibit features a life-like dining area and cafeteria, complete with food from all five food groups! The funding for this exhibit was provided by Delta Dental Foundation and New Hanover County. This exhibit was also made possible by the City of Wilmington.
THE STUDIO FT.
THE LAWSON
LEARNING CENTER
THE STUDIO FT. THE LAWSON LEARNING CENTER
Visit the studio, a bright open space designed to spark creativity and inspiration for our young artists. Children are encouraged to experiment with different materials as they create imaginative masterpieces. Try your hand at painting, sculpting, drawing, weaving, and more. The Art room features the Lawson Learning Center which incorporates reading and childhood literacy with a dedicated reading area and a play area.
ANIMAL ALLEY
This hands-on exhibit is designed to teach children the responsibilities of pet ownership and proper pet care. Children are provided the opportunity to take on the role of groomer, trainer and pet owner!
This exhibit is sponsored by College Road Animal Hospital.
COMMUNITY MARKET
Grab a kid-sized shopping cart and shop for produce, cereal, flowers...whatever it is you need. Or work the register checking customers out and bagging their groceries. One of the museum favorites, the grocery teaches children the importance of nutrition, making healthy choices at the grocery store, basic math skills, and real world applications. Sponsored by Publix and Publix Super Markets Charities.
THE WONDERS
OF WATER
Wonders of Water is sponsored by Catlin Engineers & Scientists.
This exhibit, funded by the Duke Energy Water Resources Fund, International Paper, and The Women's Impact Network, educates children on the importance of the water cycle while examining natural vs. man-made filtration. This will help to demonstrate how our water cycle naturally filters out contaminants.
KID POWER
Sponsored by Planet Fitness, this exhibit gives kids a fun way to expend energy while learning the importance of always being active. It has a variety of active components for kids to learn about different muscles in their bodies while simultaneously burning energy. These activities include a mini trampoline, mini treadmill, a long jump, vertical jump, hand bike, stationary bike, and an area for aerobic fitness.
HOW HIGH CAN YOU JUMP?
How high can you jump?
Kid Power teaches the importance of physical activity, connecting biology with environmental studies. Jump as high as you can and press all of the buttons to have an understanding of how tall some of your favorite animals are! This exhibit is sponsored by Planet Fitness.
EXPLORATION STATION
Exploration Station encourages engineering skills, critical thinking, problem solving, and imagination. Take a ride on our Air Chair, the Generator Bike, or play the Air Harp!
TOOTHASAURUS
In our pediatric dental exhibit, your child can learn about oral health in an unintimidating environment. Brush the model teeth and inspect for cavities, then hop into a REAL dentist chair to examine the teeth of a Toothasaurus! Sponsored by Dimock, Weinberg & Cherry.
Toothasaurus is made possible, in part by Delta Dental Foundation
SKELEWORLD
Skeleworld is made possible by EmergeOrtho, Morvil Advertising, and local artist Michael Van Hout. One of the features of this bone health and healing exhibit is a life-sized skeleton on a surfboard. Hold your smartphone up to identify which bone is which! Kids can have fun signing the giant legs in casts and measuring their strength with a real electronic hand dynamometer.
PORT CMOW
Visit PORT CMOW! Port CMoW introduces children to the Port of Wilmington in a fun and educational setting. This hands-on exhibit features a freightliner ship which has cargo containers that can be moved by a crane. Historic photos of the port are incorporated into the exhibit and give children a glimpse into Wilmington's past. A video displays footage of Port of Wilmington as it is in operation today! This exhibit is sponsored by NC Ports and also made possible, in part, by Filmwerks International.
MATCH MADNESS
The Matching Wall is an engaging game which complements our Science of You exhibit! Kids are encouraged to answer questions about the skeletal, digestive, circulatory and muscular systems of the human body. Adults and children alike will learn something new on this educational journey!
Match Madness is dedicated to
James Karl, former Executive Director.
TODDLER
TREEHOUSE
Guests ages four and under can crawl, climb, and slide in our beautiful treehouse. This special room is not only fun, active, and entertaining but allows your baby to develop their motor skills. This is a safe space separated from the rest of the exhibits designed especially for your baby and toddler. The area is cozy and squishy allowing your baby to explore textures, shapes, and sounds. The revitalization of this exhibit is made possible, in part by New Hanover County and the Landfall Foundation.
CMoW
COURTYARD
Children can play hopscotch, climb on the play structure, visit Emma’s River Shanty House, play a fun game of Courtyard I-Spy or hop on the school bus to see where their imagination takes them! Engage little learners by visiting our Vegetable and Herb Gardens! Use our garden maps to identify plants and learn which animals and insects they attract. Our play structure is sponsored by PharmGate Animal Health.
The play structure is also made possible by NC State Extension, The Landfall Foundation, and North State Bank.
THE SCIENCE OF YOU
This section of the Museum allows little learners to build on their understanding of what is inside their own bodies, how we differ from other mammals, play doctor, and enter a real science lab! The Science of You features the nCino Virtual Reality experience, Skeleworld, Little Beaker's Lab, Wellness Way, and more!
The Virtual Reality is sponsored by nCino.
WELLNESS WAY
Sponsored by Wilmington Health, this exhibit has three main focuses- infant care, anatomy, and wellness. Through role playing with dolls, not only will children learn the basics of infant care, they will improve their social, language, and motor skills as well as learn empathy and responsibility. This exhibit aims to educate children about anatomy and how systems in our body help keep us healthy. Children will also learn how antibodies and white blood cells work together to fight off any germs that may have entered their body with the interactive maze.
LITTLE BEAKER'S LAB
Little Beaker's Lab teaches children about science and technology. This exhibit is a great way for little scientists to learn about the scientific process and to develop their critical thinking skills. Together we examine and learn more about our fascinating world. This exhibit is sponsored by Wilmington Pathology.