San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum (SDCDM) is proud to announce its official opening to the public at its new location (320 North Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025) on Saturday, December 10th with an Open House event. Formerly located in the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, the Museum serves local families, school and play groups, and visitors from across southern California and beyond. The Open House will be held right after Escondido’s Jaycees Christmas Parade bringing an opportunity for local families to check out their new neighborhood children’s discovery museum with free admission, following the parade, from 11:00am – 4pm.

“Anticipation for the new museum opening has been huge,” said Javier Guerrero, executive director of SDCDM. “We can’t wait to invite the community in to experience our new space and to share the vision of what the museum will become in the coming weeks, months and years. Thanks to our Board and community support, we are intent to become San Diego’s premier children’s discovery museum with unique hands-on exhibits and programs focusing on science, the arts, and world cultures.”

The new 6,000 square-foot facility across the street from Grape Day Park in Escondido has an additional 6,000 square-foot outdoor space. The site will allow for more exhibits for interactive children’s play such as Rokenbok, Imagination Playground, Sensation Station, Keva Planks and Origami-try. New exhibits that will be ready for the public on opening day include a brand new Explorer Discovery Sailboat with toddler area, newly designed Puppet Theatre with new puppets and a large Imagination Stage with musical instruments and new costumes for kids to enjoy. Future exhibits will include the launch of Ancient Egypt and Life, Earth and Physical Science Stations in early 2012. With additional fundraising support, SDCDM plans to open a Children’s Discovery Garden in spring of next year.

SDCDM will also serve its museum members and visitors with new daily programs for families such as:

Rockin’ Rhythm – A program where kids will get a chance to make music by experimenting with a wide variety of percussion instruments from around the world and learn how to work together to follow along with the rhythm of the bongos, shakers, drums and other instruments. The program is offered Fridays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and is recommended for children of all ages.

Whacky Wednesday Art – Visitors are invited to join SDCDM in their on-site classrooms to create their very own silly art project using a variety of paints and recycled materials. The program is offered Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and is recommended for children ages 2 and up.

Drop In Labs – Kids become scientists as they join SDCDM for hands-on experiments that will inspire them to make their own discoveries. The program is offered every other Saturday from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and is recommended for ages 4 and up.
“We are thrilled to officially open our doors to the public,” said Catherine Sanders, board chair for SDCDM. “Our fundraising efforts are now more critical than ever to build future innovative exhibits and achieve our goals for the vision of the museum.”

The museum will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am – 4pm and Wednesdays from 10am – 7pm.

SDCDM was founded as a non-profit organization in 2001 as Escondido Children’s Museum, with the focus of learning through play and inspiring children from newborn to age 12 to learn about our world through exploration, imagination and experimentation. Admission costs at the new location will be $6 per person, $3 for military and disabled, 12 months and younger are free. Memberships, group discounts and birthday parties are available. San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum is affiliated with the Association of Children’s Museums.

WHEN:
Open House, Saturday, December 10, 2011
Free Admission Following Jaycees Christmas Parade, 11am – 4pm

WHERE:
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
NEW LOCATION: 320 North Broadway, Escondido CA 92025

For more information on the Open House, upcoming programs and ways to support SDCDM, visit www.sdcdm.org or call Katrin Belenky, Development Director, at 760-233-7755, Ext. 1003.