Prepare for takeoff: The Children’s Museum of the Upstate’s newest exhibit invites children and their families to explore the world of aviation.
“Wings in the Air,” which opened May 25, is designed to facilitate hands-on learning through play, while igniting children’s curiosity about careers in the field. Visitors of all ages can board a large aircraft, with a suspended, deconstructed wing, departing Greenville to travel the world. An interactive cockpit allows young pilots to fly the plane across the Greenville skyline. Children can also visit stations for building airplane parts, testing an airplane engine and a variety of other aviation concepts.
“We think a lot about what we can offer in our spaces that will stoke curiosity in young learners,” said Jessie Amos, director of brand and communications. “A section of the exhibit displays various career paths so children can pretend to be a pilot, flight attendant, mechanic or work in air traffic control. Workforce development is a cornerstone to all of our exhibit content.”
Occupying 2,000 square feet on the museum’s main floor, “Wings in the Air” also includes an area dedicated to the global destination of Colombia. The display highlights the country’s food, language and culture, and includes a market, a flag-making station and authentic Colombian goods.
“As families exit the plane, they enter the cultural corner that will feature a different country each year,” Amos said. “They can read recipes and shop for products, learn about musical instruments, and explore a day in the life of a child in that country. This is something we’re really excited about.”
Amos said TCMU’s goal is to reflect the larger community inside the museum’s walls, including the Upstate’s significant aviation-industry presence.
“In addition to our donors and sponsors, we also worked closely with aviation and Colombian experts in the community to inform the content in the exhibit,” she said.
The exhibit is sponsored by the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission, with additional support from Duke Energy, First Lieutenant P. F. Cureton Jr. Foundation, Spinks Family Foundation, Lockheed Martin and F.W. Symmes Foundation.
“We are one of the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission’s largest educational grantees to date. The museum is very honored to have been chosen and grateful for the support from SCAC, as well as our other exhibit donors,” Amos said.
TCMU-Greenville is the seventh largest children’s museum in the United States, Amos said, serving over 250,000 guests annually together with its Spartanburg location, which is dedicated to children ages 6 and younger. TCMU Greenville opens two new exhibits each year.
“Stay tuned for another exciting update in the fall,” Amos said. “These exhibits are built to last for several years and are significant initiatives for the museum. We wouldn’t be able to bring these high-quality, state-of-the-art exhibits to life without the support of the generous Upstate community.
Since 2014, the Community Foundation of Greenville has supported TCMU with $150,000 in grants from the Margaret Linder Southern Endowment Fund. For more information, visit tcmupstate.org.
