Construction of the new Arroyo Adventure at Kidspace Children’s Museum has reached its halfway mark and will open on Saturday, April 30! Arroyo Adventure will feature eight brand-new experiences that encourage children to connect with nature, engage in adventures, and uncover possibilities between boulders and rocks, mud and sticks, trees and native plantings.
In early March, a crane with the capacity to lift 250 tons, delivered the steel platform pieces of the Hawk’s Nest; one of the featured Arroyo Adventure exhibits that will inspire visitors to let their imaginations soar to new heights. The platform sits on custom laser-cut steel beams, engineered to make the support structure appear to be branches of a tree. The next phase of construction on the Hawk’s Nest will include the installation of the remaining steel structure and intricate branch weaving of the large-scale nest. The Hawk’s Nest will also incorporate the installation of two vertical climbers and a rope bridge, to challenge Arroyo Adventure explorers to discover tree top vistas.
In the coming weeks, excavation will make way for the Flood and Erosion Plain exhibit, an immersive hands-on experience of creating channels and building dams. The final exhibit elements will include the Mud and Clay area, the Hidden Forts, a creative Arroyo Art space, and the relocation of the enhanced Harvest Corner.
Native landscaping will conclude construction before the two-day Arroyo Adventure Grand Opening Celebration from April 30 to May 1. These new experiences and landscaping will bring out the wild side of the Kidspace experience, where children are invited to explore their local landsape.
For a sneak peek of Arroyo Adventure activities, visit the Kidspace Greenhouse where we are currently prototyping programming that will be available. Programming has been developed to connect children to nature and encourage them to explore, discover, and create. There are ceramics activities, where children are able to sculpt with clay, and mud play where bricks are created from mud and hay. Fort building with tree branches will be introduced into the Greenhouse, as well as more activities for a dramatic play segment.
“Outdoor play encompasses everything: full-body experiences, such as climbing on the Hawk’s Nest, developing gross and fine motor skills while building stick structures and dens at Hidden Forts, kinesthetic learning by squishing around in the Mud and Clay area, creativity by weaving with natural materials on a loom at the Arroyo Art, and engineering and diverting water at the Flood and Erosion Plain,” said Peter Crabbe, Chief Program Officer. “All of the exhibits integrate beautifully to meet the needs of younger and older children regardless of their learning style or interests.”
Arroyo Adventure marks a milestone in the Museum’s exhibit master plan that was created in conjunction with the announcement of The Campaign for the Future of Kidspace in the spring of 2012. This $13-million capital campaign was launched to build new exhibits, upgrade existing learning environments, improve guest amenities, and develop new curriculum and programs. Other campaign improvements to Kidspace include The Robert & Mary Galvin Physics Forest, opened on July 12, 2012, the Imagination Workshop, opened on November 9, 2013, the S. Mark Taper Early Childhood Learning Center, opened on May 22, 2014, and the Kidspace Greenhouse, which opened on March 11, 2015.
Additional funding for the Arroyo Adventure was provided by The Ahmanson Foundation, The Rose Hills Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, W.M. Keck Foundation, the Ann Peppers Foundation, the Confidence Foundation, and the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts.