NORMAL — Ellie Dew is proud to know the Children’s Discovery Museum from both sides of the counter.
“I remember going to the old museum with my siblings and my mom and playing in the little grocery area. My favorite part was they had a loft with books and I would sit up there and read with my mom while my sisters played,” she said. “Now I help with the day-to-day running of the museum. It’s crazy because it hasn’t felt like it’s been that long.”
Dew, 22, is a supervisor at CDM and, she said, evidence it’s been a success during its quarter-century in Bloomington-Normal. The Downs native and Illinois State University rising senior is studying early childhood education and hopes to become a teacher, thanks in part to her time at the museum.
“Their mission is super important to me as an early childhood educator because so much of my curriculum is play-based,” she said. “It’s really cool to see how far they’ve come and how many improvements they’ve made, like this great building in uptown, the air maze and the medical center next year. We’ve grown up together.”
The museum will celebrate that legacy Sept. 12 as staff, the community and honored guests gather for a breakfast and a day of play in recognition of 25 years for the Children’s Discovery Museum in Bloomington-Normal.
Six of the museum’s founding members are expected to be on hand for a breakfast 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, looking back at the museum’s evolution from a concept in the late 1980s to a 1,000-square-foot space at College Hills Mall in 1994 and beyond.
Shelly Hanover, CDM’s director of museum experiences and engagement, looks forward to looking back with those who were there. Hanover started working at the museum in 1994, to help move it from College Hills to an 8,000-square-foot space at Constitution Place in Bloomington.
“One of the things I’m most excited about is seeing families who’ve been impacted by the museum over the years,” said Hanover, including through a timeline to be put up at the event. “We’ll put some iconic moments in Children’s Discovery Museum history on the wall in chronological order and let families add their moments too.”
Hanover said the museum may also announce news about the upcoming overhaul to the medical exhibit, and other future plans, at the breakfast.
The celebration will continue at the museum, which will open at 1 p.m. Sept. 12. From 1 to 8 p.m. attendees will be able to get in for $3, as they did when the museum opened, and participate in special activities including a giveaway of a year’s worth of ice cream from Emack & Bolio’s. Meltdown Graphics will be on site printing special T-shirts.
“Staff is working on pulling out some throwback activities, favorite things we’ve done in the past,” said Hanover. “We will have face painting by The Zoo Crew. Mickey Lower has been a partner with the museum for a long time, and there was no way we would do the celebration without her.”
Hanover said a lot changed for the museum when it came to uptown in 2004, including a 30,000-square-foot building and more staff — the museum still relies on volunteers, she added — but its goal is the same: “Inspiring a love of learning through the power of play.” “We still do that every day,” she said.
“To know we have made such a difference in kids’ lives and we’re such a positive place for them that CDM is one of the places they want to work, that means so much,” said Hanover of Dew and others like her. “That means we’re doing something right.”
The Children’s Discovery Museum has put on events such as Noon Year’s Eve, Worldwide Day of Play and Day of the Dead. See photos from those events below.
Photos: Noon Year’s Eve a hit at Children’s Discovery Museum
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Kara Tandy, left, Bloomington, watches her daughter, Isabella, 6, make a New Year’s wishing wand as they attend Noon Year’s Eve on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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From left, Blaine Keller, Dimitri Campbell, 4, Kitzia Racey, 8, and Aidon Keller, 6, all of Normal, celebrate the clock ticking down to noon during Noon Year’s Eve on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum. About 700 children and adults attended the event.
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Saheli Sura, 5, right, wishes her mother, Sejal, both of Chicago, a Happy New Year as they participate in Noon Year’s Eve on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum. Sejal Sura is a Bloomington native who returned to Bloomington with her daughter to celebrate the New Year with Sejal’s parents.
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Katrina Brook, Bloomington, and her son, Nathan, 5, made New Year’s Eve headwear during Noon Year’s Eve Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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Jai Simington, 9, created artwork as she and her dad,Jamal, attended Noon Year’s Eve Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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Addy Mead, 4, Bloomington, and her sister, Harper, made crafts during Noon Year’s Eve Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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Isla Nannen, 4, and her sister, Betsy, launched confetti cannons as they attended Noon Year’s Eve Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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Alex Silva, 4, made a party streamer during a crafts program Noon Year’s Eve Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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Dimitri Campbell, 4, and Brian Keller, 4, celebrated Noon Year’s Eve Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
Photos: Families take to the outdoors for a day of play
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Children create bubbles Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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The popping of a bubble catches a youngster’s attention Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Nilo Anderson, 7, makes some bubbles Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Children bounce around on trampolines from Altitude Trampoline Park in Bloomington on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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PNC is a proud presenter of the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Bloomington-Normal YMCA youth development coordinator Sarah Tunall, left, does some pushups with Rowan Glazier, 4, on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal. The event, a partnership between the Children’s Discovery Museum and PNC Bank, was designed to get families to turn off their televisions and electronic devices, and go outside to play. More than 60 community organizations and businesses featured activities.
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Vanesa Silva, 6, works on a science experiment Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Families take a close-up look at emergency vehicles Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Sam McCoy, 3, takes aim in a disc golf activity at the BobbyGitr Peppers and Discs booth Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Yasimine Hamilton of Bloomington, center, dances with others during a BCAI (Breaking Chains and Advancing Increase) School of Arts presentation Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Children could be a pirate by walking the plank and donning a hook at the Bloomington Public Library booth Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Children play in a sandbox Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Children play in an inflatable on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal. This year’s Day of Play in Normal will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
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Brooklyn McCormick, 3, steers her pushcart in the Parkinson Street parking lot Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
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Young bicyclists keep their wheels between the red lines in the Parkinson Street parking lot Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, during the Worldwide Day of Play in uptown Normal.
Photos: Day of the Dead at Children’s Discovery Museum
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Dancers of Ballet Folklorico de Central Illinois perform during the Day of the Dead activities Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at the Children’s Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.
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Illinois State University seniors and Children’s Discovery Museum employees Jazmine Hernandez, right, from Oak Lawn, and Chelsea Burton, left, from Libertyville, paint their faces Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, during the Day of the Dead activities.
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Decorating a traditional sugar skull are Abby Serrano and her children Veda, 4, and Julian, 7, of Bloomington, as part of the Day of the Dead activities Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at the Children’s Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.
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Decorating a traditional sugar skull was part of the Day of the Dead activities Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at the Children’s Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.
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Ballet Folklorico De Central Illinois dancer Judith Lopez, 13, demonstrated some of the dancing with her cousin, Jairo Contreras, 11, both of Bloomington, during the Day of the Dead activities Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at the Children’s Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.
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Popular activities during Day of the Dead included creating a decorative sugar skull. The event was held Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at the Children’s Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.
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The decorated sugar skulls are displayed during the Day of the Dead activities Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at the Children’s Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.
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Decorating a traditional sugar skull are Abby Serrano and her children Veda, 4, and Julian, 7, of Bloomington, as part of the Day of the Dead activities Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at the Children’s Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.
Contact Derek Beigh at (309) 820-3234. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_beigh