The Children’s Museum of Memphis (CMOM) recently unveiled its newly renovated exhibit, The Great River, an addition that’s part of CMOM’s investment in innovative, development-focused exhibits, expanding beloved favorites and imagining new spaces that provide children with meaningful, fun, and hands-on learning experiences.
CMOM was initially created to promote childhood learning, and our fortified vision is our way of getting back to that,” says Dr. Stewart Burgess, CMOM’s CEO. “While we offer a great place to be entertained, we want to ensure we’re creating spaces where children fall in love with learning, developing intellectually, emotionally, and academically. We love to see children and their caregivers experience those ‘A-HA! moments’ together and inspire learning journeys.”
Courtesy of The Children's Museum of Memphis
The Great River Exhibit at The Children's Museum of Memphis
The Great River teaches children about the importance of the Mississippi River in our region and creates opportunities to explore water functions. From using hydroelectric power to light up the Memphis skyline, homes, and bridges to loading and piloting barges, young learners can have fun while learning about a major component of the city’s landscape.
There is no Memphis without the Mississippi River,” says Burgess. “At CMOM, children can interact with our city’s most influential natural resource and better understand our community’s culture, economy, and ecosystem firsthand. By creating meaningful play experiences in the museum, children are introduced to real-life concepts they can observe and understand in the world around them.”
In addition to the The Great River, CMOM recently unveiled its final phase of Toddler Castle and Gardens — a one-of-a-kind, built in-house and developed exhibit encouraging imaginative play. This exhibit displays an adventurous variety of components, including a crawl-through castle with hidden entryways and activities, jewel tables, illuminated puzzle crown, and a treasure chest guarded by a sleeping dragon. The first phase of Toddler Castle and Gardens opened in early 2023, featuring a garden area filled with sensory panels, activity stations, giant color-changing lightning bugs on the walls, and a meandering stream for children to explore while parents relax in the fully enclosed, exclusive area for children four and younger.
The Children’s Museum of Memphis is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the mission of inspiring children to explore, imagine, and create, growing their minds and filling them with endless possibilities. To learn more, visit cmom.com/.