Nevada Discovery Museum Update
A few weeks back I had the chance to tour the Nevada Discovery Museum and check in on their progress. The building is no completely gutted, with an 18-month construction stint slated to begin as soon as the remaining permits are pulled, which should be by the end of May. So here's a little tour! Keep in mind when viewing these pictures, this building used to be walled off into dozens of office spaces when it used to be City Hall. The amount of progress made is impressive.
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This is looking toward Center Street from the front of the Nevada Discovery Museum. When construction begins, the building will be expanded to almost where the sidewalk is.
This will be the main entrance to the building. Included in this area will be a cafe, a glass atrium area, and an interior bus unloading area so kids do not have to exit the buses from the outside of the building.
This is the main entrance area of the Nevada Discovery Museum. Notice how much has been demo'd thus far.
Main area of Nevada Discovery Museum
This part of the building will be expanded significantly.
Main interior of building.
Primary entrance area of the Nevada Discovery Museum
This is the Entrance to the Nevada Stories section of the Nevada DIscovery Museum. In this area, children will find rotating exhibits and activities centered around Nevada.
Nevada Stories section of Nevada Discovery Museum
Nevada Stories area. From the moment a visitor steps into Nevada Stories, they begin participating in Nevada's history. Here, the tales of our unique state can be experienced.
Planned Nevada Stories area.
Nevada Stories area at Nevada Discovery Museum.
One of the highlights of the Nevada Discovery Museum building, co-designed by renowned architect Frederick Delongchamps, is a huge 40+ foot atrium. This will become the Cloud Climber.
Large atrium area.
Large atrium area.
Workers hanging out in the proposed Nevada Stories area. With people in the shot, you can see the massive scale of just this one area.
The My Town area of the Nevada Discovery Museum will feature real life scenario theme sub-areas such as a doctor's office, a auto-mechanics shop, a grocery store, etc.
Another look at the My Town area with the sign in the foreground.
A look at the atrium from the entrance to My Town
Build It will be an area that fosters maximum creativity. Here, they can learn about building and the energy behind it. They can further understand alternative energy sources, make discoveries about materials and become aware of the many simple things consumers can do to conserve the world's resources.
Build It! area.
Another angle of the Build It! area.
A rendering of the Build It! area.
A look down the U-Shaped Build It area again.
For the artistic side of kids, there is Da Vinci's Corner, an area where kids can draw, create, paint, envision, and everything else that is art.
A different angle of Da Vinci's Corner.
For the uber-young, there is Little Discoveries. A special place for the youngest museum visitors, the Little Discoveries space is just for infants, toddlers and their caregivers to provide a perfect, protected environment. This special learning environment focuses on the developmental abilities and milestones of infants and toddlers where they can experience, pretend, explore and discover. Also, caregivers are provided with an environment that helps them understand and enrich their little one's development.
Another look at the Little Discoveries section.
"I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that." Ok ok couldn't resist. That's what comes to mind where I hear the term Space Odyssey. This will be a futuristic area where kids will learn the basics of space and space exploration. This exhibit gallery may not open with the museum's grand opening due to budget constraints, however will open soon after.
Most locals in Reno know of Jennifer Bushman. She's an incredible cook who teaches classes, occasionally doing spots for local news broadcasts. Anyway, the Nevada Discovery Museum is planning an exhibit involving her and teaching children the basics of food and nutrition. Good idea! This is where that section will go.
Another look at the entrance area.
The lower levels of the building are almost cavernous, so much demo work has been done.
Atrium from the lower level. From the bottom floor you can see the massive size. On this lower bottom floor will be Water Works, a working model of the Tahoe-Truckee-Pyramid Lake water ecosystem kids can explore, with the massive Cloud Climber looming overhead.
This area will be a camp-out of sorts. Located in the lower level of the building, it will be dark, with stars in the night sky, a simulated camp fire and camp site in the middle of a forest, where kids can listen to ghost stories or ride in canoe.
Another angle of the Starry Nights section.
Another shot of the Starry Nights area.
If you have ever been in the bowels of the old city hall building, it's huge. This area will be reserved for expansion in the future. This is one primary reason they chose this building, it has lots of expandable space.
Another look at the space reserved for future expansion.
The parking garage, located underneath the building, will be reserved for employees to provide safe parking.
Another area reserved for future expansion.
Now we're REALLY deep into the building...it's almost bomb shelter like.
Some of the building on the Sinclair Street side will be office space.
Nevada Stories area
Nevada Stories area
Nevada Stories area
My Town area
Auto Shop area of My Town
Space odyssey area
Space Odyssey
Space Odyssey
Little Discoveries Area
Here you can see the massive cloud climber, which stretches up over 40 feet. Waterworks is on the bottom floor.
Starry Nights and Comstock Mines areas of the Nevada Discovery Museum
Cafe and main entrance area.
Cafe and main lobby
entrance to Nevada Stories area
Overview of exterior of building.
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Comments:
Post your commentsPosted by: Brian - 5/3/2008 1:24:52 PM
Cool to see this progress. It will be great for the youth to have place to visit, learn and enjoy.
Posted by: Rouge - 5/4/2008 9:49:59 AM
Looks like it's going to be an exciting museum! Just one thing for those new to Reno - I'd love to see a photo of the current building's exterior so I can identify it?
Posted by: not much the urban adventurer - 5/5/2008 7:12:16 PM
at least not on such short notice. Maybe someone else is able to produce an image soon... It's just that I'm not up to fighting evening shadows of large federal buildings... but I can say that if you didn't know what you were looking for, you just might miss it. From the street it's a low slung and "obvious" "modern" brick office building... but consider what we see in the mock-ups of what it will look like after the conversion (Thanks for the pics, DMD! Would you be willing to offer a history of the purchase/transfer? Seems it didn't catch much the attention of the local media)... One would have to be flying way too fast down Center Street to miss it then.