Touch Tank contributors recently had the pleasure of accompanying the executive director of Touch Tanks for Kids, Mike Martin, and two of his children, Kyera and Madelyn, on a trip to the Children’s Discovery Museum located at 171 Capital Street in Augusta, Maine. The museum’s director Valencia Schubert invited Mike to join the museum’s board after she discovered to world’s finest teaching aquarium while searching for ways to improve the museum.

Valencia grew up in Boothbay, a coastal Maine community where she learned all about the wonderful sea creatures of a Northern Atlantic cold-water touch tank.  Valencia understood that providing children an opportunity to observe and occasionally interact with the creatures of the sea presents educational value and brings more children to the museum.

After two years of fund raising, the Children’s Discovery Museum Touch Tank Project got some needed support when the museum’s board of director decided to move locations from Water Street to 171 Capital Street.  The move created a lot of publicity because the board needed much help to successful move all the museum’s exhibits to the new, easily assessable Capitol Street location.

The publicity worked, the move was a success and as a result, a generous community member donated enough money when combined with the other donations and a Touch Tanks for Kids Grant to purchase a Marine Ecological Habitats’ aquarium for the museum’s visitor to enjoy.  We hope that you enjoy the tour, visit the Children’s Discovery Museum located at 171 Capitol Street in Augusta, Maine today, and tell Valencia that Touch-Tank sent you

The Children’s Discovery Museum moved from downtown Augusta, Maine to 171 Capitol ST. next to Harvest Time Natural Foods in the Shaw’s Plaza.

The new location will provide better visibility, more parking space and one-floor accessibility; and it is close to other businesses in the plaza. Displays include a grocery store, a restaurant, a Maine campground, a tree house/nature center, and a theater. The museum also has an engineering/construction/transportation exhibit and a birthday party room.

Motivation to Develop Knowledge

Melissa Merfeld, president of the museum’s board, said a decline in donations and grants forced the museum to move. Merfeld said that the museum’s membership continues to grow, but the museum struggled to pay the rent. Rent is now a third what it would have cost the museum to stay in downtown Augusta.

Valencia Schubert, the Museum’s executive director recently released this announcement regarding the Children’s Discovery Museum Grand Opening:

After a month of very hard work, by so many wonderful people,
CDM is ready to re-open it’s doors. Our new location at 171 Capitol Street is ready to hear the laughter of children!

Members Only Day

Friday, November 6th from 10-5 we will host a members only day.
Please bring your valid membership card and
we will update it with an extension for your patience during our move.

Grand Re-Opening

Saturday, November 7th from 10-5 we will be
welcoming everyone to our new home.
Please join us for this very exciting day.

Indispensable Resource for Families

Be sure to check out the Museum’s November calendar for our fun special events.

For more information about the Children’s Discovery Museum email: info@childrensdiscoverymuseum.org