Last updated: 12/20/2024
Lakeland, Florida
Street Address
109 North Kentucky Avenue
Lakeland, FL 33801
Mailing Address
109 North Kentucky Ave.
Lakeland, FL 33801
phone: 863-687-3869
fax: 863-680-2357
web: www.explorationsv.com

Staff

Kerry Falwell
phone:
Terry Lauretta
phone:
Julie Ward
phone:
Angel Baity
phone:
Kristy Hendricks
phone:
Blanca Flores
phone:
Michael Kleissler
phone:
Morgan Hopper
phone:
Kristina Randolph
phone:
Description

From globe trotting around "O" is for Oranges from Seed to Our World to grocery shopping & reporting the news in Our Town, families can explore 3 floors of kid-powered exhibits in this hands-on, fun-filled, adventure in learning! Mon-Sat 9-5:30 www.explorationsv.com

Mission

Explorations V Children’s Museum provides a hands-on, fun-filled adventure in learning for children and families through cultural exhibits, educational programs and events in the arts & sciences. Located in the historic Kress building in the heart of downtown Lakeland, we celebrate the five senses ("V") by fostering creativity, encouraging imaginative play and devising cultural learning opportunities for families.

History

Explorations V Children's Museum is a family magnet! Located in the heart of historic downtown Lakeland, the Museum was founded on the premise that children, like adults, use all 5 senses to explore & learn about the world around them, hence the "V" in the name. The Museum opened in 1991 in a small storefront and in 1998 purchased the four-story, 28,000 square foot, historic, S.H. Kress building, built in 1929.

Artifact Collections
EXHIBITS

The Museum displays an average of forty exhibits on three floors. Each floor is themed: permanent exhibits occupy "Our World" on the lower floor and "Our Town" on the main floor, while art exhibitions, science exhibits and traveling and/or temporary exhibits occupy the second floor. Permanent interactive exhibits include: * Impressions Series: African Hut, Artifacts; Australian Lingo Game, Artwork; Asian Tea House * Theatre: Stage, Puppets, Costumes, Scripts, Musical Instruments, Theatre Seating * "O" is for Orange - from Seed to Our World: Florida Orange Grove and Juice Factory * Water Matters: Working Model of Earth's Continuous Water Cycle * News Station: Weather Instruments, News Desk, Scripts, Cameras, Video Screens * Marvelous Me!: Health & Wellness Clinic with Healthcare Equipment, Instruments * Explore Store: Grocery Store with Working Registers, Stocked Shelves, Grocery Carts, Career Kiosk * Mega Mike: Wentzscope Microscope, Magnifying Bar, Magnifying Glasses * Transportation Vehicles: Fire Engine, Sheriff's Car, Airplane, Boat, Hot Air Balloon, Space Shuttle * Florida Cottage: Facade & Porch, Rocker, Home Implements * Raceways: The Physics of Movement & Design with Ball Runs, Rubber Band Design * Go Green!: Recycling House * Tot Spot: Educational Toys, Books, Tree House Noteworthy pieces curated by the Museum include: *"Celebrating Who I Am", a VSA collection of artwork by youth artists with disabilities, one from each state, acquired from the Kennedy Center * "Animation Station", a collection of forty-one original Disney animation cels, acquired from Walt Disney World * "Swanna Play?", a three-dimensional five foot tall fiberglass swan commissioned by the Museum as part of the highly successful community public art project and fundraiser "Swansation" * "D.O.T., the Dragon of Toys", a three-dimensional thirty foot long sculpture of a whimsical dragon made of recycled toys which hovers above the main floor to greet visitors as they enter the Museum * "Impressions ", authentic cultural artifacts from Japan and Africa in our "Impressions" Gallery *"Families through the Decades" and "People & Animals of the World", wall murals painted by a professional artist

Governance

Private Non-Profit

Services
Gift Shop
Exhibitions
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

March 11 - 14, 2025

Knoxville, Tennessee

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

Tuesday, March 11 - Friday, March 14, 2025

Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, Tennessee

Hosted by: Tennessee Association of Museums

Tennessee museums are full of hope. But how are they turning hope into reality

With the Semiquincentennial quickly approaching in 2026, the state's museum community if approaching a turning point, and is now a great time to take stock and develop a vision for the future

The Tennessee Association of Museums' 64th Annual Conference in Knoxville will challenge the state's museums to think ahead and share their hopes, the best practices and strategies for turning those hoes into realities, and the rewards that come from aspirational thinking

The 2025 TAM Annual Conference will take place at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN.

For more information, please call 615-495-3354 or email hawkins@aaslh.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

Washington, Arkansas

Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

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