Junior League of Louisville and Kentucky Science Center

In the mid-1980’s, the JLL too the initiative to partner with the then-called Museum of History and Science to develop a special area for young children and their parents.  JLL members visited other museums around the country to get ideas, worked with staff team to implement the vision, and led the fundraising effort.

KIDSPACE, a special discovery area for children age seven and under opened in September 1988.  It became a tremendous success – a great enhancement for the Museum and a great resource for the community.  Over 65,000 children and their caregivers began to visit KIDSPACE each year.  As KIDSPACE neared its ten year anniversary, it was realized that the area would have realized wear and tear of the approximately one million pairs of curious hands.  The Museum also saw a need to introduce new science content as it related to the themes of the larger vision of the Science Center, but in an age appropriate way.  It became evident that KIDSCPACE needed a renewal project.

Thus in 1993, the Museum began talking to the JLL.  Although it was unusual for the league to repeat an effort with the same agency, we felt such a connection and recognized the community-wide success.  The JLL again made a commitment of funding and volunteers.  The League stepped forward with a leadership pledge of $56,000 for the renovation.  The new and different space, renamed KIDZONE, was open in October 1998.  The JLL Committee continued to be involved, working on a parent-child interaction project with families in need.

To learn more about the Kentucky Science Center please click here.