Discovery Place Announces Special, Renovation Pricing

Renovation updates include new cafe, debut of newly-renovated exhibition hall and floor changes

July 14, 2009

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As Discovery Place enters the most intensive phase of renovation, the Museum is implementing a limited-time, price reduction on general admission. Admission to Discovery Place is $7 per person for visitors of all ages and is in effect through Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009.

Family Memberships, which provide unlimited admission to Discovery Place and Charlotte Nature Museum for one year, also will be reduced through Nov. 22, 2009. Family Memberships are specially-priced at $70, a savings of $15 off the current price.

“We are anxious to get through this next phase of renovation and begin introducing Charlotte to the wonderful, new exhibits and activities we have planned,” said John Mackay, president and CEO of Discovery Place. “We are aware that any renovation project of this scale brings a certain level of inconvenience to visitors. Accordingly, we are implementing these price changes to thank our guests for their patience and encourage continued visitation to the Museum as it undergoes its transformation.”

Additionally, the Museum will continue to make changes to the floor plan and exhibition layout as the renovation progresses.

New updates and changes include:

New cafe dining
Discovery Place introduces Community Cafe in a newly-renovated, dining area. The space has expanded to become nearly twice as large and features fresh, healthy fare including sandwiches, salads, drinks and wholesome snacks.

Renovated exhibition hall
Guests can take their first steps into the newly-renovated, exhibition hall on Level 2. Upgraded and refreshed with infrastructure improvements including new carpet, lighting and paint, the area showcases the Museum’s current exhibition, SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure. Featuring interactive, multimedia experiences and hundreds of priceless artifacts and treasures recovered from deep-ocean archaeological excavations, the exhibition plunges guests beneath the sea to uncover the mysteries of some of the world’s most-famous shipwrecks. SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure runs through January 31, 2010 and is free with Museum admission.

Exhibit floor changes
Beginning today, the main exhibition hall on Level 2 will be inaccessible as it is renovated and new exhibits are installed. In addition, access to the Aquarium and Knight Rainforest is no longer available to guests as these areas undergo major upgrades.

Many activities and exhibits previously featured on Level 2 and KidsPlace activities will be relocated to Level 3 of the Museum.

Tryon Street entrance
The Tryon Street entrance to Discovery Place will be closed through Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. Visitors can enter the Museum via the entrance at 6th Street or directly from the Discovery Place Parking Deck.

Throughout summer, visitors can continue to enjoy family favorites including KidsPlace, Kapla Blocks, portions of the Simple Machines exhibit and Math and Perception exhibits. In addition, guests can enjoy an active programming space on Level 3 which features daily shows including Rat Basketball Training Camp, a new look at Rat Basketball. Discovery Place will continue to offer new, entertaining and educational IMAX© films such as the current exotic underwater adventure, “Under the Sea” and summer blockbuster, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

At the completion of the renovation – the Museum’s largest in its 28-year history – Discovery Place will showcase all-new, interactive exhibitions that present science and technology in a more contemporary way. The first of these experiences will debut in late 2009.

About Discovery Place
Discovery Place is located in uptown Charlotte at 301 N. Tryon Street. Convenient parking is available in the Museum’s parking garage – the Carol Grotnes Belk Complex – at the corner of Sixth and Church streets. For more information about Discovery Place, guests can call 704-372-6261 or visit discoveryplace.org.

One of the top hands-on science museums in the nation and one of the top five most-visited sites among museums and historical attractions in North Carolina, Discovery Place provides ever-changing, entertaining facilities that foster experiences in areas that range from life science to marine biology. More than half million people from all over the United States visit Discovery Place, the IMAX© Dome Theatre and Charlotte Nature Museum each year. Discovery Place is supported, in part, with a Basic Operating Grant from the Arts & Science Council in addition to the generous contributions of the Museum’s philanthropic members, annual fund donors and corporate sponsors.

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