“We want to create a world class science center that will inspire children in the sciences, enable our adults to navigate the 21st century, and we’ll do all this through the lens of the Ozarks, our people, our culture, our innovations.” – John Lewis, former president, Northwest Arkansas Museum Foundation (1939-2007
Sounds good to me.
The Northwest Arkansas Museum Foundation is working towards bringing a “world-class science museum” to the area. Current plans for the 130,000 square foot museum call for a glass atrium, five museum galleries, an IMAX movie theater, a community auditorium and a center for traveling exhibits. Sounds pretty ambitious… and awesome.
F yeah!
You know, a planetarium would be pretty sweet addition to that list… at least I think so.
I love a science museum. Well, I love a REAL science museum. Christian Science Museums in Cincinnati do not count. Since the University of Arkansas shut down their museum several years ago, the area has been sorely lacking on the science museum front. I, for one, would welcome a new science museum with open arms.
Currently, the NWA Museum Foundation is awaiting proposals on possible site locations around NWA. The proposals are due this Friday. When making their decision, the board members will look at each proposal and will take into account the proximity to walking trails, highways, bus routes, cultural and entertainment amenities, potential rail lines for light rail or similar transit. In addition, there must be parking for 10 buses and 310 vehicles as well as allowing for future growth.
Proposals for Bentonville, Springdale, Johnson (Ha!) and Fayetteville have already been received.
According to the foundation’s proposal, officials want the building to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification and be designed “in the spirit of” noted Fayetteville architect E. Fay Jones.
An environmentally friendly building that looks badass? Double F yeah!
Let’s just hope they make the right decision and put the museum where it belongs; Right here in Fayetteville: The heart of Northwest Arkansas.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:16 am
snap! sounds like they have a real mission with real taste. let’s land that puppy in the only town in NWA that can match those ambitions…
May 21st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Hmmm…
Since I live in Cincinnati and am an Arkansas native, the wording “through the lens of the Ozarks, our people, our culture” worries me.
That could translate into either an interesting sociological and scientific analysis…or a copy of the Creation museum.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:17 pm
OK what nobody has mentioned here is that this picture is F’ing awesome.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:38 pm
On the website it says they will be working with “real scientist and research students” so I hope this will really and truely be a SCIENTIFIC museum without any influence from certain conservative christian denominations in the area.
My vote is Fayetteville, preferably near the Chick-fil-A on 6th Street.