Children’s Museum awarded $137,108 grant by museum institute

 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded $137,108 to the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge this month.

The museum will use the grant funds to develop its new Kids in Action! Healthy Living Exhibit and programs. Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will plan, develop, and construct “Kids in Action,” a healthy living exhibit and accompanying educational programs to support healthy nutrition, healthy activity, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, and community wellness, a press release said.

Through partnerships with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and the University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension, the “Kids in Action” initiative will use fun and engaging activities, including a human body exhibit and a fitness trail mascot, “Peppy Pepper,” to raise awareness in the community about healthy nutrition and exercise and to encourage positive attitudes concerning healthy lifestyles, the release said. The project will provide direction, encouragement, and programs aligned with school STEM initiatives to children who are confronted with serious lifestyle choices.

“Our grants are highly competitive,” IMLS Director Susan H. Hildreth said. “The Institute of Museum and Library Services enlists hundreds of library and museum professionals throughout the United States to review grant applications and make recommendations on projects most worthy of funding. Receiving a grant from IMLS is a significant achievement, and we congratulate Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge for being among the 2014 IMLS museum grantees.”

The press release said IMLS museum grants support a wide variety of projects that create learning experiences, strengthen communities, care for collections and provide broad public access.

“All at Children’s Museum are thrilled at being selected to receive a Museums for America grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services,” Children’s Museum Executive Director Mary Ann Damos said. “This grant will support the creation of the Kids in Action! Healthy Living Exhibit and programs at Children’s Museum, which will benefit the children and families of our region by promoting healthy lifestyles and engaging children and families in healthy living activities. We are excited to begin the project and look forward to forming new partnerships in the community to work with us in this effort. I am very grateful to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for this grant award and for all of the work they do for museums and libraries across the nation.”

A complete list of museum recipients is available on the IMLS website at www.imls.gov/2014MuseumList. For information about IMLS museum grant programs, see www.imls.gov/applicants/available_grants.aspx.

The press release said the Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums.