During its formative years, the focus of Amazement Square was to reserve much of its facility for exhibit and programmatic activities, with an annual goal of serving 45,000 visitors. Now in its ninth year of operation and with an annual visitation of over 90,000, the need for additional programming, gallery and special activities space has become critical. For this reason, Amazement Square is adding a 29,000 square foot Education Center and renovating a 2,000 square foot historic Train Tunnel to create new space for the museum’s dynamic programs, activities, and exhibitions.
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View of the classrooms/workshops |
View of the multiuse gallery space |
Children and adults entering this new facility through an entrance from the north façade of Amazement Square will discover a variety of new learning opportunities. The Education Center’s first level houses five classroom/workshops, complimented by a full kitchen that will facilitate the museum's school tour lunch program; a conference/meeting room; a fabrication space, where museum staff will be able to build and refurbish permanent and traveling exhibits; and a 5,000 sq. ft. multiuse gallery space, which can be divided into four smaller gallery spaces, where special events, performances and major traveling exhibitions can be held.
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View of the "Pullman"
birthday/special event room |
View of the "Station"
birthday/special event room |
The first floor also links the Education Center to the museum's Time Tunnel exhibition, which will be housed in the historic stone barrel-vaulted 19th century Southern Railroad train tunnel under Jefferson Street that Amazement Square acquired from the City of Lynchburg in 2003. The Time Tunnel exhibition is a multidisciplinary, virtual environment designed to attract youth and adults of all ages. Guests will be able to take a journey on a “time machine” that will examine different chosen themes such as the history of architecture, transportation and energy. The subjects in the Time Tunnel are complemented by an exhibition space, where visitors can learn more about the topics discussed in the journey. View the first floor plan.
The center's second floor will house the much needed staff offices presently housed in two separate buildings. This floor is also connected to the current building by an interactive tunnel/pathway running across the north façade of the center. This pathway will enable visitors to travel across the north façade of the Education Center, which faces the river and loops back to the museum. The second floor will also house an environmentally friendly “green” roof that guests can visit. View the second floor plan.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on the new Education Center!
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