Julia Taylor
303-370-6384
Pager: 303-266-8701
julia.taylor@dmns.org
Mark Stevens
Denver Public Schools
720-423-3402
Pager: 303-423-3413
mark_stevens@dpsk12.org
DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE ANNOUNCES UNLIMITED FREE MUSEUM VISITS FROM JUNE 1─AUGUST 31, 2005, FOR ALL STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOLS IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER
DENVER—More than 72,000 Denver Public Schools students will have the chance this summer to visit the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for FREE, as many times as they desire, any day of the week from June 1 to August 31 when they present their Museum Summer Adventure Pass. The free pass for K–12 students is printed in English and Spanish and will be distributed to Denver Public Schools students in the next week. Support for the initiative is being provided by U.S. Bank.
This exciting new initiative and community outreach project sponsored by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science was announced today at science-focused Hallett Elementary School in Denver.
Home school students and private school students from Denver are also eligible for this program. They will be accommodated onsite on an as-needed basis as long as they present proof of their Denver address at the admissions counter.
George Sparks, President and CEO of the Museum, and his team believe it’s a great way to build community, attract diverse audiences and encourage families to enjoy the Museum together. “It’s about helping families, changing lives, promoting critical thinking, and igniting passion for this Museum,” said Sparks.
“The Trustees and the entire Museum community are profoundly grateful to U. S. Bank for its support of this important program. At a time when science is being challenged in some quarters, we must acquaint our youngest residents early with the beauty and dynamic of scientific thought. It is especially important that critical thinking skills be taught and demonstrated to kids from every segment of our diverse community, and we believe this program will help us reach that goal,” said Robert Thomson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The Museum will track the success of the program by measuring the number of passes utilized per school and evaluating the ethnic diversity and income level of schools participating in the program. These results will be compared with historical attendance data. The Museum hopes to see a spike in junior attendance in under-represented Denver zip codes.
The student pass provides free Museum general admission, allowing access to exhibitions such as Lewis & Clark: The National Bicentennial Exhibition, Prehistoric Journey, Space Odyssey, the popular health science exhibition Hall of Life and other permanent exhibits. Students under age 16 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Phipps IMAX Theater movies and Gates Planetarium shows require an additional admission fee for both children and adults.
“Thousands of metropolitan Denver residents first experience the Denver Museum of Nature & Science on school field trips,” said Jerry Wartgow, Superintendent of Denver Public Schools. “This opportunity to visit the Museum provides rich opportunities for informal learning in a family setting and complements student learning in the formal classroom environment.”
Mayor John Hickenlooper echoed the sentiment. “Culture is truly at the heart of great cities; it feeds formative minds and inspires people to achieve their dreams. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is one of the city’s gems. I’m so pleased that so many Denver children will be able to enjoy its world-class exhibits this summer.”
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DMNS-05-43 Many of the Museum’s educational programs and exhibits are made possible in part by generous funding from the citizens of the seven-county metro area through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District.
