NHC Cape Fear Museum to open new space-themed learning center

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - The New Hanover County's Cape Fear Museum will open a new space-themed learning center on November 3 at 10 a.m. with the help of a $19,134 GE Foundation grant and more than 250 volunteer hours from GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and GE Aviation employees.

After closing their gift store, the museum focused on science, math, technology, and engineering for the vacant space. After doing various surveys an interest in outer space emerged. Space Place is an interactive experience inspired by and modeled after the International Space Station, a spacecraft that orbits Earth where astronauts from around the world live and work.

Activities in Space Place include microscopic experiments and a glove box challenge. Those who come to Space Place will also discover how astronauts sleep in space, examine the water cycle aboard the space station and engage in several rotating activities.

"In Space Place, Cape Fear Museum and GE hope to inform the public about research conducted on the International Space Station, encourage visitors to explore how that work applies to their everyday lives, and inspire generations of enthusiastic space scientists and technologists," stated Cape Fear Museum Director Sheryl Mays.

"The interactive Space Place will help inspire STEM learning in our community and encourage future innovators," said Jay Wileman, President and CEO, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. "From start to finish, putting this project together in partnership with the Cape Fear Museum has been a rewarding experience for our employees and we are excited to welcome the community to Space Place."

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