By WJBC Staff
NORMAL – The Children’s Discovery Museum in Uptown Normal showed off its new Luckey Climber exhibit with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday.
The new Luckey Climber is an open-air suspension of black and white molded plastic petals and steel cables, surrounded by a glass floor. It spans more than two stories and can light up with embedded color-changing LEDs.
The exhibit cost $894,000 and took over 24 months to complete. The project was funded by a $568,000 Public Museums Capital Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and $326,000 in additional philanthropic support from the Children’s Discovery Museum Foundation.
“The Luckey Climber challenges children to use their gross motor skills as it sparks their sense of adventure and informs their ability to distinguish between perceived risk vs. actual danger,” said CDM executive director Beth Whisman. “These lessons are a vital part of young development, helping a child navigate and share space as they explore, and to harness their strength and coordination in new ways. The glass floor adds an optional thrill, and it extends the exhibit’s suspended sensation to include all visitors regardless of their mobility.”
It replaces the museum’s previous climber—original to the building—which served more than 2 million visitors over its 19-year lifespan. Both climbers were designed by Luckey LLC, a Connecticut-based firm that creates children’s climbing sculptures.
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