CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — After months of renovations, the St. George Children’s Museum will host a grand re-opening of the Stephen Wade Auto Center interactive exhibit on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Everything in the exhibit has been refreshed, including repainting the car with a current color, updating the photo backdrop, replacing the tools and adding new activities under the hood. A new and larger gear wall has been added to demonstrate how they work. The signage is also new and features information about repairs, types of jobs, gears and scheduling.
“The goal was to make it look and feel like a real auto center modeled after theirs,” said Sonya Darter, executive director of the St. George Children’s Museum. “It has been a wonderful experience, and they have been so helpful in the planning and fabrication stages. I think visitors will be really pleased with the results, and we can’t wait to open it to the public.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. with members of the board of directors from the museum and board members from the Wade Family Foundation. There will be activities throughout the museum for families to participate in during the celebration, including a giant Jenga game, hula hooping, guest appearances and refreshments while supplies last.
The renovation project began at the end of 2021 with both the museum staff and the Wade Family Foundation board members. The goal was to modernize the exhibit to reflect a more realistic dealership garage while adding interactive mechanical elements to the car.
“After years of wear and tear, the Stephen Wade Auto Center exhibit needed to be refreshed and remodeled to sustain the durability needed for the children to continue to play and enjoy the exhibit,” said Jamie Bahlmann, director of the Wade Family Foundation.
Museum staff members, along with the Wade Family Foundation board members, planned out the design and discussed color options, and from there the project came to life. New interactive items were discussed and added, such as replacement tires, mufflers, an upgraded engine and a new diagnostic unit. Additionally, new technician shirts have been ordered for kids to wear so they feel like real mechanics while playing in the exhibit.
Stephen Wade Auto Center partnered with Dealer Collision Center and ClearBra to assist with the project of renovating and updating the exhibit. The Dealer Collision Center team donated hours to perform repairs and sand, prime and paint the car. ClearBra, which sells and installs a protective product for automotive paint, donated their time and materials to wrap the entire car.
Darter said the auto center is one of the most popular areas in the museum, which consists of 12 interactive learning exhibits.
“Children love being a technician, exploring what’s under the hood that needs to be repaired and using realistic tools,” she added. “It’s the perfect setting for dramatic play, problem-solving and understanding what’s under cars in the exhaust system.”
The St. George Children’s Museum opened its doors in 2014 and attracts over 100,000 visitors annually. The mission of the museum is to provide vibrant, engaging interactive activities that invite children and families to discover, imagine and create. It’s open daily (except Sunday) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer and offers a variety of clubs, events and drop-in programs.
“The St. George Children’s Museum is a great place for kids to discover, imagine and create – and have a great time doing it,” said St. George City Councilwoman Dannielle Larkin. “Housed in the historic Dixie Academy building, the museum gives thousands of children an opportunity for active learning in a safe and fun environment. It is one of our jewels here in St. George.”
The mission of the Wade Family Foundation is to carry on the legacy of Stephen and Marcia Wade by providing funding and resources that contribute to the quality of life and the thriving spirit of the Southern Utah community.
Stephen Wade Auto Center invests in the local community by supporting youth sports, art and science programs, school athletic teams, local school clubs and other organizations through the Kick4Cash and Shoot4Cash programs. They also sponsor sporting events, concerts, festivals, medical programs and nonprofit initiatives, including the Washington County School District Foundation classroom grants.
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Resources
- Stephen Wade Auto Center | Address: 150 Auto Mall Drive, St. George | Telephone: 435-222-7605 | Website.
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