Press Release
December 3, 2008
For more information:
Todd Scott
Himmelrich PR
410.528.5400
todd@himmelrich.com
Maryland Science Center Named “Best Museum for Families”
by Maryland Family Magazine Family Favorites Awards
BALTIMORE, MD – December 3, 2008 – In their seventh annual Family Favorites awards, Maryland Family Magazine revealed that the Maryland Science Center was voted “Best Museum for Families,” by readers who responded to their 2008 reader’s poll.
The reader’s poll appeared as an insert in the September, 2008 issue of the magazine, which has a circulation of 50,000. Readers were asked to fill in responses to “Best of…” categories, which in addition to “Best Museum for Families” included “Best Health Club for Families,” and “Best Playground.” Because there were no pre-designated choices, the award bears special significance for the Science Center, which beat out other Baltimore museums Port Discovery Children’s Museum and the B&O Railroad Museum for “Best Museum for Families.”
“It is an honor be named ‘Best Mueseum for Families,’” said president and CEO Van Reiner. “This recognition attests to the success of our mission to engage families in the fun and education of exploration, and the hard work of our staff and volunteers. It shows that the Maryland Science Center is a recognizable and valued institution for families.”
A factor that undoubtedly favored the Maryland Science Center in the reader’s poll is the special area designed exclusively for young children and their families. The Kid’s Room—an interactive learning center for children up to 8 years of age—is an example of the kind of special exhibit area catering to young visitors that is now offered by about 50 of the nation’s science centers. The Kids’ Room is a national model for unique programming for this audience.
The Maryland Science Center joins such other family-friendly Baltimore institutions as The Peabody Institute for music, and Gerstung International Sport Education, Inc. as one of Maryland Family Magazine’s 2008 Family Favorites.
About the Maryland Science Center
The Maryland Science Center at Baltimore's Inner Harbor is visited by more than 500,000 people each year. Popular exhibits include: Dinosaur Mysteries with more than a dozen full-size dinosaurs and interactive paleontology activities; an exploration of the day in the life of the human body in Your Body: The Inside Story; and dozens of interactive experiments in Newton's Alley. Other popular attractions in the museum include the Kids Room, the five-story St. John Properties IMAX Theater, and the world-famous Davis Planetarium.