Mid-Hudson Children's Museum
Encyclopedia
The Mid-Hudson Children's Museum is located on North Water Street in Poughkeepsie
, New York, United States. It has been located in a brick building across from the former Innis Dye Works
building, a short walk from the Poughkeepsie station
on Metro-North
's Hudson Line
and right on the Hudson River
. It has been there since 2002, five years after its 1997 founding. Before then it had been located in the South Hills Mall
.
Its mission is "enlighten minds through a fun and creative learning environment where hands-on experiences spark curiosity, discovery and the joy of exploration". All exhibits are hands-on, including a play-space model of the human heart
, a Hudson River
tides water table and models of Leonardo da Vinci
's machine. Sponsors include IBM
, a major local employer, Texaco
and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
.
Representative
Maurice Hinchey
secured a $200,000 grant
from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to facilitate the sharing of exhibits between the children's museum and the American Museum of Natural History
. In 2007 the museum acquired the Pavilion, an 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) open-air building nearby. It will host exhibits showing life in the Hudson Valley
over different periods of time, stretching back to prehistory
. These are scheduled to be open in summer 2009.
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, New York, United States. It has been located in a brick building across from the former Innis Dye Works
Innis Dye Works
The former Innis Dye Works factory is located along North Water Street in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, on a triangular lot between the street, Fallkill Creek and the railroad tracks of the Metro-North Hudson Line, just across from the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum...
building, a short walk from the Poughkeepsie station
Poughkeepsie (Metro-North station)
The Poughkeepsie Metro-North Railroad station serves Poughkeepsie, New York and surrounding areas as the north end of the Hudson Line. It is also served by many Amtrak trains, which continue north to Albany and points beyond, and south to New York City's Pennsylvania Station. Trains leave for New...
on Metro-North
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
's Hudson Line
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
and right on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. It has been there since 2002, five years after its 1997 founding. Before then it had been located in the South Hills Mall
South Hills Mall
South Hills Mall was an indoor shopping mall on U.S. 9 in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York. The 675,000 ft² plaza opened in 1974 and included four stores, a small food court, and an eight-screen second-run cinema...
.
Its mission is "enlighten minds through a fun and creative learning environment where hands-on experiences spark curiosity, discovery and the joy of exploration". All exhibits are hands-on, including a play-space model of the human heart
Human heart
The human heart is a muscular organ that provides a continuous blood circulation through the cardiac cycle and is one of the most vital organs in the human body...
, a Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
tides water table and models of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
's machine. Sponsors include IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, a major local employer, Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
.
Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Maurice Hinchey
Maurice Hinchey
Maurice Dunlea Hinchey , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
secured a $200,000 grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to facilitate the sharing of exhibits between the children's museum and the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
. In 2007 the museum acquired the Pavilion, an 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) open-air building nearby. It will host exhibits showing life in the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
over different periods of time, stretching back to prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
. These are scheduled to be open in summer 2009.