Ribbon cutting unveils revamped ‘Brock’

musribbonbrock042: Lori Brock Ribbon Cutting

As children, dignitaries and curious on-lookers watch, Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall cuts the ribbon to officially re-open the newly refurbished Lori Brock Children’s Discovery Center at the Kern County Museum.

It is for children of all ages, it is back and the Kern County Museum says it is better than ever. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly refurbished Lori Brock Children’s Discovery Center at the museum in Bakersfield took place on Sept. 25. Visitors witnessed the remarkable difference new paint, carpeting and sound-proofing had on the center’s overall interior appearance. Children reacted enthusiastically to updates of the theater stage, the already popular children’s exhibit, “Kids’ City,” and the introduction of the brand new, educationally-interactive “Lewis and Clark: Exploration and Discovery” exhibit.

Along with approximately a dozen children, several local dignitaries took part in the ribbon cutting, including Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall, Kern County Museum Foundation Chairperson Beth Brookhart and Executive Director Heather Fowler, Assistant Kern County Superintendent of Schools John Lindsay, Jan St. Pierre from the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Bakersfield Team #4 members Renee Massey and Oscar Chavez and museum Director Carola Enriquez.

Refurbishing the inside was only part of the plan, which included giving a facelift to the exterior, as well. The center was re-painted and decorative flags hung. An irrigation system and new plants were added. A custom stained sidewalk was laid weaving its way through the freshly landscaped grounds to the front doors of the center.

“We are delighted and surprised by the overwhelming support the business community and chamber of commerce have provided to make this project a much-needed reality,” Fowler said. “Still to come is new signage for the center and a hand-designed wooden bench which will attractively surround the large pine tree that accents the center’s main entrance.”

Inside the center, newly painted, scenery backdrops were added to the theater. With the addition of the Lewis and Clark exhibit, young children can pretend they are camping out in a tent, riding in a covered wagon or on a stationary horse, while parents are studying photos and documents from the famed explorers’ western expedition. At the ribbon-cutting, museum docents dressed in period costumes resembling those that may have been worn by the Lewis and Clark party.

“Children love Kids’ City, and we have improved that, too,” said Enriquez. “One of the most popular items is a Hall’s Ambulance replica, where children can get in, crawl around and pretend they are helping save a life. The dentist office draws a lot of children who have experienced a real dentist and gives them a chance to make believe they are one, too. Families do a lot of role playing at the Kids’ Café where it is the children who wait on the parents.”

Renovations were made possible by monetary donations and in kind services from Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce — Leadership Bakersfield, Children’s Advocates Resource Endowment, Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Hall Ambulance Service, Thomas Zachary, Affordable Framing and Kern County Museum Foundation.

For more information about the Lori Brock Children’s Discovery Center, museum hours, admission prices and a new birthday program it is inaugurating, contact the museum at (661) 852-5000 or visit the Web site, http://www.kcmuseum.org.


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