Discovery Place underwent extensive renovations that were completed in 2010.
Jennifer Thomas
Staff Writer- Charlotte Business Journal
Discovery Place Inc. ranks as the most-visited museum and historic attraction in the Charlotte region for the fifth year running, according to a survey by Matthews-based Carolina Publishing Associates.
With nearly 710,000 visitors in 2014, the hands-on science museum ranks fourth overall in North Carolina. The attendance total includes Discovery Place’s flagship facility in uptown Charlotte, as well as Discovery Place Kids museums in Huntersville and Rockingham and the Charlotte Nature Museum next to Freedom Park.
The annual survey ranks the top 30 N.C. museums and historic attractions.
Topping the list is the N.C. Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh, followed by Fort Fisher in Kure Beach and the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro. Fort Macon State Park in Atlantic Beach rounds out the top five.
“We are honored to welcome so many guests each year, and we are inspired to make each visit an extraordinary experience,” Catherine Wilson Horne, president and CEO of Discovery Place, says in a statement.
Discovery Place launched several offerings last year. They include Discovery Place Education Studio, which is a professional development center for science, technology, engineering and math educators.
It also started a program that provides low-cost museum admission for families with EBT cards or WIC vouchers. More than 6,500 people have taken advantage of that offer since it launched in December.
“If we are going to continue to grow economic mobility and educational fulfillment in our community, we need to engage all families with educational opportunities, not just those who can afford it,” Horne says.
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Jennifer Thomas covers retail, health care and education for the Charlotte Business Journal.
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