Muse Knoxville celebrates newly renovated exhibits

By Ken Lay

Muse Knoxville unveiled a pair of new exhibits Thursday morning, bringing excitement to a humid day.

It opened a new and improved version of its Healthy Kids Clinic Exhibit inside the building.

Muse Knoxville, located in East Knoxville also opened an exhibit, We BeeLong, in its outdoor space at Chilhowee Park.

The outdoor exhibit teaches about honeybees and their importance as pollinators in nature.

Both exhibits are designed to be interactive for both children and adults.

The Healthy Kids Clinic Exhibit will allow children to explore health and safety creatively and in role-play situations. It will teach both children and caregivers to adopt good health habits, including wellness checkups and regularly scheduled dental visits.

The health exhibit will also promote social, emotional and developmental growth through play.

“I’m so thrilled with the expansion and the two new exhibits,” said Muse Knoxville Executive Director Allison Comer. “The inside exhibit has been in the works for about a year and the outside expansion has been in the works for four years.

“We want the kids to get to know the science of their bodies through interactive and play-based learning. The exhibit is for both children and adults, caregivers.”

The Knoxville facility had expansion plans for some time, but the recent COVID-19 pandemic temporarily halted those aspirations.

“During the pandemic, we were spread really thin and we were just trying to keep things going,” Comer said. “But we’re looking to continue to expand.”

The two openings were celebrated with a ribbon cutting and refreshments were served.

Muse Knoxville also provided complimentary affirmation stress balls.

The We BeeLong exhibit will feature interactive activities and information panels in newly-renovated Pollinator Gardens, which will feature a mural focused on bees painted by a local artist.