(Batesville, IN) – Three major attractions planned for the future Kids Discovery Factory are moving closer to becoming reality with help from a $25,000 grant.
The Ripley County Community Foundation awarded the funding to support the design and fabrication planning for exhibits that will allow children to climb, build, explore and learn inside the museum’s historic downtown Batesville home.
Turning ideas into buildable exhibits
The grant will pay for detailed construction and fabrication plans for the three custom-designed experiences. Those plans will give builders the specifications needed to make each exhibit safe, durable, educational and engaging for children of different ages.
“This grant allows us to move from vision to reality by creating the detailed fabrication plans that local builders can use to bring these one-of-a-kind learning experiences to life.”
— Kids Discovery Factory Executive Director Emili Uden
Uden thanked the foundation for investing in what she called the future of playful learning in southeastern Indiana.
Bees, pollinators and a towering tree house
The Pollinator Tree House and two-story Bee Hotel will be featured in the museum’s Honey Factory gallery.
The gallery will introduce children to bees and native pollinators while connecting those lessons to teamwork, manufacturing and the natural world. Visitors will be able to climb through the oversized tree house and explore a Bee Hotel inspired by habitats that support solitary bees.
A workshop built for young makers
The Wood Workshop will anchor the Assembly Floor gallery, giving children opportunities to design, build and create with real tools and hands-on construction materials.
Museum leaders say the exhibit will encourage problem-solving, creativity, perseverance and confidence. It will also introduce families to the woodworking traditions that helped shape southeastern Indiana’s manufacturing and hardwood lumber industries.
The foundation announced the award during the closing ceremony of the 2026 STEAM Camp.
Community members interested in exhibit sponsorships or the museum’s capital campaign may contact Kids Discovery Factory or visit the organization’s website for additional information.
