(Batesville, IN) – Kids Discovery Factory (KDF) has received what it calls a transformative $500,000 READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Grant from the State of Indiana
The organization says this mark another large public investment in KDF and moves them one step closer to welcoming visitors into the world-class children’s discovery center focused on hands-on learning, creativity, and innovation.
The highly competitive READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Grant was funded through a $65 million allocation by Lilly Endowment Inc., and projects were selected by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the Indiana Arts Commission.
The goal of the grant is to invest in projects that advance Arts & Culture Strategic Plans crafted by each READI region.
The City of Batesville is a partner in the Accelerate Rural Indiana (ARI) region, along with the cities of Greensburg, Rushville, and Shelbyville, plus Decatur, Rush, and Shelby counties.
Kids Discovery Factory addresses four of the five key priorities in the ARI strategic plan: permanent placemaking and public art, heritage and cultural experience, youth culture and creative engagement, and administrative coordination, marketing, and regional communications.
Grant funding will support a new building mural and outdoor musical instruments; interactive exhibits across several galleries that explore the theme “Things are Made Here,” celebrating
Indiana’s manufacturing and craftsmanship; build out of key programmatic spaces in the museum including the Art Works studio, the Purdue IN-MaC Design and Innovation Studio, and
the Spark!Lab; and support key membership and visitor tracking software.
“This investment will create opportunities for children to imagine, experiment, build, and discover,” said Executive Director Emili Uden. “The READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Grant is helping us create a destination that will inspire young people for generations while strengthening our region as a place where families want to live, work, and visit.”
KDF is currently transforming a historic downtown Batesville building into a regional children’s discovery center that will serve families across Southeastern Indiana and beyond. The museum will feature 12 immersive exhibit galleries where children can harness the power of air, design and build their own inventions, discover how products are made, experiment with light, experience the fascinating world of pollinators through imaginative play, and so much more.
The museum is expected to welcome around 40,000 visitors annually and become an educational resource for schools, families, and community organizations throughout the region. The READI investment joins the growing list of public, private, corporate, foundation, and individual partners helping make the museum a reality.
Construction of the museum is nearing completion, with exhibit fabrication and installation to follow as the organization prepares for its anticipated opening in the first half of 2027.
While this milestone brings the project significantly closer to completion, community support continues to play a vital role, says KDF.
Opportunities remain for businesses, foundations, and individuals to sponsor exhibit galleries, fund interactive experiences, and help create a museum that will inspire curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning for generations of children.
For more information about Kids Discovery Factory or to learn how to support the campaign, visit www.visitkdf.org/helpbuildkdf or contact Uden at Emili@KidsDiscoveryFactory.org.
