Scotts' Vision for the Amazeum Is One of Enhancing Children's Lives

November 20, 2013

Lee and Linda Scott have spent more than 30 years in Northwest Arkansas, and they have no doubts about the benefits the Amazeum, formerly known as The Children'?s Museum of Northwest Arkansas, will bring to the region.

"The Amazeum will open so many avenues as to what is available in the world," Lee Scott says of the interactive family museum, to be located near Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. "It will expand horizons for the children who enter its doors."

Supporting children is the reason the Scotts have donated generously and secured presenting rights to the Amazeum. When Linda Scott first heard plans to build the newly named museum, she didn?t hesitate to get involved.

"This is something that is going to enhance the lives of children, not just in Northwest Arkansas, but from all around our region," Linda Scott said.

Linda has personal knowledge to draw upon, having visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City as a child. She recalls it being a magical experience, one that made an impression on her to this day.

"We hope the Amazeum will give children proficiencies to draw on their entire lives," Lee Scott said, noting the museum will provide visitors a taste of science, art, creativeness and logistics, all wrapped around fun experiences. "The Amazeum will add richness to their lives."

The newly named Amazeum is just the latest transformation to Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas, a change the Scotts have experienced first-hand. Since their first visit to Bentonville in the 1970s, the region has changed significantly.

"There has been a change in every aspect of our region," said Lee Scott, who retired as CEO of Walmart in 2009. "The schools, quality of life and the level of professionalism have all drastically changed. People have demanded a higher level for their own lives, and the Amazeum will add to that growth."

"We certainly appreciate the contribution from the Scotts, not just from a financial aspect, but for their overwhelming enthusiasm for the Amazeum," said executive director Sam Dean. "It is efforts like theirs and others who are getting involved that will make the Amazeum a world-class facility."

The Scotts are simply looking forward to the doors opening and hearing the excitement and noise coming from a museum filled with young people.

"I imagine it to be a place that families will want to go to frequently as part of their lives in Northwest Arkansas," Lee Scott said. "It will be a place that's always changing, full of energy and life." 

About the Amazeum

The Amazeum will feature 44,500 square feet of exhibit, meeting and learning spaces inside the museum. It will also bring learning to life and enhance family involvement, while evoking a sense of curiosity and discovery through hands-on activities. Interactive exhibits will engage visitors with the land, industries and people that built the Arkansas culture and sustain it today. Exhibitions include the Tinkering Studio, water area, climbable tree canopy and an exploratory wet lab.

In addition, approximately one acre of outdoor space will accommodate year-round learning and provide a backdrop for experiments and experiences inspired by the seasons. The facility will also include a venue for businesses and organizations to host gatherings, productions and special events.

For more information about the Amazeum and to learn about donor opportunities, contact Holly Hook at hhook@amazeum.org or visit amazeum.org.