A Groundbreaking Moment for the Future of Learning at the Amazeum

On June 3rd, we didn’t just break ground—we built momentum.

Under the summer sun and the joyful clang of construction equipment, community leaders, long-time supporters, and friends of the Amazeum gathered to celebrate the next big step in our journey: the launch of a transformative expansion to our facility. With hard hats and heartfelt stories, this event marked the beginning of a new chapter—one that builds on a decade of creativity and collaboration, and looks boldly toward the future.

A Shared Vision, Years in the Making

The Scott Family Amazeum has always been more than a building—it’s a place where imagination comes to life. Over the last ten years, more than 250,000 guests a year have explored hands-on learning in our immersive exhibits, inspiring curiosity across generations. And yet, the need for more space, more access, and more support for educators and early learners has grown.

This expansion—the first phase of our Exp&ing Futures Capital Campaign—is our answer. It's a $25 million commitment to the community, bringing three exciting new spaces to life:

• The Early Learning Advancement Center: A space designed with the Reggio Emilia philosophy in mind, built to nurture the development of children ages 0-6 and offer professional development opportunities for educators and caregivers.
  
  
• The Hangout & The Porch: A vibrant community hub with a café, meeting rooms, outdoor patio, and plaza, where collaboration, connection, and celebration can thrive.
  
  
• The Backyard: A nature-inspired outdoor playscape featuring climbing walls, mud pits, building blocks, and more—all designed to spark curiosity and joy through exploration.
  

Celebration With Purpose

The event opened with warm and welcoming remarks and a tribute to Linda Scott, whose belief in the power of play helped shape the Amazeum from its earliest days.

A panel of cherished partners—Kalene Griffith, CEO of Visit Bentonville; Josh Siebert, Principal Designer at Modus Studio; and Rob Dodd, Executive Vice President of Operations at Nabholz—shared their unique perspectives, personal stories, and hopes for the Amazeum’s future. Each brought insight from their own connection to the project—from tourism and design to construction and operations. Attendees also enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at the expansion through dynamic visuals and recreated photos from our UnGala celebration.

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: a joyful, high-energy display led by the Amazeum team from across departments. Dressed in paint suits, they filled the sky with color using pyrotechnics and color cannons—turning the groundbreaking into a true Amazeum-style celebration. A front loader then dropped a brilliant cascade of Amazeum-colored sand—each color representing our brand and our story.

Guests were invited to fill jars with the sand as a keepsake, a tangible reminder of this milestone moment and a symbol of the groundbreaking for our shared future.

Building a Brighter Future—Together

We’re not just building new spaces. We’re building opportunities—for early learners, educators, families, and the entire Northwest Arkansas community. These new environments will help us reach more people, offer more programs, and create more meaningful learning experiences. And thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors and community partners, we're already on our way.

The Amazeum will remain open during construction, continuing to inspire creativity, connection, and play every day. As the dust settles and walls begin to rise, we’ll be sharing updates and stories along the way—and we invite you to be part of it.

To learn more about the expansion or to support the campaign, visit amazeum.org/donate.