The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention kept learning going throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; the Gainesville, Florida, museum offered — and still is offering — virtual field trip-style classes for student groups.
“Even for larger groups, we can send our Cade educators to their location for an in-person ‘field trip’-style class/experience,” said Sue Draddy, marketing director at the Cade Museum.
Opened in 2018, the Cade Museum was named for Dr. James Robert Cade, a nephrologist, UF professor and the lead inventor of Gatorade. The museum inspires students to think like and become inventors with immersive activities and cutting-edge technology.
If wanting to visit in-person, the Cade Museum is still offering hands-on STEAM experiments and activities in two labs — the Creativity Lab and the Fab Lab — in addition to its permanent and temporary exhibits open for tours.
“We introduce a new museum-wide theme every few months, and in addition to themed micro-exhibits, we offer a broad range of experiments and activities that dovetail with each new theme,” Draddy said.
The museum has much to see and do, with options to explore it in two ways for groups. The discounted general admission option allows groups to explore the museum at their own pace. The Facilitated “Explore More” Guided Experience allows groups to engage with Cade Museum educators in each and every space of the museum.
In the Creativity Lab, students are pushed to think like inventors. The Fab Lab is the museum’s tech lab where students will build robots, design in third dimension and more.
All group tours include a visit to the Sweat Solution exhibit — the museum’s only permanent installation — which showcases the invention of Gatorade and its global impact.
“The Cade Museum also connects local and national inventors, entrepreneurs and visionaries through in-museum experiences,” Draddy said. Now through Jan. 2, 2021, the Cade Museum is featuring “Brain: The World Inside Your Head.” Students will learn about the inner workings of the mind and its mysteries.
For more information call 352-371-8001 or go to cademuseum.org.
