June 11, 2024 • 51 mins
Ever wondered what it takes to transform a community through innovation and creativity? Join us as we chat with Holland Hayden from the Scott Family Amazeum and uncover her inspiring journey. Holland shares her incredible experiences and the vibrant energy that makes Benton County a hub of excitement and growth. We dive explore the unique offerings at the Amazeum, including the popular Tinkerfest and dynamic exhibits designed to ignite the imagination of children and families alike.
Celebrate Father’s Day with us and discover the joy of friendly competitions where dads can showcase their skills in domino games and paper airplane building. We emphasize the importance of supporting the Amazeum, a nonprofit that thrives on community contributions and memberships, offering exclusive events and hands-on activities as a thank you. We also look forward to upcoming community engagements such as Berry Fest and the Juneteenth Festival, where the Amazeum will be at the forefront, fostering a love for learning through engaging activities.
Immerse yourself in the creative universe of the Amazeum with innovative exhibits like the life-size Operation game and the bike-powered margarita blender. Holland gives us a glimpse into the exciting world of biomimicry with the bilingual exhibit “Wild Creativity” and takes us through memorable past exhibits like “Building Buddies” and “Hot Wheels: Race to Win.” We discuss the value of embracing risk and innovation within the Amazeum team, highlighting personal growth stories and looking ahead to the museum’s 10th anniversary in 2025. Wrap up with us as we share a few laughs about community events in Bentonville, showcasing our love for connecting with people and fostering a culture of giving.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody, kasey Yokelick here with 3W Magazine
and the 3W Podcast, the who,what, where Podcast.
Not really sure what we call itanymore, but whatever, welcome.
So glad to have you.
I have my good friend HollandHayden here with me today, hi,
and so many times I'm likeHayden Holland, holland Hayden,
I don't know, I just want to gowith it.
It's a backwards force, right?
(00:20):
No big deal.
So Holland is with the Scottfamily, amazam, so we're so
excited to have her.
Welcome, thank you for havingme.
I appreciate it, and so she'sgoing to be super more, super
much more whatever professionalthan me, because she has done
this like radio disc jockey, allthe things Many, many moons ago
.
It's okay, you've got it.
It was fun though I know it'skind of fun to make an idiot of
(00:43):
yourself.
It's totally great Daily basis.
I feel like I am already there.
Let's do this.
Good company, let's go, let'sgo.
Okay, how did we meet Gosh?
It goes back a long time ago.
It has been a while, somethinglike that.
I was 16 years old, 16 yearsold, yes, bridge, from nancy
hairston.
I love nancy and loved thatorganization.
(01:05):
You know, as a non-profit,non-profit's gonna have my heart
.
It's your ji love giving backto the community, um, so much so
that it is integrated into my.
I can't get a white lifebalance, um.
So I was working there and we.
That's how we met, I know,isn't that fun.
So it's a solid 10 years ago,no longer than that.
It's longer.
It was longer than that because, also, she jumped to siloam.
(01:29):
For a few years I did.
I was a communication director,was that right?
Nine years?
I was there for about nine, tenyears and a half years.
So we've probably known eachother.
Solid 12 or 13 good facing,yeah, so best friends, so family
.
But I'm glad you jumped back toben county.
Well, I'm sorry, back over herestill, but I'm glad you jumped
back to Benton County.
Well, I'm sorry, back over here, still in Benton County, but
I'm glad you jumped to our side.
I'm sure I know how long thisis you, but now you're at the
(01:51):
Scott family.
Amazing.
I love being in the mix ofeverything.
There's so much energy andmomentum going on in Benton
County that it's just such a funplace to be.
It is Especially, if you like,traffic cones.
I love them, uh-huh, it's realfun.
Love that we live in one.
We live in one.
I dress like one Beautiful, andI did dress bright today
because the Amazium is bright.
(02:12):
I love that, I love that.
And traffic cones, let's justgo ahead and do it and then
let's just, we live in a traffic.
It is Really and truly, becauseit does have the momentum.
You know, we have some reallygreat neighbors at the Scott
Family Amazing and Awesome iscoming.
Well, health Institute is justa wonderful place.
(02:32):
Let's talk about Awesome.
Okay, just for like two seconds.
Yes, because Awesome stands forthe Alice Walton School of
Medicine, right, but where elseon the planet is your acronym
Awesome?
I heard, where else on theplanet is your acronym awesome?
I mean, I heard that lastsummer.
I think I was the last one tohear it and I was like, what's
awesome?
It's like, oh my god, oh my god, that is the very best thing
(02:53):
ever.
I said wish 3w had an acronymcalled awesome.
Pretty awesome it really is,and we're thrilled to be part of
, like that corridor, right, sothat we can contribute to mental
health, well-being, steamactivities, learning.
So we just love being part ofthat.
And it's the new trailing thing,the, you know, the bridgy trail
(03:14):
thing, bridgy trailing thing.
We're in the mix of all, okay,but we do get to watch awesome
being built from the parkingdeck.
That's kind of cool, which isreally?
And the parking deck is realfancy.
I have like an art openingthing.
Oh, it's quite lovely.
Yeah, I actually encourage youto just come and look at the
parking deck.
Isn't that a strange thing tosay?
It is true, but we have one indowntown Bentonville, too, where
they put a bunch of neon on it.
(03:35):
It's beautiful.
And then the fish the worldclass art in a parking deck.
It's wild, it's beautiful.
Bentonville is quite the bubble.
It sure is.
Northwest Arkansas is a bubble,let's be real.
But yes, bentonville has becomeits own little unique zone.
It's really cool.
It is really really cool.
So talk about the Amazia.
Yeah, you've been there alittle over a year.
(03:57):
I'm going to assume I have.
I've been there sinceOctober-ish of 2022.
Okay, so you're almost twoyears.
Well, that's fun, though.
Well, no, it is.
You're like what it's really.
It really has been so much fun.
I come from a municipality inSiloam Springs, where things, as
they need to be, were quiterigid, absolutely, and very
serious.
We can't be willy-nilly withour stories, right, and you
(04:18):
can't, and I understand that.
So it has really been a funjump to go from something that's
so serious, where I'm having todo very serious press
conferences, to highlightingchildren and families and
teachers and learning and theseeveryday amazing moments.
It has been just a joy.
But you invite someone to comeplay, yeah, and to tinker, yeah.
(04:40):
You have an event called TinkerFest.
We have a fabulous event calledTinker Fest.
We have a fabulous event calledTinker Fest.
And you have an event a galaper se, if not Per se when
people race around on littlethingies yeah, 24-volt racers,
okay, volt things, yes, oh,that's a fun one, I mean.
And like several years ago Ithink it was right before you
came, they had a life-sizemousetrap.
(05:00):
Oh, yes, I've seen all thevideos.
It's fun.
The very first meeting I went towas an ungala meeting.
When I started at the scottfamily amazium perfect, and it
was wild because they'rethrowing out all these big ideas
.
And I remember somebody sayingcan we do something with fire?
Can we do something that islike, can we throw something off
the roof?
And I thought I not.
(05:21):
And I kept thinking we can't dothat, like liability.
I can't do that.
Like liability, I can't do that.
No, what about our stakeholders?
How do we do that and he saidlet's throw all the ideas on the
wall and then we work back justto see what's really possible.
But nothing is impossible oncewe start talking about it,
there's always ways around it.
I just was blown away by, firstof all, how that committee
(05:46):
worked yes, um, by truly takingeverybody's ideas.
And then just I thinkingoutside of the box, isn't that
crazy?
Because in every board meetingwe're all in a box.
You've got all the low-hangingfruit, all the the buzzwords
happening, and yet you go to the, the amazia, and we don't have
any of that.
Nope, there's toys on the table, there's fidget, there's things
for you to make notes.
You stand up, you write on thewalls, because we have white
(06:08):
whiteboard walls.
It is a really incrediblycreative environment that also
just fosters fabulous ideas.
Right, I mean, you work withJennifer Bell.
I do, and she has purple hair.
I love it, I love it.
It's the most amazing accent.
Yeah, it's fun.
I could never do that, but it'sjust right here.
It's cute, it's perfectlytasteful Even if it wasn't, it'd
(06:28):
still be great, but I'm like Icould never pull that off.
That's adorable, it's amazing,isn't that fun?
Yes, yeah, because honestly,right, I love it, I love it and
because I'm old.
So, yeah, okay, so I've alreadylike dove all the way in.
But first of all, tornado yeah,are y'all okay?
(06:50):
We are good, we are absolutelygood.
We had some very minor damage.
You know we lost our ticketingsystem and our phone for a few
days, but we are fine.
No structural, no structuraldamage.
No, no structural damage.
You know we've lost a coupletrees here and there, but what?
But you're in the middle oftrees, we are in the middle of
everything.
But what we really want to do iskind of be a resource for
(07:10):
people.
You know this is a chaotic time.
This is a time where routinematters, especially to kids and
to teens who have been through atraumatic event.
It is traumatizing.
We want to be that calm in thechaos or just a place of
normalcy, right and joy.
Yes, so come and play, come andenjoy a night at the Amazium,
(07:34):
like on a Wednesday night, whereit's a priceless night.
Yes, so come in and play andjust let those kids enjoy and
maybe relax for a couple ofhours.
Right, go run a trucker atWalmart or drive a big truck,
absolutely yes.
So we definitely want to bethat for people in the community
and, of course, for all of ourmembers and our normal guests,
(07:55):
absolutely Especially for thosepeople who've never come in
before.
This is a really good time tosay I'm just going to take a few
hours and dedicate some fun tomy kids, exactly Because
everybody needs a reset.
Yeah, especially right now.
We'll just burn off some energy.
I mean, we just that was justthe most bananas.
End to May-cember yeah, I wasjust to May-cember, may.
(08:16):
It's true I don't like to saythings suck and I really hate to
wish time away, but I wasreally happy to see May go away
and I really hate to wish timeaway, but I was really happy to
see May go away.
It was just I don't know, theenergy was just weird.
Start to finish, I was highlyemotional and then you throw in
some intense wins and I'm like,okay, hey, we're hanging on to
June 1st, let's go, and my son'sbirthday's in May, and I'm like
(08:37):
I don't like to wish that away,but I'm ready for June 1st.
Well, we are here and we have aton of things going on at the
summer camps you have.
We have some workshops.
You have father's day oh mygosh, let's touch on.
I have a whole thing.
I love that you have six pages.
(08:57):
I did.
I brought all the things justin case.
What is this?
Adult night, steam Olympics,okay.
So most people think of theAmazium and they think this is a
children, a family museum.
But it is.
But we have programming cradlethrough career, so we really do
have programming for everybody.
I mean it truly is.
We have newborn programming allthe way through adults and
(09:23):
everything in between.
So think about a really funnight out with the girls and
something that you might notnormally do heading to the
amazium without any kids there,being able to explore the entire
museum floor, enjoy thosehands-on pop-up activities.
A little extra that we provide.
Plus, we're getting light bitesand adult beverages from Guess
(09:45):
who, bentonville Brewing, kuhn'sSalon.
We are just really enjoyingthat night and it is fun and
it's really low cost.
Are we competing?
Well, I mean, aren't we always?
I know, do I get to come andstand on the podium?
Absolutely, absolutely, okay.
Yes, yes, and we will play theOlympics, play the olympics,
(10:07):
okay, good for you.
So, but, yes, are we in apageant or we don't?
Well, that's what they do.
They walk in opening ceremony.
Blame them, I'll be waving ateveryone.
Yeah, they got their phone out,they're recording.
I'm like, yes, I made the team,I'm awesome, really cool.
So we we do have a lot of STEAMactivities.
So what we do with adult nightis try and get people outside of
(10:29):
their comfort zone, try and getpeople to tinker, try and get
people to do something that theymight not normally do.
You know, when you're with kids, sometimes you're trying to
show them, teach them, modelbehavior and you're not
necessarily focused on the funthat you're having True model
behavior and you're notnecessarily focused on the fun
that you're having, true.
So this is all about focusingon the fun, okay, that you can
(10:50):
have that night, and I bet thelibations break down your
barriers a little bit, of course, which I'll enjoy.
It's always a good time, yes,always a good time.
Father's day yes, what do wehave?
We have a challenge, anothercompetition.
I love me a competition, yeah,well, good, because this is a
good one.
And there is something aboutdads competing against each
(11:11):
other's on father's day.
Yes, I can see that like it'spretty intense, okay, and it's
always a very popular day forfamilies to take that very
angela ish.
It's more.
No, we have a little bit more.
I'm thinking the cartridgething, if you will.
So we have some domino games,we have some paper airplane,
(11:31):
some building.
So there are three differentchallenges that we're going to
be doing for Father's Day withDads Against Dads.
So do you sign them for timeslots or what?
Just come in that show, justshow up.
Just show up, this is so great,this.
Just show up and come and thenwe're gonna touch on, even
(11:53):
though it's it's whatever.
So there's an event.
Yeah, you all are partneringwith mars.
Yeah, our family, dave, marsand, uh, dave and jenny, but
because it's not open to thepublic, totally, yeah, we really
wanted to say thank you to ourcontributing members.
So we obviously havememberships in the Scott Feeley
(12:14):
Amazium.
We have different levels.
Membership is a wonderful wayto come and enjoy the Amazium
all year.
Plus, you get to visit othermuseums around the country.
Yes, the reciprocal membershipsare amazing, top-notch benefit.
But then, on top of the regularmembership or the base level,
(12:34):
we do have contributingmembership levels, because we
are a non-profit.
That's something that a lot ofpeople don't realize is we are a
hundred percent, yes, relyingon the community.
The communities support theamazium and we have so really
amazing funders like the scottfamily.
Yes, we will touch on thislater.
(12:55):
But they say they can't do itall.
They can't do it all and ittakes.
All of us do need people tohelp um continue so we can keep
those doors open and keep theprice down for people to come in
.
And then your way of givinglove to those contributing
members is having a workshopwith special events.
This one is fun, so it's withDave and he's coming in and he's
(13:16):
helping Hot Mess Express.
Amazing and fun, so fun, so fun.
Like I don't know Dave verywell, I know his brother Matt
really well.
Matt and brother matt reallywell.
Matt and carrie are really goodfriends, friends of ours, and
just fun.
That's what you think of whenyou think of it.
They had a good time at thegala.
I thought, yes, they did.
So they're gonna, he's gonnacome in and build a pollinator
(13:37):
box.
Okay, so he has, or well, lotsof different kinds of pollinator
.
So I mean, whether it's bees orwhether it's, I mean, honestly,
we can use blocks, we can usedifferent things.
I didn't know we had boxes forbees.
I don't know these things.
Well, we're creating apollinator hotel.
I love this.
A little Airbnb, if you will.
Fantastic.
We don't have enough here.
(13:58):
So no, I mean honestly itimportant that we have areas for
pollinators to have a littlerace bit so that they can havea
safe space, because obviously weknow that so much relies on
pollinators.
So to encourage that is great.
And then, honestly, this isabout working with your kid
during or your children duringthis workshop to learn how to
(14:19):
use some of these tools.
We are using real tools, realsaws, real clamps.
Everything is this box.
So actually it's about this big, okay, and then we have little
sticks and bamboo pieces that goin so that they can be a ton of
sezzle nuzzle's not the rightword.
I like it in there, I like makea cozy little home.
So is it an evening?
It's in the morning.
It's nine to ten.
On june 15th yes, and you haveto sign up for okay.
Okay, it'll probably sell out,it probably will, but that's
(14:40):
okay.
You're gonna do another eventIn the morning.
It's 9 to 10.
On June 15th yes, and you haveto sign up for that, okay.
Okay, it'll probably sell out,it probably will, but that's
okay, you're going to do anotherevent of some sort for your
contributing members.
We just love to say thank youto our members because really
they're, it's like a hug.
They are so important.
Yes, so I love that.
Yeah, you're going to dosomething at Berryfest,
(15:02):
absolutely so we, which is atthe end of the month I feel like
it's June 22nd but I absolutely, I think you're right.
I think you're right.
We participate in hundreds ofoff-sites every single year.
The Amazium has so many facetsto it, and of course, it's the
museum, the actual physicalspace of 50,000 square feet of
(15:24):
exhibitions and exhibits.
But we also do so much outsideof those walls.
So some of the off sites thatwe do, like Berry Fest, we have
a team that goes, sets up abooth.
It's not just about giveaways,it's about oh no, I was thinking
it was like hands-on tinkering,exactly Okay, like a pump-up
tinker Different activities fordifferent kinds of events that
(15:47):
make sense, that go with theevent.
You know, if it's cultural, wemight create something that
works for that event.
We've got something culturalhappening that we've done.
Well, we all have, but I can'tpronounce it, I can't remember.
It goes through September.
I feel like.
I feel like, okay, no, no, no,can I read your mind on that?
I don't know.
It's fine, go back to it.
Yeah, so we are going to beparticipating at that.
(16:07):
We'll also be at the JuneteenthFestival at Springdale, so it's
something that we do throughoutthe year.
I like that.
And then we're like we'regetting out into our people's
community instead of makingeveryone come to us.
Yeah, and making is a strongword, but you know what I mean.
There's a barrier there.
(16:27):
Not everybody hastransportation to the museum and
we think that what we do isincredibly important, so we take
it to the community NorthwestArkansas and beyond Our library
program over the summer.
We put 5,000 miles plus intodriving to different libraries.
You said they're libraryprograms, so we work with
libraries.
We do pop-ups at librariesAcross the state.
It said they're libraryprograms, so we work with
libraries.
We do pop-ups at librariesAcross the state.
(16:49):
Across the state, yes, I mean,we go a long way.
So we work with differentlibraries to create programs for
them.
Okay, so, especially some thatare smaller staff that need some
outside sources, and we're agreat source for that.
Oh my gosh, I love this.
Yeah, source for that.
Oh my gosh, I love this.
Yeah, that's amazing.
I'm telling you.
It's remarkable.
All the things that the amazingI love this talk to me about,
(17:10):
like share the success of theyoung gala, yeah, so you've seen
it for two years.
I have, I have, and it's unlikeany event I've been to.
No, was it 10 years old?
Seven, eight ish?
It was a couple years that theyhad to skip because of the
pandemic, obviously.
So I know, I know, but it isreally a remarkably different
(17:31):
event Because it is not the gala, it's the un-gala Gala, because
we expect people to jump in andplay.
For sure, wear closed-toedtennis, yes, closed-toed shoes.
You know, close to the tennis,yes, close to shoes.
You know something stretchythat you can move, yeah, and so
that you can get on that 24 volteraser and erase your best
(17:51):
friends, you know, and and andalso, like we had a graffiti, a
laser graffiti wall this year.
Oh, that's where, where we hadthese laser graffitis that you
could put in your own design oryou could write Holland was here
, might have done that.
Holland is a face.
What, thanks, darling.
And so many different activities.
I believe we had 20 activitiesat the Ungala last year.
(18:14):
We had the wheel, the movie,real wheel thing out there, yes,
and they stayed after.
Yes, I love that.
Last year we we had loop.
It was this big experience,thank you.
This year we put back a littlebit from that because we wanted
to make sure that we were reallyinvesting in our yes and and
(18:37):
those activities that we didhave and honestly, it's a
fundraiser and that is a a lotof overhead.
So we just wanted to focusagain on that bottom line and
those experiences.
I love it, do you still do?
And I haven't been in a coupleyears because of travel baseball
, but that one's down becausenow we made the baseball team in
high school so I don't have toplay.
I know you have a lot ofswitching going on.
(18:59):
Yeah, so I totally am coming toUngayla next year, good.
So, like, I totally am comingto Ungayla next year, good.
But you used to be able to ridea bike to blend your margarita.
We didn't do that this year.
Okay, I guess.
Are you familiar with that?
Oh, yes, yes, something likethat.
Yeah, okay, I mean oureducation team, our exhibition
team, our exhibits team they'realways coming up with things.
(19:21):
You go what?
How did you come up with that?
It's amazing, a life-sizeoperation that we did today.
Oh, I saw a picture of that.
Was that no adult?
Okay, yes, I'm like that is sofun.
That was fun, yours, is it?
Your all's.
We built it.
Yes, you built it.
Built it, of course.
(19:42):
Why would I, I mean, realizethat?
Another thing that people don'trealize we just have a store Is
building exhibitions, and thenwe just have this huge.
We have a really incredibleteam of talented engineers and
tinkerers and people that tryand create different, and things
flow in and out yes, they do.
So.
We just closed the space, weclosed Moon to Mars, and we are
(20:06):
now in our travel exhibit.
We have it in there.
It's called wild creativity.
Okay, creativity does to thistoday, which is that's what I'm.
That's the word, okay, that Iwas thinking of.
Gosh, well, yes, it is abilingual exhibition.
Okay, yeah, and it justcouldn't pronounce the word
spanish first, which was reallygreat because we have such a
(20:26):
large spanish-speakingpopulation in northwest arkansas
and we love to reflect ourentire community, yeah, so we
really leaned into exhibitionsthat had at least spanish
translations, and this one hasit first.
Yes, I like that, and it's allabout biomimicry.
I don't even know what thatword means.
Okay, right, okay, thank you,and like oh, my, gosh, a
(20:47):
biomimicry.
I actually have a little blurbabout this wild creativity.
I shall, okay.
How does a kangaroo gain energyas it bounces, why do birds
have different beaks?
And how does a prairie dog coolits home?
So Creatividad, celeste WildCreativity invites visitors of
all ages to explore fundamentalconcepts of biomimicry through
(21:11):
hands-on design challenges,spotlighting art and science
connection and nature and how itcontinues to inform our world.
So I know that sounds a littlehigh level, may have glazed over
at some point, but what isreally cool about it is it takes
nature and builds.
Nature does things better thanwe do.
(21:33):
They've been doing it for yearsand years.
I don't know what I was flyaround.
Why could we do that?
I mean, for example, velcro.
Velcro is based on those littlestickers that when you get on
your clothes it can't come up.
So scientists took a look athow is that working in the wild,
(21:54):
how is that working in nature,and made amendments.
So this is biomimicry.
Yes.
How is it working in nature?
And made amendments.
So this is bio-mimicking.
Yes.
So we are mimicking biology andwhat they're doing in the wild
to create and inform a modernworld.
Wow, mind blown.
It's really remarkable.
I have the emoji.
The fun thing about it is whenyou're going in there.
(22:16):
Also, it's science, it'slearning, but it's kind of that
sneaky science because it wasplaying and these kids are just
having fun.
Totally sneaky science.
I love that Sneaky science, yes, but that's true, it's true, it
is.
And also there's so much thathas been written and has
developed about making play.
(22:37):
Play is learning and learningis play, it's true.
So it's a really fun exhibition.
There's so much hands-on.
It's a here through September.
My man is okay.
Okay, do you have it's eversecond?
Okay, yes, I was casting.
I.
Do you have something plannedfor fourth quarter?
Yes, we do you love.
Don't have a contract?
(22:58):
Okay, so, no, we are working onit, but it is uh-huh.
Do you love it?
How far out do y'all work onexhibitions?
We have things planned, Ibelieve, until fall of 2025.
That's a long time, yeah, butyou just have to.
You know, there it's a reallyinteresting world because, while
we can also build our ownexhibitions, there's a circle of
(23:21):
museums and exhibition buildersthat do that.
So there are all thesetraveling exhibits and you just
got to make sure that everythinglines up, that if you're
looking for sponsors becauseeverything costs, everything
costs it matches up with whatyou're doing and, and that gives
us time to plan and to approachpeople as well.
So what?
I recall because I'm a boy momyou're a boy mom too is the Hot
(23:45):
Wheels exhibit with the tracks,and it was several years, a long
time ago.
It was so fun that Mattelbrought it and it was fantastic.
We had some really fun ones.
We had Building Buddiesrecently, which was great for
those littles under about sixyears old.
We did In the Making in Octoberof 2022 is when that opened and
(24:06):
that was built entirely by ourexhibition team.
It was all about that makingWill that travel.
That is an attention.
We are able to keep parts of itand move that throughout the
museum as well.
So that's something that we'reexpanding.
Is that exhibition building?
Well, speaking of expansion, yes, so, where you're into, you
(24:28):
just got a ginormous gift a yearago from the Scott family.
It was a huge to-do, sofantastic.
Everyone was there.
Yes, it was great.
So much love in the amazium.
You know the scott family hasbeen incredible supporters of us
and that is not just with leeand linda, that is the entire
(24:50):
family, absolutely.
You know um, eric and ellisonin our campaign cabinet and and
they're all just incrediblysupportive of the amazing and
they come Sorry, and we lovethat.
They are involved with us andthat they support us and we are
incredibly thankful for them.
So we're still in the campaignphase.
(25:10):
Yes, like a quiet phase-ish,yes, kind of backwards-ish, I
know it's fine.
Hey, how can you hold that biggift?
You can't hold on that gift.
Hey, how can you hold that?
You can't hold on that gift,you can't.
You have to shout it at therooftop.
Indeed, what are we doing?
So we're expanding, we have toexpand, we are on top of each
other and we just don't havequite enough space.
You know, if you've been at theamazium on a busy day,
(25:32):
sometimes you think we need alittle bit more space.
So my youngest son this pastyear participated in a Lego club
oh cool At his school and theyhad a competition.
Love it, and it was at theAmazium that it coincided or
whatever ended.
I don't really know how itworked.
I still don't understandanything about it, but it took
place in the upstairs room, yeah, and it was packed with nowhere
(25:56):
you could breathe.
Yeah, it's hot, I mean, it's sogreat, but I'm like in my head
while I'm sitting there,sweating bullets in like
February, I was like this weneed to expand, we're expanding.
I'm so thankful the Scots gaveXYZ and we're going to go bigger
because this room needs to bebigger to allow more kids in
here for these competitions andwhatnot.
(26:17):
You know're starting with ourbackyard area.
Backyard hangout and our earlychildhood education is where
we're really going to start, butit's just going to give us,
overall, more space.
It is let's talk about youroutdoors oh, it's so great,
isn't it so great?
You used to have s'mores pits.
We still do.
Okay, great, still do.
Yeah, it's over an acre ofspace.
(26:37):
It's an acre.
Wow.
Yeah, it's an acre of space.
That's big it is.
I mean, I've been there.
I have zero realization of howbig anything ever is, but I'm
like, wow, when you say an acre,that sounds massive.
It's a good size.
It's a good size space.
It is a really good.
So many different things thatare happening in the backyard
and our playscape area.
(26:59):
We have a stream right now witha lot of tadpoles.
It's so fun.
That's exciting we do.
And then, of course, we haveour playscape where you can
climb.
We have our erosion table.
There's an area where kids canplay.
I love erosion tables.
Isn't that fun?
I know the youngest loves itand, honestly, we just have an
(27:19):
area where kids can play.
I love erosion tables, is thatI, the youngest loves, and
honestly, we just have an areawhere they can just kind of run
around too.
Yes, because you know that'simportant, that, yes, oh my gosh
, do we still so?
Do we still have labs in there?
You mean the hershey lab?
Do I mean the hershey lab?
You mean the only hersheyexperience in the world outside
of Hershey Pennsylvania?
(27:39):
Yes, we do.
That might be the lab we'retalking about.
That is the Hershey lab we aretalking about.
Talk to it.
I know about the Hershey lab,but tell everyone else about the
Hershey lab.
So the Hershey lab is aself-guided experience.
You do sign up when you comeinto the Amazium.
That is a first-come, firstserve.
Very hard, it can be verychallenging because it's so soft
(28:02):
.
After it's a big deal so, butyou know, sometimes if you come
in the afternoon it might be alittle bit easier to get in.
But it is a self-guidedexperience.
There are six differentexperiments that families can do
um, things like ancientchocolate or speedway, or you
know, when there's so manydifferent things in a hall has
(28:23):
to do with candy and hershey'sright.
Yes, it's fun, I love it.
So have you ever done a hersheytasting like, no, we've done all
their chocolates, my gosh.
So they have so many.
They do.
They need to ask your people.
We get to try samples.
Okay, samples are veryimportant.
Uh-huh, I'm not a big fan ofbottle-less samples.
(28:44):
I would shit to that.
I don't know, I don't think Ican do that Technically.
It's just a guess.
You need to ask your Hershey'speople, because they used to
have this master chocolatier.
I think his name was jim saintjohn and he would do the.
He would come into town, hewould partner up hershey's was
partnering up with um, um, thenorthwest arkansas children's
(29:08):
shelter.
We would have these events andthese chocolate tastings and
they had this big, this mat thatwas probably the size of our
paper, and all these differentchocolates of theirs and you go
all the way around and you'dlearn all the things about them
and you'd get to the very endand it would be the Hershey
chocolate Gotcha and you wouldhave to, like, figure out what's
in it.
I'm not going to give it away.
(29:29):
I need you to ask somebodybecause you're going to be blown
away.
I want to say, but I'm like Idon't know if I really can say
you need to ask somebody whatthis mysterious ingredient in a
Hershey bar is.
It's wild.
You would never guess.
Okay, wild.
Once you know, after you'vegone through the whole thing,
(29:50):
it's, you're like, oh my God, Ican tell it's in there.
Oh my gosh, you're going tohave to tell me later.
It's something from North,north.
Well, we're in north, the morenorthern part of the states.
It's a product, more northernpart of one of our states.
How fun, it's very interesting.
You're going to die when youfind out.
Well, we haven't done anythingspecifically like that, but we
(30:11):
have also done.
It's so great.
I love her shoes.
They're a partner of ours too.
Love that.
Um, you know, we've done somereally fun tastings and pairings
, but we haven't done that.
So maybe it's something youcould explore a little bit.
Okay, and who can?
I mean?
Also, I want to be friends witha master chocolatier, right?
I just kind of want to be like,hey, hey, what you doing?
(30:32):
Pop in, pop in.
Let's have some wine andchocolate, chocolate, please.
I mean that always abused me,right, always.
And then you can go builds'mores.
I know, I love our s'morestable.
It is so cute.
I love the s'mores table.
I remember when it opened andI'm like it was a huge deal.
I feel like a year or two afterthe Amazium opened and I'm like
, oh just, we need to make somemore memories.
(30:56):
We can do that.
Okay, what do you have on yournotes?
Oh, my goodness, what have wenot tapped into?
I'm telling you everything thatwe have Of summer camps yes,
summer camps.
So we are pretty close to beingsold out.
Of course, of course, camps aremainly through ages 6 through
11, but we have some that arefor kids going into kindergarten
(31:17):
, that are in kindergarten aswell.
Everything is on our website.
Um, let me just tell you acouple of these names.
I know some of the kids.
It's gonna be good.
Where there are, where there isavailability, perfect, okay.
And not only do we do the campsat the amazium, but we also,
right now, are partnering with ashiloh meeting hall in
springdale, okay, and the bindlecommunity center to do some.
(31:37):
So because, again, we do know,yeah, absolutely, transportation
is challenging, so we havedifferent camps at different
places.
I love this Ready, yes, goMedieval madness, oh for sure.
Who doesn't want to be a knight?
Who doesn't want to be a knight?
I do, I do, I.
I mean to cosplay Game On wherethey get to.
(31:58):
Now, I actually helpedprototype for this one.
It was so much fun and you knowit's creating your own carnival
games.
And we did a version of likeHungry Hippos.
It was so much fun.
I mean I was sweating bulletsbecause again, I'm competitive.
Nobody else was complaining, Ididn't realize that, but I was.
I mean, every single one ofthese People were like roll it.
(32:20):
I mean I was stuffing them inmy pockets.
I couldn't help it.
You know, go big or go home.
I know, go big, I go big.
Live like there's no tomorrow.
Carpet, all the things Game on.
Well, I mean, it was really fun.
So we do have availability there.
Messy Mixtures it's all aboutcreating mixtures.
Okay, okay, different types.
(32:40):
I went to soccer, but I'm withyou, I totally went the soccer
direction.
No, nancy, my bad, that's fair.
That's fair.
Zing into Kindergarten is againfor the zing.
We haven't even talked aboutthe zing.
We haven't talked about the z.
Our Trails.
And Take Apart Camp, which is amix between mountain biking,
sounds outdoorsy, yes, right,and understanding the steam
(33:03):
behind mountain biking, yeah,isn't that fun.
Perfect for this area.
And again, start kindergarten.
So we do have some availability.
Okay, you've got to sign upvery quickly.
How does this bike thing?
What did you call the outdoorthing, trails, and Take Apart
Trails.
How Should we go on it?
How is that one?
Do we work with BikeBit?
Well, of course you do.
(33:24):
Yeah, you know, one of thethings that the Amazing is great
about is partnerships andworking with other organizations
, because we aren't the experton every single thing.
No, it's a village, so wedefinitely work with other
organizations, nonprofits in thearea, so that we can create
really quality programming.
Yes, and Bike Bentonville is soamazing, right?
(33:45):
So this is a second year.
I think that we've done thisone.
I could be wrong, it could bemore than that.
I apologize.
Yeah, so, but you know, wetalked about some of the
programming like cradle duringcareer.
It's so buzzy I'm not kidding,I'm stealing that it works.
I don't know how I'm going towork it in to something, but I'm
100% working that into an email.
(34:06):
I like it.
Well, it's true what we do,because with our cradle
beginning our early education,our early learners are age 0
through 6.
And we truly do haveprogramming for those very
littles.
What's the youngest you think?
Like a zebra, a missile?
Wow, coming in, getting themjust familiarized with how to
(34:31):
reach for things and look atdifferent things.
Yeah, absolutely.
And sometimes it's also just achange of environment for mom,
yes, which is great, absolutely.
And sometimes it's also just achange of environment for mom,
right, which is great.
You know there's we have StudioGrow, which is a specific area
just for littles.
We have two or three differentareas like that, so it's a good
place also to meet other momsand other parents.
I'm not in that stage anymore,so I don't even realize it, but
(34:57):
it can be really hard and can bevery isolating.
Iso-habbing a little one, yes,but it can be really hard and
can be very isolating, isolating.
Having a little one, yes, untilthey go to school, until they
go to school and you're like, oh, other people like me, yeah, so
we encourage people to justalso form friendships and talk
to other parents while they'rethere.
Safe space, absolutely Safespace for all.
I'm glad you said that, because,can I go back to one of our
core purposes?
(35:17):
Do we exists to spark andnurture the curious and creative
spirit in all of us?
We like to reflect our entirecommunity.
We have some guiding principlesand these are fun, okay, so we
(35:37):
believe in active, messy,open-ended and playful nature of
learning.
I need to like instill thatinto me.
Yeah, so I'm definitely—Sometimes it's hard for me to
get with me Messy.
Yeah, sometimes it's hard for meto get it was made messy.
Yeah, it's hard for me tounderstand that one.
I'm gonna understand it.
It's hard as a mom because youjust want everything cleaned up.
Yes, you don't want to cleanenough.
(35:58):
I don't.
I hate kinetic sand.
It is.
I hate that stuff, but it'simportant to let my kids have
that mess and understand all thetextures it.
I hate slime too Great reasonto come into the Amazium and get
your messy on there.
Get your messy on there becauseI don't have to clean that mess
(36:18):
.
We believe in curiosity,creativity, innovation and
risk-taking.
See, another one that I don'thave in my daily life is risk.
I think that we reallyincorporate that not only into
those exhibitions on the floorthose exhibits on the floor but
really in everything that we do.
(36:39):
We're not afraid to fail,meaning we like to try different
things and if it doesn't work,that's okay, and then we
recalibrate and then we pivot.
But if we can't, if we don'thave the ability to take a risk,
how are we going to improve andcreate this cool new idea?
So that is a fabulous guidingprinciple.
Can you think of any time in thepast two years that you all
(36:59):
have taken a risk and it didn'twork and you just pivoted and
absolutely that's just a littlemarketing strategy, or it was a
new program that didn't work, orjust didn't connect right, or
maybe we didn't build it outexactly perfectly.
But I mean, yeah, we'vedefinitely had some misses and
that's okay, that's life.
Yeah, we all have misses.
Yeah, and we're not afraid totake some risks and then pivot.
(37:23):
But to own that Nobody everowns that no one owns anything.
We're just to own that nobodyever owns that no one owns
anything.
Just like pageant wavingthrough and I'm like just own,
own all of it.
Oh, I, I make mistakes a lotall the time.
God bless my team, right, I amso thrilled that we have a
fabulous marketing team anddevelopment team that can really
support everything that we do,because everyone supports
(37:45):
everyone over there.
Yeah, definitely, it's been agreat team.
It really is so.
And so I don't know if you'veever kind of talked about how
we're divided up at the amazingof our guest experience team.
We have our guest relationsteam, we have our education team
, obviously our administrationand our marketing and
development as well.
So in an exhibitions exhibitswe all work together.
(38:09):
I love that we worksimultaneously, and I feel like
I just read an article about,maybe, someone that started as
an intern, yes, and then has areal job with you all oh yeah,
just kind of worked her way up.
We also have tinkering.
There are campers.
We have people that have comein as campers that now work at
the amazium full circle.
(38:31):
I love that and you know, nextyear we're going to be 10 years
old and we're going to be kindof blowing it out.
What are we doing?
We're going to be looking atsome of those stories.
No, is that in 25?
Okay, yeah, officially, july 15, 2025, we're going to be 10
years old, but as we're buildingup to that, we're going to be
looking years old.
But as we're building up tothat, we're going to be looking
for some of those stories aboutthose people that have come in
and been impacted by the Amazium, whether it's changed the
(38:54):
course of their study, whetherit was.
I met a young man at Tinker Festlast year.
This was pure luck that Ihappened to speak to this kid
and I said, hey, how's it going?
He said great.
I said can I speak to this kid?
And I said, hey, how's it going?
He said, great.
I said, can I ask you a coupleof questions on camera?
Sure, tell me.
Tell me, why are you involved?
He was with nwac.
He was with um taking one ofthe mechanic courses through um,
(39:17):
I believe, bentonville highschool.
Okay, and um, and.
And I said, how did you getinvolved into this?
He said, uh, years ago I cameto Tinker Fest and I was working
on pulling apart the car,because we do a real car taking
part, so they actually take thecar apart.
Oh, that's right.
Yes, super cool.
(39:38):
I've seen this and he goes.
I thought that was so cool thatthat's what I wanted to do.
I picked the right kid to askquestions and he literally was
going into the program becauseof something he had done at the
amazing and it was just aremarkable impact story.
Yes, it is that I just happenedto get and and I know there's so
(40:01):
many more of those stories outthere and I want to track them.
Dale, you know, but it's sohello call holland.
She needs your story I do.
To talk about my 2025.
Yeah, I love this.
Well, you know, there's so manyimpacts that we make, whether
that is with kids coming intothe museum, whether it is
(40:22):
actually at an offsite, whetherit is how a teacher has changed
their education and changed howthey interact with the students,
or it's they've created a makerspace in their room or in their
school.
How great that we know we haveit's like large force field.
I love that.
It takes seven points of touchto make an impact on somebody.
(40:44):
So you all are doing that and Iwant to continue to tell those
stories.
Yes, the stories are what makesit right, absolutely.
We have those everyday amazingmoments all the time.
Amazing moments at the amazingyeah, just everyday amazing.
Uh-huh.
Are those zings, if you will, alittle zingy?
Should we talk about the zings?
(41:05):
Yeah, the zingy.
Do you zing Our zing?
Yeah, the Zingy, our Zing.
We have our newsletter rightnow which we call In the Zing,
but our Zing is our.
It's the thing.
It's our Zing in the middle ofour logo.
Yes, and it's kind of ourstand-alone logo, if you also
don't see the entire logo.
So it's on the back of people'scars, yes, yes, it's a great
(41:31):
thing to be able to recognizedifferent members or people that
are.
You all have your own spark.
We do, we do we zing, you zing.
And how fun is that?
We know maybe there should be acaptain or we're at something,
captain z, captain z.
Well, I will say, we also havesome really cute, really cute,
like earrings and things likethat in the gift shop, which is
(41:51):
fantastic.
Oh, my goodness, you have it.
Ben too.
See, mom, then, real life, it'strue, this is real life.
This is called Work-LifeBalance.
Yeah, as a mom, absolutely,it's my favorite subject.
Yes, because it's hard.
Parenting is hard.
It's the very best, mostgreatest, most greatest.
(42:12):
That's awesome.
Somebody who's in journalism,it's just a very best job, but
it's tough.
It's the hardest job on thistown.
It low, is paid, but it's paidin hugs, so that's fine.
Yeah, so, yeah, that was mylife.
I love that man.
I'm calling back this, I don'tcare, I love it.
He's alive, he's fine, he is,he's fine.
He just sent me a text.
Yeah, we'll be good.
But you know, I mean, actuallymy son Henry is nine and he
(42:35):
started going to the Amazium thevery first year.
It was open as well.
So he's kind of grown up there.
That's great.
It was before, was workingthere, and I have albums of him
almost every single year at theAmazium, and some of my favorite
photos are him and my dad, whohas since passed away.
Oh, that's a dad at the Amaziumwhere he's looking up at my dad
(42:57):
on an exhibit that we stillhave, where it's just that's
meant to be.
That's a there's a reason whyyou're there.
Yeah, I love, I love it, I lovethat.
So it's been just a funpersonal thing for me, but it's
also so amazing to see again theimpact and those circles of
touch.
Oh, that's good.
(43:18):
I think you just pointed us tothe period on, or the zing on,
this podcast Exclamation pointthing, like, yeah, exclamation
point, we should, we justinvented some things.
Oh, I like it.
Right, I love it.
I'll take it back to the team.
Okay, take that back to theteam, because there are no bad
ideas and they won't filter it.
Oh, I'm telling you.
Oh, yeah, that is how we work.
(43:39):
It is idea, idea, idea.
I love it for joining me today.
Thanks for having me.
This was awesome.
You know, one of the things thatI want people to do is just
come and see us, and if you'venever been, even if you don't
have kids, you can still come.
We do give you a lanyard, butit's just a fun way to spend a
(44:00):
few hours.
It's a great afternoon,especially when it's so hot,
yeah, and so great.
Nice cold space or so cold, orso cold, or rainy, or rainy.
We have all the things.
We do have all the things.
Um, we did briefly chat aboutcuriosity corner, our museum
store, but oh yeah, and we gotstuck on henry for a second.
(44:22):
Oh yeah, stuck isn't the rightword, but we'll leave them here
for a minute.
Actually, I, I need to get abirthday present for a, uh, a
birthday party he's going tothis weekend.
I don't know the kiddo verywell and I go in and I say, hey,
I have a nine-year-old that I'mbuying for they like legos.
That's the only thing I know,and they'll go here.
(44:42):
Let me get this gift, wrap it.
Here it is.
Here's my price range.
It is so nice to have peoplethat can help you figure out
what somebody.
I love that because I am ahorrible buyer.
I'm like, oh, if you don't playsoccer or baseball and you're a
boy, I don't know what's, andyou don't have a paid mission to
come in, you can just to go tothe, to the museum store, just
(45:02):
come in and they'll help you.
Everything is verycompetitively priced.
I love this, whether that is anonline retailer or others,
which is not normal.
No, we are very competitivelypriced and it is, again, local
and we are a non-profit, soeverything that we do and it
also matches our mission itmatches our mission.
(45:23):
You know, whatever is in thestore has to go through a
certain criteria to make itthere, and then it's reaching
another touch point in thecommunity and intentionally,
absolutely yes, andintentionally, yeah, true, yes,
but I'm like I love this.
Yeah, because I learnedsomething.
I never thought to go overthere.
Oh, I know, I'm sorry.
Great resource, it's a greatresource almost exclusively by
(45:46):
kids gifts there.
Now, it is so much easier.
Say, wrap it for me.
I'm not a wrapper, no, I do.
You do?
Okay, I have bags, it's fine.
Oh, okay, good, well then, I'mbringing this.
I use gift bags, but I hatethem.
I just don't like to wrap, sothat just takes care of it for
me.
I love this One-stop shopcreative, price, competitive and
(46:07):
already pretty yeah, pretty,and it stays in the community.
I love it.
Oh, my gosh, I love it.
It's a fun thing to do.
It's good.
Did we miss anything on yournotes.
You know I can't tell you, yes,we did, okay, okay, let's go,
keep going.
You know, have you ever thoughtabout having an event at the?
Have I Uh-, have I Maybe abirthday party?
Maybe a birthday party, maybe acorporate event, maybe a
(46:30):
meeting?
Absolutely.
You know, that is such a funplace to have a meeting.
That might be kind of a boringmeeting because we can bring a
little spice into it, we canhelp with that team building, we
can give you just a little bitmore of a creative environment
and it's a fun place.
And again, we are competitivewith our prices as well, because
it's hard.
(46:50):
Venues are expensive, yes, andmost people don't really think
about the amazium as a, as avenue for adults, and it's a
really fun, fun one.
I mean, we just had betterhomes and garden do a one of
their national events there andit was oh, that's big,
phenomenal, congrats.
It was thank you, it wasphenomenal.
What did you do?
(47:10):
Give me an example, what y'alldid?
We were able to close down ourlobby, set everything up where
they had a speaker and we set itup there, and then we also had
them be able to go out to themuseum floor, okay, and play and
get hands-on, and they actuallyhad some stations around, but
it was visit a station, play alittle bit.
Visit a station, play a littlebit and then come and listen to
(47:31):
the speaker.
I like it.
It's just given me somethingdifferent to think about.
Now you've given me an idea ofa committee that I sit on and
I'm like, oh, this would be fun.
Maybe you could get theoperation board out and we could
.
It gets people in a differentcreative space and kind of a
different head space.
Yes, you go to meetingssometimes and it feels very
(47:52):
rigid, yes, and it feels veryconfined and that's what's
breaking it.
The second you walk through thedoor I can see that it's like,
yeah, it's colorful, it's bright.
You almost have no choice butto kind of be creative and
loosen up a bit.
I love that.
So it's a fun place to havemeetings.
I like that.
Alright, I think I goteverything, are you sure?
(48:12):
I probably haven't, but youknow what?
It's a good excuse to come backhome.
I love that.
It's remarkable how much we do.
I mean, we've been talking foran hour and I have more.
Yeah, I have more of theiceberg.
It's remarkable.
Maybe you come back after ourend gala.
(48:33):
Oh, I was going to say season 10.
Oh, I would love to see itSeason 10.
Our birthday.
I'd love to come back and talkabout Tinker Fest.
How fun is the birthday goingto be?
Girl, we are working on italready.
I'm not kidding.
We had a meeting yesterdayabout our 10th birthday in July
of 2025.
You're excited.
It's too early to start.
(48:54):
We want to make it big.
We don't want to just make it aparty.
We want to also kind of make ita nod of maybe things to come
and a historical look back ofeverything that we've done.
I love this.
We want to get some of thoseoriginal players in, some of
those people that were thedreamers behind the Amazing, and
first of all say thank you andthen just acknowledge them and
just have a fun look back.
(49:16):
I think maybe somebody shoulddive off the roof and do a gig.
Huh, I like it.
I think we could do that.
You know, we'll throw ideas outthere.
We'll just have to chat with, Iguess, like, maybe like the
fire marshal or something.
I don't know details, we got toknow somebody right?
(49:37):
Safety first, sorry.
As for forgiveness, let on theback end.
Not from this.
I would never, I would never,never.
I love it.
So save the date for July 2025.
I know I love it.
So save the date for July 2025.
I know, I mean, I could tellyou almost something every month
where it's save the date.
Save the date.
June 27th when is Tinker Fest?
That's in September.
(49:58):
Yeah, I was like it's coming up.
It's in September, in the fall.
Yes, but Adult Night is comingup in June.
June 27th, oh, okay, at the endof the month.
Yes, I was going to say nextWednesday, but no, is it on a
Wednesday?
It's a Thursday Thursday.
Yes, it's a Thursday night.
Okay, I'm sorry, pricelessnights are on Wednesday.
Priceless nights are onWednesday.
I'm glad you brought that up.
Yes, again and again, morethings to be like physically in
(50:25):
your community and wherever.
But if you have, if you havetransportation, you have access
to the, absolutely AbsolutelyOkay.
Well, thank you, thanks forhaving me.
I love having my friends on.
This is so much fun.
Yeah, yeah, right, cause I, Idon't, I'm still just faking my
way through it.
I mean, we're justchit-chatting, right, I know
Chit-chatting's fun, I can dothat.
(50:47):
Yeah, I love to chat and I loveto hug.
And I also said on last week'spodcast.
I think I'm really funny.
So it just oh my gosh, I thinkI'm so funny today.
That's why it works out reallywell for us.
I laugh at myself All the time,all the time All the else is
(51:11):
laughing.
I'm like.
I'm like, oh, you didn't.
That's how you, that is a youproblem, that's not a me problem
.
I love that.
We think I love it.
Friend, thank you for your time.
I appreciate it.
Yes, whatever questions youhave, let me know.
Let holland know.
She's at the amazium all thetime.
Just go, go, go.
It is probably one ofbettenfield's best resources.
I promise you really NorthwestArkansas, but we do claim it
(51:31):
here in Bentonville, yeah, yeah,lovely.
Anyways, thank you for joiningus.
If you've stuck with us thislong, I am so appreciative of
you and, as always, keepinspiring a culture of giving
Thanks.
Bye.
Hey everybody, kasey Yokelick here with 3W Magazine
and the 3W Podcast, the who,what, where Podcast.
Not really sure what we call itanymore, but whatever, welcome.
So glad to have you.
I have my good friend HollandHayden here with me today, hi,
and so many times I'm likeHayden Holland, holland Hayden,
I don't know, I just want to gowith it.
It's a backwards force, right?
(00:20):
No big deal.
So Holland is with the Scottfamily, amazam, so we're so
excited to have her.
Welcome, thank you for havingme.
I appreciate it, and so she'sgoing to be super more, super
much more whatever professionalthan me, because she has done
this like radio disc jockey, allthe things Many, many moons ago
.
It's okay, you've got it.
It was fun though I know it'skind of fun to make an idiot of
(00:43):
yourself.
It's totally great Daily basis.
I feel like I am already there.
Let's do this.
Good company, let's go, let'sgo.
Okay, how did we meet Gosh?
It goes back a long time ago.
It has been a while, somethinglike that.
I was 16 years old, 16 yearsold, yes, bridge, from nancy
hairston.
I love nancy and loved thatorganization.
(01:05):
You know, as a non-profit,non-profit's gonna have my heart
.
It's your ji love giving backto the community, um, so much so
that it is integrated into my.
I can't get a white lifebalance, um.
So I was working there and we.
That's how we met, I know,isn't that fun.
So it's a solid 10 years ago,no longer than that.
It's longer.
It was longer than that because, also, she jumped to siloam.
(01:29):
For a few years I did.
I was a communication director,was that right?
Nine years?
I was there for about nine, tenyears and a half years.
So we've probably known eachother.
Solid 12 or 13 good facing,yeah, so best friends, so family
.
But I'm glad you jumped back toben county.
Well, I'm sorry, back over herestill, but I'm glad you jumped
back to Benton County.
Well, I'm sorry, back over here, still in Benton County, but
I'm glad you jumped to our side.
I'm sure I know how long thisis you, but now you're at the
(01:51):
Scott family.
Amazing.
I love being in the mix ofeverything.
There's so much energy andmomentum going on in Benton
County that it's just such a funplace to be.
It is Especially, if you like,traffic cones.
I love them, uh-huh, it's realfun.
Love that we live in one.
We live in one.
I dress like one Beautiful, andI did dress bright today
because the Amazium is bright.
(02:12):
I love that, I love that.
And traffic cones, let's justgo ahead and do it and then
let's just, we live in a traffic.
It is Really and truly, becauseit does have the momentum.
You know, we have some reallygreat neighbors at the Scott
Family Amazing and Awesome iscoming.
Well, health Institute is justa wonderful place.
(02:32):
Let's talk about Awesome.
Okay, just for like two seconds.
Yes, because Awesome stands forthe Alice Walton School of
Medicine, right, but where elseon the planet is your acronym
Awesome?
I heard, where else on theplanet is your acronym awesome?
I mean, I heard that lastsummer.
I think I was the last one tohear it and I was like, what's
awesome?
It's like, oh my god, oh my god, that is the very best thing
(02:53):
ever.
I said wish 3w had an acronymcalled awesome.
Pretty awesome it really is,and we're thrilled to be part of
, like that corridor, right, sothat we can contribute to mental
health, well-being, steamactivities, learning.
So we just love being part ofthat.
And it's the new trailing thing,the, you know, the bridgy trail
(03:14):
thing, bridgy trailing thing.
We're in the mix of all, okay,but we do get to watch awesome
being built from the parkingdeck.
That's kind of cool, which isreally?
And the parking deck is realfancy.
I have like an art openingthing.
Oh, it's quite lovely.
Yeah, I actually encourage youto just come and look at the
parking deck.
Isn't that a strange thing tosay?
It is true, but we have one indowntown Bentonville, too, where
they put a bunch of neon on it.
(03:35):
It's beautiful.
And then the fish the worldclass art in a parking deck.
It's wild, it's beautiful.
Bentonville is quite the bubble.
It sure is.
Northwest Arkansas is a bubble,let's be real.
But yes, bentonville has becomeits own little unique zone.
It's really cool.
It is really really cool.
So talk about the Amazia.
Yeah, you've been there alittle over a year.
(03:57):
I'm going to assume I have.
I've been there sinceOctober-ish of 2022.
Okay, so you're almost twoyears.
Well, that's fun, though.
Well, no, it is.
You're like what it's really.
It really has been so much fun.
I come from a municipality inSiloam Springs, where things, as
they need to be, were quiterigid, absolutely, and very
serious.
We can't be willy-nilly withour stories, right, and you
(04:18):
can't, and I understand that.
So it has really been a funjump to go from something that's
so serious, where I'm having todo very serious press
conferences, to highlightingchildren and families and
teachers and learning and theseeveryday amazing moments.
It has been just a joy.
But you invite someone to comeplay, yeah, and to tinker, yeah.
(04:40):
You have an event called TinkerFest.
We have a fabulous event calledTinker Fest.
We have a fabulous event calledTinker Fest.
And you have an event a galaper se, if not Per se when
people race around on littlethingies yeah, 24-volt racers,
okay, volt things, yes, oh,that's a fun one, I mean.
And like several years ago Ithink it was right before you
came, they had a life-sizemousetrap.
(05:00):
Oh, yes, I've seen all thevideos.
It's fun.
The very first meeting I went towas an ungala meeting.
When I started at the scottfamily amazium perfect, and it
was wild because they'rethrowing out all these big ideas
.
And I remember somebody sayingcan we do something with fire?
Can we do something that islike, can we throw something off
the roof?
And I thought I not.
(05:21):
And I kept thinking we can't dothat, like liability.
I can't do that.
Like liability, I can't do that.
No, what about our stakeholders?
How do we do that and he saidlet's throw all the ideas on the
wall and then we work back justto see what's really possible.
But nothing is impossible oncewe start talking about it,
there's always ways around it.
I just was blown away by, firstof all, how that committee
(05:46):
worked yes, um, by truly takingeverybody's ideas.
And then just I thinkingoutside of the box, isn't that
crazy?
Because in every board meetingwe're all in a box.
You've got all the low-hangingfruit, all the the buzzwords
happening, and yet you go to the, the amazia, and we don't have
any of that.
Nope, there's toys on the table, there's fidget, there's things
for you to make notes.
You stand up, you write on thewalls, because we have white
(06:08):
whiteboard walls.
It is a really incrediblycreative environment that also
just fosters fabulous ideas.
Right, I mean, you work withJennifer Bell.
I do, and she has purple hair.
I love it, I love it.
It's the most amazing accent.
Yeah, it's fun.
I could never do that, but it'sjust right here.
It's cute, it's perfectlytasteful Even if it wasn't, it'd
(06:28):
still be great, but I'm like Icould never pull that off.
That's adorable, it's amazing,isn't that fun?
Yes, yeah, because honestly,right, I love it, I love it and
because I'm old.
So, yeah, okay, so I've alreadylike dove all the way in.
But first of all, tornado yeah,are y'all okay?
(06:50):
We are good, we are absolutelygood.
We had some very minor damage.
You know we lost our ticketingsystem and our phone for a few
days, but we are fine.
No structural, no structuraldamage.
No, no structural damage.
You know we've lost a coupletrees here and there, but what?
But you're in the middle oftrees, we are in the middle of
everything.
But what we really want to do iskind of be a resource for
(07:10):
people.
You know this is a chaotic time.
This is a time where routinematters, especially to kids and
to teens who have been through atraumatic event.
It is traumatizing.
We want to be that calm in thechaos or just a place of
normalcy, right and joy.
Yes, so come and play, come andenjoy a night at the Amazium,
(07:34):
like on a Wednesday night, whereit's a priceless night.
Yes, so come in and play andjust let those kids enjoy and
maybe relax for a couple ofhours.
Right, go run a trucker atWalmart or drive a big truck,
absolutely yes.
So we definitely want to bethat for people in the community
and, of course, for all of ourmembers and our normal guests,
(07:55):
absolutely Especially for thosepeople who've never come in
before.
This is a really good time tosay I'm just going to take a few
hours and dedicate some fun tomy kids, exactly Because
everybody needs a reset.
Yeah, especially right now.
We'll just burn off some energy.
I mean, we just that was justthe most bananas.
End to May-cember yeah, I wasjust to May-cember, may.
(08:16):
It's true I don't like to saythings suck and I really hate to
wish time away, but I wasreally happy to see May go away
and I really hate to wish timeaway, but I was really happy to
see May go away.
It was just I don't know, theenergy was just weird.
Start to finish, I was highlyemotional and then you throw in
some intense wins and I'm like,okay, hey, we're hanging on to
June 1st, let's go, and my son'sbirthday's in May, and I'm like
(08:37):
I don't like to wish that away,but I'm ready for June 1st.
Well, we are here and we have aton of things going on at the
summer camps you have.
We have some workshops.
You have father's day oh mygosh, let's touch on.
I have a whole thing.
I love that you have six pages.
(08:57):
I did.
I brought all the things justin case.
What is this?
Adult night, steam Olympics,okay.
So most people think of theAmazium and they think this is a
children, a family museum.
But it is.
But we have programming cradlethrough career, so we really do
have programming for everybody.
I mean it truly is.
We have newborn programming allthe way through adults and
(09:23):
everything in between.
So think about a really funnight out with the girls and
something that you might notnormally do heading to the
amazium without any kids there,being able to explore the entire
museum floor, enjoy thosehands-on pop-up activities.
A little extra that we provide.
Plus, we're getting light bitesand adult beverages from Guess
(09:45):
who, bentonville Brewing, kuhn'sSalon.
We are just really enjoyingthat night and it is fun and
it's really low cost.
Are we competing?
Well, I mean, aren't we always?
I know, do I get to come andstand on the podium?
Absolutely, absolutely, okay.
Yes, yes, and we will play theOlympics, play the olympics,
(10:07):
okay, good for you.
So, but, yes, are we in apageant or we don't?
Well, that's what they do.
They walk in opening ceremony.
Blame them, I'll be waving ateveryone.
Yeah, they got their phone out,they're recording.
I'm like, yes, I made the team,I'm awesome, really cool.
So we we do have a lot of STEAMactivities.
So what we do with adult nightis try and get people outside of
(10:29):
their comfort zone, try and getpeople to tinker, try and get
people to do something that theymight not normally do.
You know, when you're with kids, sometimes you're trying to
show them, teach them, modelbehavior and you're not
necessarily focused on the funthat you're having True model
behavior and you're notnecessarily focused on the fun
that you're having, true.
So this is all about focusingon the fun, okay, that you can
(10:50):
have that night, and I bet thelibations break down your
barriers a little bit, of course, which I'll enjoy.
It's always a good time, yes,always a good time.
Father's day yes, what do wehave?
We have a challenge, anothercompetition.
I love me a competition, yeah,well, good, because this is a
good one.
And there is something aboutdads competing against each
(11:11):
other's on father's day.
Yes, I can see that like it'spretty intense, okay, and it's
always a very popular day forfamilies to take that very
angela ish.
It's more.
No, we have a little bit more.
I'm thinking the cartridgething, if you will.
So we have some domino games,we have some paper airplane,
(11:31):
some building.
So there are three differentchallenges that we're going to
be doing for Father's Day withDads Against Dads.
So do you sign them for timeslots or what?
Just come in that show, justshow up.
Just show up, this is so great,this.
Just show up and come and thenwe're gonna touch on, even
(11:53):
though it's it's whatever.
So there's an event.
Yeah, you all are partneringwith mars.
Yeah, our family, dave, marsand, uh, dave and jenny, but
because it's not open to thepublic, totally, yeah, we really
wanted to say thank you to ourcontributing members.
So we obviously havememberships in the Scott Feeley
(12:14):
Amazium.
We have different levels.
Membership is a wonderful wayto come and enjoy the Amazium
all year.
Plus, you get to visit othermuseums around the country.
Yes, the reciprocal membershipsare amazing, top-notch benefit.
But then, on top of the regularmembership or the base level,
(12:34):
we do have contributingmembership levels, because we
are a non-profit.
That's something that a lot ofpeople don't realize is we are a
hundred percent, yes, relyingon the community.
The communities support theamazium and we have so really
amazing funders like the scottfamily.
Yes, we will touch on thislater.
(12:55):
But they say they can't do itall.
They can't do it all and ittakes.
All of us do need people tohelp um continue so we can keep
those doors open and keep theprice down for people to come in
.
And then your way of givinglove to those contributing
members is having a workshopwith special events.
This one is fun, so it's withDave and he's coming in and he's
(13:16):
helping Hot Mess Express.
Amazing and fun, so fun, so fun.
Like I don't know Dave verywell, I know his brother Matt
really well.
Matt and brother matt reallywell.
Matt and carrie are really goodfriends, friends of ours, and
just fun.
That's what you think of whenyou think of it.
They had a good time at thegala.
I thought, yes, they did.
So they're gonna, he's gonnacome in and build a pollinator
(13:37):
box.
Okay, so he has, or well, lotsof different kinds of pollinator
.
So I mean, whether it's bees orwhether it's, I mean, honestly,
we can use blocks, we can usedifferent things.
I didn't know we had boxes forbees.
I don't know these things.
Well, we're creating apollinator hotel.
I love this.
A little Airbnb, if you will.
Fantastic.
We don't have enough here.
(13:58):
So no, I mean honestly itimportant that we have areas for
pollinators to have a littlerace bit so that they can havea
safe space, because obviously weknow that so much relies on
pollinators.
So to encourage that is great.
And then, honestly, this isabout working with your kid
during or your children duringthis workshop to learn how to
(14:19):
use some of these tools.
We are using real tools, realsaws, real clamps.
Everything is this box.
So actually it's about this big, okay, and then we have little
sticks and bamboo pieces that goin so that they can be a ton of
sezzle nuzzle's not the rightword.
I like it in there, I like makea cozy little home.
So is it an evening?
It's in the morning.
It's nine to ten.
On june 15th yes, and you haveto sign up for okay.
Okay, it'll probably sell out,it probably will, but that's
(14:40):
okay.
You're gonna do another eventIn the morning.
It's 9 to 10.
On June 15th yes, and you haveto sign up for that, okay.
Okay, it'll probably sell out,it probably will, but that's
okay, you're going to do anotherevent of some sort for your
contributing members.
We just love to say thank youto our members because really
they're, it's like a hug.
They are so important.
Yes, so I love that.
Yeah, you're going to dosomething at Berryfest,
(15:02):
absolutely so we, which is atthe end of the month I feel like
it's June 22nd but I absolutely, I think you're right.
I think you're right.
We participate in hundreds ofoff-sites every single year.
The Amazium has so many facetsto it, and of course, it's the
museum, the actual physicalspace of 50,000 square feet of
(15:24):
exhibitions and exhibits.
But we also do so much outsideof those walls.
So some of the off sites thatwe do, like Berry Fest, we have
a team that goes, sets up abooth.
It's not just about giveaways,it's about oh no, I was thinking
it was like hands-on tinkering,exactly Okay, like a pump-up
tinker Different activities fordifferent kinds of events that
(15:47):
make sense, that go with theevent.
You know, if it's cultural, wemight create something that
works for that event.
We've got something culturalhappening that we've done.
Well, we all have, but I can'tpronounce it, I can't remember.
It goes through September.
I feel like.
I feel like, okay, no, no, no,can I read your mind on that?
I don't know.
It's fine, go back to it.
Yeah, so we are going to beparticipating at that.
(16:07):
We'll also be at the JuneteenthFestival at Springdale, so it's
something that we do throughoutthe year.
I like that.
And then we're like we'regetting out into our people's
community instead of makingeveryone come to us.
Yeah, and making is a strongword, but you know what I mean.
There's a barrier there.
(16:27):
Not everybody hastransportation to the museum and
we think that what we do isincredibly important, so we take
it to the community NorthwestArkansas and beyond Our library
program over the summer.
We put 5,000 miles plus intodriving to different libraries.
You said they're libraryprograms, so we work with
libraries.
We do pop-ups at librariesAcross the state.
It said they're libraryprograms, so we work with
libraries.
We do pop-ups at librariesAcross the state.
(16:49):
Across the state, yes, I mean,we go a long way.
So we work with differentlibraries to create programs for
them.
Okay, so, especially some thatare smaller staff that need some
outside sources, and we're agreat source for that.
Oh my gosh, I love this.
Yeah, source for that.
Oh my gosh, I love this.
Yeah, that's amazing.
I'm telling you.
It's remarkable.
All the things that the amazingI love this talk to me about,
(17:10):
like share the success of theyoung gala, yeah, so you've seen
it for two years.
I have, I have, and it's unlikeany event I've been to.
No, was it 10 years old?
Seven, eight ish?
It was a couple years that theyhad to skip because of the
pandemic, obviously.
So I know, I know, but it isreally a remarkably different
(17:31):
event Because it is not the gala, it's the un-gala Gala, because
we expect people to jump in andplay.
For sure, wear closed-toedtennis, yes, closed-toed shoes.
You know, close to the tennis,yes, close to shoes.
You know something stretchythat you can move, yeah, and so
that you can get on that 24 volteraser and erase your best
(17:51):
friends, you know, and and andalso, like we had a graffiti, a
laser graffiti wall this year.
Oh, that's where, where we hadthese laser graffitis that you
could put in your own design oryou could write Holland was here
, might have done that.
Holland is a face.
What, thanks, darling.
And so many different activities.
I believe we had 20 activitiesat the Ungala last year.
(18:14):
We had the wheel, the movie,real wheel thing out there, yes,
and they stayed after.
Yes, I love that.
Last year we we had loop.
It was this big experience,thank you.
This year we put back a littlebit from that because we wanted
to make sure that we were reallyinvesting in our yes and and
(18:37):
those activities that we didhave and honestly, it's a
fundraiser and that is a a lotof overhead.
So we just wanted to focusagain on that bottom line and
those experiences.
I love it, do you still do?
And I haven't been in a coupleyears because of travel baseball
, but that one's down becausenow we made the baseball team in
high school so I don't have toplay.
I know you have a lot ofswitching going on.
(18:59):
Yeah, so I totally am coming toUngayla next year, good.
So, like, I totally am comingto Ungayla next year, good.
But you used to be able to ridea bike to blend your margarita.
We didn't do that this year.
Okay, I guess.
Are you familiar with that?
Oh, yes, yes, something likethat.
Yeah, okay, I mean oureducation team, our exhibition
team, our exhibits team they'realways coming up with things.
(19:21):
You go what?
How did you come up with that?
It's amazing, a life-sizeoperation that we did today.
Oh, I saw a picture of that.
Was that no adult?
Okay, yes, I'm like that is sofun.
That was fun, yours, is it?
Your all's.
We built it.
Yes, you built it.
Built it, of course.
(19:42):
Why would I, I mean, realizethat?
Another thing that people don'trealize we just have a store Is
building exhibitions, and thenwe just have this huge.
We have a really incredibleteam of talented engineers and
tinkerers and people that tryand create different, and things
flow in and out yes, they do.
So.
We just closed the space, weclosed Moon to Mars, and we are
(20:06):
now in our travel exhibit.
We have it in there.
It's called wild creativity.
Okay, creativity does to thistoday, which is that's what I'm.
That's the word, okay, that Iwas thinking of.
Gosh, well, yes, it is abilingual exhibition.
Okay, yeah, and it justcouldn't pronounce the word
spanish first, which was reallygreat because we have such a
(20:26):
large spanish-speakingpopulation in northwest arkansas
and we love to reflect ourentire community, yeah, so we
really leaned into exhibitionsthat had at least spanish
translations, and this one hasit first.
Yes, I like that, and it's allabout biomimicry.
I don't even know what thatword means.
Okay, right, okay, thank you,and like oh, my, gosh, a
(20:47):
biomimicry.
I actually have a little blurbabout this wild creativity.
I shall, okay.
How does a kangaroo gain energyas it bounces, why do birds
have different beaks?
And how does a prairie dog coolits home?
So Creatividad, celeste WildCreativity invites visitors of
all ages to explore fundamentalconcepts of biomimicry through
(21:11):
hands-on design challenges,spotlighting art and science
connection and nature and how itcontinues to inform our world.
So I know that sounds a littlehigh level, may have glazed over
at some point, but what isreally cool about it is it takes
nature and builds.
Nature does things better thanwe do.
(21:33):
They've been doing it for yearsand years.
I don't know what I was flyaround.
Why could we do that?
I mean, for example, velcro.
Velcro is based on those littlestickers that when you get on
your clothes it can't come up.
So scientists took a look athow is that working in the wild,
(21:54):
how is that working in nature,and made amendments.
So this is biomimicry.
Yes.
How is it working in nature?
And made amendments.
So this is bio-mimicking.
Yes.
So we are mimicking biology andwhat they're doing in the wild
to create and inform a modernworld.
Wow, mind blown.
It's really remarkable.
I have the emoji.
The fun thing about it is whenyou're going in there.
(22:16):
Also, it's science, it'slearning, but it's kind of that
sneaky science because it wasplaying and these kids are just
having fun.
Totally sneaky science.
I love that Sneaky science, yes, but that's true, it's true, it
is.
And also there's so much thathas been written and has
developed about making play.
(22:37):
Play is learning and learningis play, it's true.
So it's a really fun exhibition.
There's so much hands-on.
It's a here through September.
My man is okay.
Okay, do you have it's eversecond?
Okay, yes, I was casting.
I.
Do you have something plannedfor fourth quarter?
Yes, we do you love.
Don't have a contract?
(22:58):
Okay, so, no, we are working onit, but it is uh-huh.
Do you love it?
How far out do y'all work onexhibitions?
We have things planned, Ibelieve, until fall of 2025.
That's a long time, yeah, butyou just have to.
You know, there it's a reallyinteresting world because, while
we can also build our ownexhibitions, there's a circle of
(23:21):
museums and exhibition buildersthat do that.
So there are all thesetraveling exhibits and you just
got to make sure that everythinglines up, that if you're
looking for sponsors becauseeverything costs, everything
costs it matches up with whatyou're doing and, and that gives
us time to plan and to approachpeople as well.
So what?
I recall because I'm a boy momyou're a boy mom too is the Hot
(23:45):
Wheels exhibit with the tracks,and it was several years, a long
time ago.
It was so fun that Mattelbrought it and it was fantastic.
We had some really fun ones.
We had Building Buddiesrecently, which was great for
those littles under about sixyears old.
We did In the Making in Octoberof 2022 is when that opened and
(24:06):
that was built entirely by ourexhibition team.
It was all about that makingWill that travel.
That is an attention.
We are able to keep parts of itand move that throughout the
museum as well.
So that's something that we'reexpanding.
Is that exhibition building?
Well, speaking of expansion, yes, so, where you're into, you
(24:28):
just got a ginormous gift a yearago from the Scott family.
It was a huge to-do, sofantastic.
Everyone was there.
Yes, it was great.
So much love in the amazium.
You know the scott family hasbeen incredible supporters of us
and that is not just with leeand linda, that is the entire
(24:50):
family, absolutely.
You know um, eric and ellisonin our campaign cabinet and and
they're all just incrediblysupportive of the amazing and
they come Sorry, and we lovethat.
They are involved with us andthat they support us and we are
incredibly thankful for them.
So we're still in the campaignphase.
(25:10):
Yes, like a quiet phase-ish,yes, kind of backwards-ish, I
know it's fine.
Hey, how can you hold that biggift?
You can't hold on that gift.
Hey, how can you hold that?
You can't hold on that gift,you can't.
You have to shout it at therooftop.
Indeed, what are we doing?
So we're expanding, we have toexpand, we are on top of each
other and we just don't havequite enough space.
You know, if you've been at theamazium on a busy day,
(25:32):
sometimes you think we need alittle bit more space.
So my youngest son this pastyear participated in a Lego club
oh cool At his school and theyhad a competition.
Love it, and it was at theAmazium that it coincided or
whatever ended.
I don't really know how itworked.
I still don't understandanything about it, but it took
place in the upstairs room, yeah, and it was packed with nowhere
(25:56):
you could breathe.
Yeah, it's hot, I mean, it's sogreat, but I'm like in my head
while I'm sitting there,sweating bullets in like
February, I was like this weneed to expand, we're expanding.
I'm so thankful the Scots gaveXYZ and we're going to go bigger
because this room needs to bebigger to allow more kids in
here for these competitions andwhatnot.
(26:17):
You know're starting with ourbackyard area.
Backyard hangout and our earlychildhood education is where
we're really going to start, butit's just going to give us,
overall, more space.
It is let's talk about youroutdoors oh, it's so great,
isn't it so great?
You used to have s'mores pits.
We still do.
Okay, great, still do.
Yeah, it's over an acre ofspace.
(26:37):
It's an acre.
Wow.
Yeah, it's an acre of space.
That's big it is.
I mean, I've been there.
I have zero realization of howbig anything ever is, but I'm
like, wow, when you say an acre,that sounds massive.
It's a good size.
It's a good size space.
It is a really good.
So many different things thatare happening in the backyard
and our playscape area.
(26:59):
We have a stream right now witha lot of tadpoles.
It's so fun.
That's exciting we do.
And then, of course, we haveour playscape where you can
climb.
We have our erosion table.
There's an area where kids canplay.
I love erosion tables.
Isn't that fun?
I know the youngest loves itand, honestly, we just have an
(27:19):
area where kids can play.
I love erosion tables, is thatI, the youngest loves, and
honestly, we just have an areawhere they can just kind of run
around too.
Yes, because you know that'simportant, that, yes, oh my gosh
, do we still so?
Do we still have labs in there?
You mean the hershey lab?
Do I mean the hershey lab?
You mean the only hersheyexperience in the world outside
of Hershey Pennsylvania?
(27:39):
Yes, we do.
That might be the lab we'retalking about.
That is the Hershey lab we aretalking about.
Talk to it.
I know about the Hershey lab,but tell everyone else about the
Hershey lab.
So the Hershey lab is aself-guided experience.
You do sign up when you comeinto the Amazium.
That is a first-come, firstserve.
Very hard, it can be verychallenging because it's so soft
(28:02):
.
After it's a big deal so, butyou know, sometimes if you come
in the afternoon it might be alittle bit easier to get in.
But it is a self-guidedexperience.
There are six differentexperiments that families can do
um, things like ancientchocolate or speedway, or you
know, when there's so manydifferent things in a hall has
(28:23):
to do with candy and hershey'sright.
Yes, it's fun, I love it.
So have you ever done a hersheytasting like, no, we've done all
their chocolates, my gosh.
So they have so many.
They do.
They need to ask your people.
We get to try samples.
Okay, samples are veryimportant.
Uh-huh, I'm not a big fan ofbottle-less samples.
(28:44):
I would shit to that.
I don't know, I don't think Ican do that Technically.
It's just a guess.
You need to ask your Hershey'speople, because they used to
have this master chocolatier.
I think his name was jim saintjohn and he would do the.
He would come into town, hewould partner up hershey's was
partnering up with um, um, thenorthwest arkansas children's
(29:08):
shelter.
We would have these events andthese chocolate tastings and
they had this big, this mat thatwas probably the size of our
paper, and all these differentchocolates of theirs and you go
all the way around and you'dlearn all the things about them
and you'd get to the very endand it would be the Hershey
chocolate Gotcha and you wouldhave to, like, figure out what's
in it.
I'm not going to give it away.
(29:29):
I need you to ask somebodybecause you're going to be blown
away.
I want to say, but I'm like Idon't know if I really can say
you need to ask somebody whatthis mysterious ingredient in a
Hershey bar is.
It's wild.
You would never guess.
Okay, wild.
Once you know, after you'vegone through the whole thing,
(29:50):
it's, you're like, oh my God, Ican tell it's in there.
Oh my gosh, you're going tohave to tell me later.
It's something from North,north.
Well, we're in north, the morenorthern part of the states.
It's a product, more northernpart of one of our states.
How fun, it's very interesting.
You're going to die when youfind out.
Well, we haven't done anythingspecifically like that, but we
(30:11):
have also done.
It's so great.
I love her shoes.
They're a partner of ours too.
Love that.
Um, you know, we've done somereally fun tastings and pairings
, but we haven't done that.
So maybe it's something youcould explore a little bit.
Okay, and who can?
I mean?
Also, I want to be friends witha master chocolatier, right?
I just kind of want to be like,hey, hey, what you doing?
(30:32):
Pop in, pop in.
Let's have some wine andchocolate, chocolate, please.
I mean that always abused me,right, always.
And then you can go builds'mores.
I know, I love our s'morestable.
It is so cute.
I love the s'mores table.
I remember when it opened andI'm like it was a huge deal.
I feel like a year or two afterthe Amazium opened and I'm like
, oh just, we need to make somemore memories.
(30:56):
We can do that.
Okay, what do you have on yournotes?
Oh, my goodness, what have wenot tapped into?
I'm telling you everything thatwe have Of summer camps yes,
summer camps.
So we are pretty close to beingsold out.
Of course, of course, camps aremainly through ages 6 through
11, but we have some that arefor kids going into kindergarten
(31:17):
, that are in kindergarten aswell.
Everything is on our website.
Um, let me just tell you acouple of these names.
I know some of the kids.
It's gonna be good.
Where there are, where there isavailability, perfect, okay.
And not only do we do the campsat the amazium, but we also,
right now, are partnering with ashiloh meeting hall in
springdale, okay, and the bindlecommunity center to do some.
(31:37):
So because, again, we do know,yeah, absolutely, transportation
is challenging, so we havedifferent camps at different
places.
I love this Ready, yes, goMedieval madness, oh for sure.
Who doesn't want to be a knight?
Who doesn't want to be a knight?
I do, I do, I.
I mean to cosplay Game On wherethey get to.
(31:58):
Now, I actually helpedprototype for this one.
It was so much fun and you knowit's creating your own carnival
games.
And we did a version of likeHungry Hippos.
It was so much fun.
I mean I was sweating bulletsbecause again, I'm competitive.
Nobody else was complaining, Ididn't realize that, but I was.
I mean, every single one ofthese People were like roll it.
(32:20):
I mean I was stuffing them inmy pockets.
I couldn't help it.
You know, go big or go home.
I know, go big, I go big.
Live like there's no tomorrow.
Carpet, all the things Game on.
Well, I mean, it was really fun.
So we do have availability there.
Messy Mixtures it's all aboutcreating mixtures.
Okay, okay, different types.
(32:40):
I went to soccer, but I'm withyou, I totally went the soccer
direction.
No, nancy, my bad, that's fair.
That's fair.
Zing into Kindergarten is againfor the zing.
We haven't even talked aboutthe zing.
We haven't talked about the z.
Our Trails.
And Take Apart Camp, which is amix between mountain biking,
sounds outdoorsy, yes, right,and understanding the steam
(33:03):
behind mountain biking, yeah,isn't that fun.
Perfect for this area.
And again, start kindergarten.
So we do have some availability.
Okay, you've got to sign upvery quickly.
How does this bike thing?
What did you call the outdoorthing, trails, and Take Apart
Trails.
How Should we go on it?
How is that one?
Do we work with BikeBit?
Well, of course you do.
(33:24):
Yeah, you know, one of thethings that the Amazing is great
about is partnerships andworking with other organizations
, because we aren't the experton every single thing.
No, it's a village, so wedefinitely work with other
organizations, nonprofits in thearea, so that we can create
really quality programming.
Yes, and Bike Bentonville is soamazing, right?
(33:45):
So this is a second year.
I think that we've done thisone.
I could be wrong, it could bemore than that.
I apologize.
Yeah, so, but you know, wetalked about some of the
programming like cradle duringcareer.
It's so buzzy I'm not kidding,I'm stealing that it works.
I don't know how I'm going towork it in to something, but I'm
100% working that into an email.
(34:06):
I like it.
Well, it's true what we do,because with our cradle
beginning our early education,our early learners are age 0
through 6.
And we truly do haveprogramming for those very
littles.
What's the youngest you think?
Like a zebra, a missile?
Wow, coming in, getting themjust familiarized with how to
(34:31):
reach for things and look atdifferent things.
Yeah, absolutely.
And sometimes it's also just achange of environment for mom,
yes, which is great, absolutely.
And sometimes it's also just achange of environment for mom,
right, which is great.
You know there's we have StudioGrow, which is a specific area
just for littles.
We have two or three differentareas like that, so it's a good
place also to meet other momsand other parents.
I'm not in that stage anymore,so I don't even realize it, but
(34:57):
it can be really hard and can bevery isolating.
Iso-habbing a little one, yes,but it can be really hard and
can be very isolating, isolating.
Having a little one, yes, untilthey go to school, until they
go to school and you're like, oh, other people like me, yeah, so
we encourage people to justalso form friendships and talk
to other parents while they'rethere.
Safe space, absolutely Safespace for all.
I'm glad you said that, because,can I go back to one of our
core purposes?
(35:17):
Do we exists to spark andnurture the curious and creative
spirit in all of us?
We like to reflect our entirecommunity.
We have some guiding principlesand these are fun, okay, so we
(35:37):
believe in active, messy,open-ended and playful nature of
learning.
I need to like instill thatinto me.
Yeah, so I'm definitely—Sometimes it's hard for me to
get with me Messy.
Yeah, sometimes it's hard for meto get it was made messy.
Yeah, it's hard for me tounderstand that one.
I'm gonna understand it.
It's hard as a mom because youjust want everything cleaned up.
Yes, you don't want to cleanenough.
(35:58):
I don't.
I hate kinetic sand.
It is.
I hate that stuff, but it'simportant to let my kids have
that mess and understand all thetextures it.
I hate slime too Great reasonto come into the Amazium and get
your messy on there.
Get your messy on there becauseI don't have to clean that mess
(36:18):
.
We believe in curiosity,creativity, innovation and
risk-taking.
See, another one that I don'thave in my daily life is risk.
I think that we reallyincorporate that not only into
those exhibitions on the floorthose exhibits on the floor but
really in everything that we do.
(36:39):
We're not afraid to fail,meaning we like to try different
things and if it doesn't work,that's okay, and then we
recalibrate and then we pivot.
But if we can't, if we don'thave the ability to take a risk,
how are we going to improve andcreate this cool new idea?
So that is a fabulous guidingprinciple.
Can you think of any time in thepast two years that you all
(36:59):
have taken a risk and it didn'twork and you just pivoted and
absolutely that's just a littlemarketing strategy, or it was a
new program that didn't work, orjust didn't connect right, or
maybe we didn't build it outexactly perfectly.
But I mean, yeah, we'vedefinitely had some misses and
that's okay, that's life.
Yeah, we all have misses.
Yeah, and we're not afraid totake some risks and then pivot.
(37:23):
But to own that Nobody everowns that no one owns anything.
We're just to own that nobodyever owns that no one owns
anything.
Just like pageant wavingthrough and I'm like just own,
own all of it.
Oh, I, I make mistakes a lotall the time.
God bless my team, right, I amso thrilled that we have a
fabulous marketing team anddevelopment team that can really
support everything that we do,because everyone supports
(37:45):
everyone over there.
Yeah, definitely, it's been agreat team.
It really is so.
And so I don't know if you'veever kind of talked about how
we're divided up at the amazingof our guest experience team.
We have our guest relationsteam, we have our education team
, obviously our administrationand our marketing and
development as well.
So in an exhibitions exhibitswe all work together.
(38:09):
I love that we worksimultaneously, and I feel like
I just read an article about,maybe, someone that started as
an intern, yes, and then has areal job with you all oh yeah,
just kind of worked her way up.
We also have tinkering.
There are campers.
We have people that have comein as campers that now work at
the amazium full circle.
(38:31):
I love that and you know, nextyear we're going to be 10 years
old and we're going to be kindof blowing it out.
What are we doing?
We're going to be looking atsome of those stories.
No, is that in 25?
Okay, yeah, officially, july 15, 2025, we're going to be 10
years old, but as we're buildingup to that, we're going to be
looking years old.
But as we're building up tothat, we're going to be looking
for some of those stories aboutthose people that have come in
and been impacted by the Amazium, whether it's changed the
(38:54):
course of their study, whetherit was.
I met a young man at Tinker Festlast year.
This was pure luck that Ihappened to speak to this kid
and I said, hey, how's it going?
He said great.
I said can I speak to this kid?
And I said, hey, how's it going?
He said, great.
I said, can I ask you a coupleof questions on camera?
Sure, tell me.
Tell me, why are you involved?
He was with nwac.
He was with um taking one ofthe mechanic courses through um,
(39:17):
I believe, bentonville highschool.
Okay, and um, and.
And I said, how did you getinvolved into this?
He said, uh, years ago I cameto Tinker Fest and I was working
on pulling apart the car,because we do a real car taking
part, so they actually take thecar apart.
Oh, that's right.
Yes, super cool.
(39:38):
I've seen this and he goes.
I thought that was so cool thatthat's what I wanted to do.
I picked the right kid to askquestions and he literally was
going into the program becauseof something he had done at the
amazing and it was just aremarkable impact story.
Yes, it is that I just happenedto get and and I know there's so
(40:01):
many more of those stories outthere and I want to track them.
Dale, you know, but it's sohello call holland.
She needs your story I do.
To talk about my 2025.
Yeah, I love this.
Well, you know, there's so manyimpacts that we make, whether
that is with kids coming intothe museum, whether it is
(40:22):
actually at an offsite, whetherit is how a teacher has changed
their education and changed howthey interact with the students,
or it's they've created a makerspace in their room or in their
school.
How great that we know we haveit's like large force field.
I love that.
It takes seven points of touchto make an impact on somebody.
(40:44):
So you all are doing that and Iwant to continue to tell those
stories.
Yes, the stories are what makesit right, absolutely.
We have those everyday amazingmoments all the time.
Amazing moments at the amazingyeah, just everyday amazing.
Uh-huh.
Are those zings, if you will, alittle zingy?
Should we talk about the zings?
(41:05):
Yeah, the zingy.
Do you zing Our zing?
Yeah, the Zingy, our Zing.
We have our newsletter rightnow which we call In the Zing,
but our Zing is our.
It's the thing.
It's our Zing in the middle ofour logo.
Yes, and it's kind of ourstand-alone logo, if you also
don't see the entire logo.
So it's on the back of people'scars, yes, yes, it's a great
(41:31):
thing to be able to recognizedifferent members or people that
are.
You all have your own spark.
We do, we do we zing, you zing.
And how fun is that?
We know maybe there should be acaptain or we're at something,
captain z, captain z.
Well, I will say, we also havesome really cute, really cute,
like earrings and things likethat in the gift shop, which is
(41:51):
fantastic.
Oh, my goodness, you have it.
Ben too.
See, mom, then, real life, it'strue, this is real life.
This is called Work-LifeBalance.
Yeah, as a mom, absolutely,it's my favorite subject.
Yes, because it's hard.
Parenting is hard.
It's the very best, mostgreatest, most greatest.
(42:12):
That's awesome.
Somebody who's in journalism,it's just a very best job, but
it's tough.
It's the hardest job on thistown.
It low, is paid, but it's paidin hugs, so that's fine.
Yeah, so, yeah, that was mylife.
I love that man.
I'm calling back this, I don'tcare, I love it.
He's alive, he's fine, he is,he's fine.
He just sent me a text.
Yeah, we'll be good.
But you know, I mean, actuallymy son Henry is nine and he
(42:35):
started going to the Amazium thevery first year.
It was open as well.
So he's kind of grown up there.
That's great.
It was before, was workingthere, and I have albums of him
almost every single year at theAmazium, and some of my favorite
photos are him and my dad, whohas since passed away.
Oh, that's a dad at the Amaziumwhere he's looking up at my dad
(42:57):
on an exhibit that we stillhave, where it's just that's
meant to be.
That's a there's a reason whyyou're there.
Yeah, I love, I love it, I lovethat.
So it's been just a funpersonal thing for me, but it's
also so amazing to see again theimpact and those circles of
touch.
Oh, that's good.
(43:18):
I think you just pointed us tothe period on, or the zing on,
this podcast Exclamation pointthing, like, yeah, exclamation
point, we should, we justinvented some things.
Oh, I like it.
Right, I love it.
I'll take it back to the team.
Okay, take that back to theteam, because there are no bad
ideas and they won't filter it.
Oh, I'm telling you.
Oh, yeah, that is how we work.
(43:39):
It is idea, idea, idea.
I love it for joining me today.
Thanks for having me.
This was awesome.
You know, one of the things thatI want people to do is just
come and see us, and if you'venever been, even if you don't
have kids, you can still come.
We do give you a lanyard, butit's just a fun way to spend a
(44:00):
few hours.
It's a great afternoon,especially when it's so hot,
yeah, and so great.
Nice cold space or so cold, orso cold, or rainy, or rainy.
We have all the things.
We do have all the things.
Um, we did briefly chat aboutcuriosity corner, our museum
store, but oh yeah, and we gotstuck on henry for a second.
(44:22):
Oh yeah, stuck isn't the rightword, but we'll leave them here
for a minute.
Actually, I, I need to get abirthday present for a, uh, a
birthday party he's going tothis weekend.
I don't know the kiddo verywell and I go in and I say, hey,
I have a nine-year-old that I'mbuying for they like legos.
That's the only thing I know,and they'll go here.
(44:42):
Let me get this gift, wrap it.
Here it is.
Here's my price range.
It is so nice to have peoplethat can help you figure out
what somebody.
I love that because I am ahorrible buyer.
I'm like, oh, if you don't playsoccer or baseball and you're a
boy, I don't know what's, andyou don't have a paid mission to
come in, you can just to go tothe, to the museum store, just
(45:02):
come in and they'll help you.
Everything is verycompetitively priced.
I love this, whether that is anonline retailer or others,
which is not normal.
No, we are very competitivelypriced and it is, again, local
and we are a non-profit, soeverything that we do and it
also matches our mission itmatches our mission.
(45:23):
You know, whatever is in thestore has to go through a
certain criteria to make itthere, and then it's reaching
another touch point in thecommunity and intentionally,
absolutely yes, andintentionally, yeah, true, yes,
but I'm like I love this.
Yeah, because I learnedsomething.
I never thought to go overthere.
Oh, I know, I'm sorry.
Great resource, it's a greatresource almost exclusively by
(45:46):
kids gifts there.
Now, it is so much easier.
Say, wrap it for me.
I'm not a wrapper, no, I do.
You do?
Okay, I have bags, it's fine.
Oh, okay, good, well then, I'mbringing this.
I use gift bags, but I hatethem.
I just don't like to wrap, sothat just takes care of it for
me.
I love this One-stop shopcreative, price, competitive and
(46:07):
already pretty yeah, pretty,and it stays in the community.
I love it.
Oh, my gosh, I love it.
It's a fun thing to do.
It's good.
Did we miss anything on yournotes.
You know I can't tell you, yes,we did, okay, okay, let's go,
keep going.
You know, have you ever thoughtabout having an event at the?
Have I Uh-, have I Maybe abirthday party?
Maybe a birthday party, maybe acorporate event, maybe a
(46:30):
meeting?
Absolutely.
You know, that is such a funplace to have a meeting.
That might be kind of a boringmeeting because we can bring a
little spice into it, we canhelp with that team building, we
can give you just a little bitmore of a creative environment
and it's a fun place.
And again, we are competitivewith our prices as well, because
it's hard.
(46:50):
Venues are expensive, yes, andmost people don't really think
about the amazium as a, as avenue for adults, and it's a
really fun, fun one.
I mean, we just had betterhomes and garden do a one of
their national events there andit was oh, that's big,
phenomenal, congrats.
It was thank you, it wasphenomenal.
What did you do?
(47:10):
Give me an example, what y'alldid?
We were able to close down ourlobby, set everything up where
they had a speaker and we set itup there, and then we also had
them be able to go out to themuseum floor, okay, and play and
get hands-on, and they actuallyhad some stations around, but
it was visit a station, play alittle bit.
Visit a station, play a littlebit and then come and listen to
(47:31):
the speaker.
I like it.
It's just given me somethingdifferent to think about.
Now you've given me an idea ofa committee that I sit on and
I'm like, oh, this would be fun.
Maybe you could get theoperation board out and we could
.
It gets people in a differentcreative space and kind of a
different head space.
Yes, you go to meetingssometimes and it feels very
(47:52):
rigid, yes, and it feels veryconfined and that's what's
breaking it.
The second you walk through thedoor I can see that it's like,
yeah, it's colorful, it's bright.
You almost have no choice butto kind of be creative and
loosen up a bit.
I love that.
So it's a fun place to havemeetings.
I like that.
Alright, I think I goteverything, are you sure?
(48:12):
I probably haven't, but youknow what?
It's a good excuse to come backhome.
I love that.
It's remarkable how much we do.
I mean, we've been talking foran hour and I have more.
Yeah, I have more of theiceberg.
It's remarkable.
Maybe you come back after ourend gala.
(48:33):
Oh, I was going to say season 10.
Oh, I would love to see itSeason 10.
Our birthday.
I'd love to come back and talkabout Tinker Fest.
How fun is the birthday goingto be?
Girl, we are working on italready.
I'm not kidding.
We had a meeting yesterdayabout our 10th birthday in July
of 2025.
You're excited.
It's too early to start.
(48:54):
We want to make it big.
We don't want to just make it aparty.
We want to also kind of make ita nod of maybe things to come
and a historical look back ofeverything that we've done.
I love this.
We want to get some of thoseoriginal players in, some of
those people that were thedreamers behind the Amazing, and
first of all say thank you andthen just acknowledge them and
just have a fun look back.
(49:16):
I think maybe somebody shoulddive off the roof and do a gig.
Huh, I like it.
I think we could do that.
You know, we'll throw ideas outthere.
We'll just have to chat with, Iguess, like, maybe like the
fire marshal or something.
I don't know details, we got toknow somebody right?
(49:37):
Safety first, sorry.
As for forgiveness, let on theback end.
Not from this.
I would never, I would never,never.
I love it.
So save the date for July 2025.
I know I love it.
So save the date for July 2025.
I know, I mean, I could tellyou almost something every month
where it's save the date.
Save the date.
June 27th when is Tinker Fest?
That's in September.
(49:58):
Yeah, I was like it's coming up.
It's in September, in the fall.
Yes, but Adult Night is comingup in June.
June 27th, oh, okay, at the endof the month.
Yes, I was going to say nextWednesday, but no, is it on a
Wednesday?
It's a Thursday Thursday.
Yes, it's a Thursday night.
Okay, I'm sorry, pricelessnights are on Wednesday.
Priceless nights are onWednesday.
I'm glad you brought that up.
Yes, again and again, morethings to be like physically in
(50:25):
your community and wherever.
But if you have, if you havetransportation, you have access
to the, absolutely AbsolutelyOkay.
Well, thank you, thanks forhaving me.
I love having my friends on.
This is so much fun.
Yeah, yeah, right, cause I, Idon't, I'm still just faking my
way through it.
I mean, we're justchit-chatting, right, I know
Chit-chatting's fun, I can dothat.
(50:47):
Yeah, I love to chat and I loveto hug.
And I also said on last week'spodcast.
I think I'm really funny.
So it just oh my gosh, I thinkI'm so funny today.
That's why it works out reallywell for us.
I laugh at myself All the time,all the time All the else is
(51:11):
laughing.
I'm like.
I'm like, oh, you didn't.
That's how you, that is a youproblem, that's not a me problem
.
I love that.
We think I love it.
Friend, thank you for your time.
I appreciate it.
Yes, whatever questions youhave, let me know.
Let holland know.
She's at the amazium all thetime.
Just go, go, go.
It is probably one ofbettenfield's best resources.
I promise you really NorthwestArkansas, but we do claim it
(51:31):
here in Bentonville, yeah, yeah,lovely.
Anyways, thank you for joiningus.
If you've stuck with us thislong, I am so appreciative of
you and, as always, keepinspiring a culture of giving
Thanks.
Bye.
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