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Outdoor Discovery Center

This unique half-acre outdoor space encourages unstructured play and includes the Lighthouse Lookout, Puget Sound Beach, Megan D Schooner, Hike-and-Trike Loop, Children's Garden, Naturalist Cabin, and Gravel Dig.

The Outdoor Discovery Center was chosen by the Association of Children’s Museums and The Trustees’ Philanthropy Fund of Fidelity Charitable to be one of only three Going Wild! pilot sites nationwide.

Click here to plan your visit!

Trike Loop Safety Rules

Our trike loop is ride at your own risk. Thank you for playing safely on our trikes. Please keep these rules in mind while enjoying this fun exhibit:

Adult supervision required.
All children must wear helmets. Borrow one of ours or bring your own.
No bare feet.
One child per trike.
Stay within Trike Loop boundaries.

Exhibit Features

Lighthouse Lookout
Mama & Baby Orca Sculpture
Puget Sound Beach
Bouldering on the Beach
Log Scramble
Dino Dig
Mud Kitchen
Beach Shack
Beached Dingy
Water Pump
Megan D Vintage Schooner
Merman Sculpture
Trike Depot & Trikes
Hike & Trike Loop
Gravel Dig Area & Water Play
Harmony Bells
Sasquatch
Nursing Gazebo
Insect Hotel
Naturalist Cabin
Rain Garden
Sunflower Stage
Children’s Garden
Green House
Garden Hand Pump
Splash Sink
Terrace
Fire Circle
Handwashing Station

Sponsorships

We need your help to finish the exhibits in the Outdoor Discovery Center! If you are interested in sponsoring, call (360) 956-0818 x151 or email twinski@hocm.org.

Megan D Vintage Schooner is Open!

Outdoor Discovery Center 10 Hands On is known for its unique and engaging exhibits and we are so excited to bring the Megan D, a vintage 56′ schooner exhibit to the Museum’s re-created Puget Sound Beach. This vessel is designed to spark a child’s imagination of sea-faring adventures long ago. It will also teach them about the rich history of schooners in the Puget Sound which hauled fish and timber along the West Coast.

Children can:

Use the rope climb to reach the top deck high above ground
Navigate the ship’s rope ladder to the lower deck
Explore the crow’s nest
Learn about wind power
Walk the plank!

A remarkable team of retired carpenters from FORMA Construction, (many of whom worked on the construction of our Museum) stepped forward to lead the renovation from dilapidated vessel to engaging exhibit. In addition, hundreds of generous contributors have given small and large gifts to renovate this exciting new exhibit.

Thank you to our generous donors!

Generous Foundation Supporters

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Ben B. Cheney Foundation
D.V. & Ida J. McEachern Charitable Trust
Dawkins Charitable Trust
The Norcliffe Foundation
Norman Archibald Charitable Foundation

Nautica Crew

Drew Phillips, FORMA Construction & FORMA Retired Carpenters:
- Dale Harrison, Project Manager
- Mark Bean
- Chuck Berns
- Joe Hotzel
- Steve Kelley
- Mike Ross
AHBL
All Star Rent-A-Fence
Altus Traffic Management
American Portable Storage
Associated Boat Transport
Bayview Lumber
BES Electrical Services
CT Specialties Powdercoating
Deschutes Upholstery
Edensaw Woods Ltd
Evergreen Rigging
Hardel Lumber
Infinity Construction
Kell-Chuck Glass
McFarland Cascade
McNICHOLS Co.
Nets Unlimited
Olympia Supply & Co. & Eric Hendricks
Olympia Yacht Club
Olympic Iron Works
Paul Hagen, FORMA Construction
Pettit Marine LLC
Sherwin-Williams
South Puget Sound Woodturners
Tundra Mechanical LLC
Valley Nut and Bolt
Zeigler’s Welding, Inc.

Captain's Club