Bettendorf – On Friday, July 15, 2016, from 5:00-6:00 pm, the Family Museum will host a ribbon cutting and dedication of The Sky’s the Limit, the Museum’s brand-new, aviation-themed, outdoor play structure. This invitation-only event will include remarks from Bettendorf Mayor Robert Gallagher; Quad City Chamber member Adam Holland; Museum Director Kim Kidwell; and Lura Aronson, wife of the late Gary Aronson. Light refreshments will follow the presentation. Media are invited; program will start promptly at 5:00 pm.
The new play structure cost approximately $150,000 and was paid for by the City of Bettendorf, grants from the Scott County Regional Authority and the Regional Development Authority, the Family Museum Annual Appeal, Morgan Stanley, the Family Museum’s annual fundraiser The Kids’ Table, and many other donations from area businesses.
The Sky’s the Limit was designed by Cunningham Recreation of Ankeny, Iowa. Ground broke for the renovation on May 31, 2016. The exhibit resembles an airplane and invites children to fly or ride to wherever their imaginations take them. This one-of-a-kind installation includes steps resembling luggage, seats for pilot and co-pilot, and a wheelchair accessible glider. (Please see attached images courtesy of the Family Museum.)
The aviation theme was inspired by Gary Aronson, a former Family Museum Foundation Board president who passed away in 2014. He was a vice president of the Morgan Stanley office in Davenport and was a pillar of the community. Gary was a great friend and champion of the Family Museum from its infancy, and he believed that knowledge is a never-ending pursuit. The Sky’s the Limit is dedicated to Gary for his love of aviation and his passion for interactive learning for children.
The Sky’s the Limit will open for Family Museum visitors beginning Saturday, July 16, 2016.
