Museum 'steps out' into the future with reopening

Stepping Stones Museum for Children has reopened. Throughout the day Saturday visitors enjoyed special events and performances throughout the day.

The celebrations began at 9:30 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the doors opened at 10 a.m. The festivities included a theatrical production that included light, sound, movement, projected images, animations and the spoken word. Created and performed by Christopher Eaves, renowned multimedia performer and arts educator, "CANOPY" debuted in the new Multimedia Gallery and coincided with the reopening of the museum's newly enhanced Rainforest Adventure exhibit.

Stepping Stones debuted a $17 million, 22,000-square-foot renovation on Saturday that has more than doubled the size of the original museum. With a focus on energy-themed education and learning, the expansion introduces a host of new exhibits and a new art studio and science lab. Additions include a Multimedia Gallery, "Tot Town," an expanded infant and toddler area and "Energy Lab," a futuristic, wet and windy environment.