Why does a building look the way it does? What is it used for? What materials were used in its construction? The traveling exhibition Young Architects: Designing for the Future, at the recently renovated Danville Science Center, taps into children’s natural curiosity to explore the world of architecture and community design.

Highlighting the work of well-known architects like Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, I.M. Pei, and Frank Lloyd Wright, the exhibition is divided into three sections — live, work, and play. Various types of building blocks provide a hands-on, interactive learning experience for budding young architects as they envision designs for their own communities and respond to the exhibitions prompts.

Developed by the Children’s Museum of Cleveland, Young Architects opened on Dec. 12 and runs through April 4, 2021.

About the Danville Science Center

Danville Science Center is in Danville, Virginia, in a complex called “The Crossing at the Dan.” With measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID, the museum is open to guests Wednesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m.–5 pm and Sunday from 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Having just completed a $9 million renovation designed by Dewberry and executed by Blair Construction, the museum re-opened to visitors on Nov. 14, 2020. The upgrades include 10,000 square-feet of new exhibits and a makers’ place, called the Creativity Lab. The renovation is phase 2 of a larger plan for the organization.

The Center opened in the Danville Passenger Rail Station in 1995 and expanded into the Southern Railway building in 2005. Visitors explore STEM concepts and skills through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, live demonstrations, touring exhibitions, and presentations in the Digital Dome Theater.