T.R.E.E. House Children's Museum

The Rapides Exploratory Education House is dedicated to providing our children with an environment which can cultivate and enrich the soil for lifelong learning.   Our goal is to provide hands-on participatory exhibitions and innovative programs in order to meet the following objectives:

Education: To serve as a model of authentic learning regarding math, science,  social studies, and the humanities which through sensory application ultimately fosters feelings of confidence and adequacy;

 Family:  Offer families a chance to experience the joy of learning together in a wholesome environment and providing parents with the feeling that  they are also contributing to the education of their children;

Discovery: Recognize the value of self-discovery learning and provide exhibits which will stimulate curiosity and motivate learning;

Public Dimension:  To serve as a reference resource for other organizations, to fill an important need currently lacking within our community, and to build community partnerships with the sole purpose of adding to the quality of life within our community.

Sizzlin’ Saturdays – Sizzlin’ Saturdays is an afternoon program for children and families providing a rotating, theme-based hour of exploratory education. The themes of these programs can range from traditional arts activities, to petting zoos, to participatory musical performances, to elaborate and fascinating science experiments.

Science Saturdays – On the second Saturday of every month, children and their families participate in a variety of hands-on, science-based activities.

 Junior Engineers – This program teaches children all phases of design and construction of model train layouts. Children and volunteer instructors work together to complete a model train layout complete with electrically wired tracks, landscaping, and buildings.

 Community Garden – A community garden has been planted and will continue to serve as a learning resource geared towards healthy living. We have partnered with the “Good Food Project” and The Rapides Foundation for education and programming in this area.

 Kaboom! Playground – A grant from Kaboom, funded by Dr.Pepper Snapple Group, this fantastic playground and outdoor play space was built June 4, 2016 by the collective efforts of 203 volunteers. We did it in 5 hours.

 Blue Star Museums – An initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts, this program affords free admission for active military and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

 Toddler Time – Weekly story time and craft geared specifically towards preschool literacy objectives.

 Museums for All! - Participation in Museums for All participation affords $2 general admission to individuals and families receiving food assistance, identified by showing an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.