After careful evaluation, the Cosmosphere is no longer considering a satellite location at Bluhawk in Overland Park, KS. Initially part of the original development, the Cosmosphere satellite facility is no longer part of a revised Bluhawk project plan.
The revised project plan is based on the removal of Cosmosphere from the project, a move that was made in full collaboration with Cosmosphere’s management and with its full support. The Price Brothers and Cosmosphere teams mutually and carefully evaluated recently available information and concluded that a multi-attraction approach for Bluhawk was not in the best interest of the project or Cosmosphere at this time. The Price organization looks forward to helping Cosmosphere evaluate other opportunities that could bring this significant Kansas asset to the Kansas City metro area.
“We worked very closely with Bluhawk to evaluate our plans and we concur with its decision to move forward without Cosmosphere as part of the project,” Jim Remar, President & CEO, Cosmosphere. “The Cosmosphere team wishes Bluhawk success and strongly believes it will be a terrific asset to the region.”
The Liberty Bell 7, which is a spacecraft that is part of the Cosmosphere’s collection, was scheduled to be on display in a retail space at Bluhawk in February. That exhibit will not take place.
“We are actively seeking opportunities for an exhibit featuring LB7,” Remar said. “We will also continue to seek opportunities for a satellite location for the Cosmosphere. The interest shown by the Greater Kansas City Metro Area in having a satellite location is evidence that can be a great channel for the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson to give people who have never heard of our community or our museum a taste of the programs. It is also a great platform for our Science Educators to offer more STEM education programming and outreach.”
About the Cosmosphere:
The Cosmosphere International SciEd Center & Space Museum is located at 1100 North Plum in Hutchinson, KS. Its collection includes U.S. space artifacts second only to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and the largest collection of Russian space artifacts outside of Moscow. This unique collection allows the Cosmosphere to tell the story of the Space Race better than any museum in the world while offering fully immersive education experiences that meet the Next Generation Science Standards and introduce students to the power of wondering—asking the critical questions that lead to discovery. The Cosmosphere also features the Carey Digital Dome Theater offering documentary showings daily and recently-released feature films on weekends; a newly renovated Planetarium and Dr. Goddard’s Lab, where visitors experience live science demonstrations daily.
