{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Meet Me In Tennessee","title":"20. Hands-On Discovery Center: Where Learning and Fun Go Hand in Hand","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2255,"description":"About the Guest:\nHeather Watson is the Vice President of Education and Exhibits at Hands On Discovery Center, located in Northeast Tennessee. Heather holds an essential role in the institution, overseeing the educational aspects, exhibits, and community events at the center. With an emphasis on creating an engaging environment that blends fun with learning, Heather has been instrumental in helping visitors of all ages to explore and enjoy the wonders of science. Under her leadership, the center has introduced an array of unique exhibits and has become a destination for enriching experiences in STEM and the arts.\nIn this engaging episode of \"Meet Me in Tennessee,\" host Allie Bynum delves into the heart of Northeast Tennessee's Hands On Discovery Center with guest Heather Watson. Together, they unpack the science center's mission to integrate education and enjoyment, drawing visitors from all across the world. The episode offers listeners an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the center's exhibits and activities, as well as its evolution from a children's museum to a dynamic all-ages science center located at the renowned Gray Fossil Site.\nHeather Watson passionately discusses the importance of hands-on learning and how the center's exhibits, such as the world's most powerful musical bipolar Tesla coil, cater to a range of interests from arts to science. The collaboration between Hands On Discovery Center and the fossil site enhances the visitor experience by allowing people to actively participate in science, whether it's through a climbing tower that educates on fossils or a pollinator garden emphasizing sustainability and environmental awareness.\n\n Heather Watson oversees educational programming, exhibits, and events at Hands On Discovery Center, driving forward their mission of combining fun and learning.\n The center has transitioned from being a children's museum to an all-ages science center that attracts visitors from all 50 states and beyond, owing to its...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/48f0rbNt8yBd2uu31FTKcD3jfuT6YPz-VpveKvmhAaM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS83MjZh/ZmUxNTEyY2U5NDNi/N2ZkNGQyMWI2MzU0/ODJmYS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}