State grant funds sensory spaces at Hands On! Discovery Center

Hands On! Discovery Center was awarded $47,356 to enhance experiences for children in need of sensory support. The Capital Maintenance and Improvement grant comes from the State of Tennessee and is administered through the Tennessee State Museum, according to a press release from the Center. "We are truly grateful to receive this transformative $47,356 grant award from the Tennessee State Museum!" said Heather Watson, Hands On! Discovery Center president and CEO. "The grant will allow Hands On! Discovery Center to enhance the sensory integration, accessibility and safety needs of our visitors. "By implementing the funded projects, we will be able to further remove barriers and provide access to all individuals to ensure an enjoyable and engaging experience with our programs, events and exhibit spaces," she added. The grant award will be used for sensory support nooks in each building for neurodiverse visitors, acoustic adaptable walls to reduce sensory stimuli and improve exhibit flexibility and accessibility enhancements such as ACCESS Trax and threshold ramps for mobility device use in outdoor spaces. It will also help upgrade lighting fixtures with diffusion filters to improve visibility, safety and comfort for visually impaired and sensory-sensitive guests. The Tennessee General Assembly made available $5 million in funding from the 2025-2026 Appropriations Act, "for the sole purpose of providing grants to museums with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or affiliated with a governmental entity for capital maintenance and improvements," according to the release. "The Tennessee Capital Improvement Grants continue to support and strengthen the infrastructure of institutions preserving our state and local history and culture," said Ashley Howell, Tennessee State Museum executive director. "We are honored to help support the commitment of those institutions to better serve their communities and visitors through collection care and visitor accessibility these last three years. "We are inspired by the dedication of their staff and volunteers," she added. "None of it would be possible, of course, without the State of Tennessee's unwavering support for Tennessee history." In the third year of the grant program, it remains a highly competitive process. In total, the Tennessee State Museum received 178 applications, totaling $12,031,874 in requests. The Museum has made full or partial awards to 99 museums across the state, representing 45 counties. In the three years the Museum has administered the grant program, it has served museums in 73 counties across the state, according to the release. The Capital Maintenance and Improvements grant had a minimum request amount of $5,000 and a maximum request amount of $100,000. All projects must be completed by June 30, 2026, according to the release.