THOMAS & FRIENDS™: EXPLORE THE RAILS! EXHIBIT BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND AT DISCOVERY CUBE LOS ANGELES

Inspired by the Popular Children's TV Series, Thomas & Friends Visiting Exhibit will be on Display Sept. 24, 2022 – Jan. 16, 2023

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's most beloved #1 blue engine rolls back into Discovery Cube Los Angeles (DCLA), the county's leading children's science museum, this fall. "Thomas & Friends™: Explore the Rails," is an interactive exhibit from the Minnesota Children's Museum and inspired by the popular children's series on Nick Jr. The exhibit will be on display at DCLA from September 24, 2022 through January 16, 2023.

Featuring the favorite engines and destinations from "Thomas & Friends™," the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) -focused exhibit seeks to engage families with children, ages 2 through 7 years, on the foundational skills that foster STEM literacy through playful learning experiences. The exhibit incorporates fundamental STEM practices that encourage thinking mathematically, making comparisons, experimenting to solve problems and using a variety of methods and tools, to help children think creatively while reflecting on actions, efforts and results. 

"One of our primary goals at Discovery Cube is to foster interest in STEM learning and explore interactive play beyond the experiences our families have at the museum," says Luis Almonte, Vice President of Operations, Discovery Cube Los Angeles. "When adults engage young children in simple STEM activities and exhibits like 'Thomas & Friends™', they are building a significant foundation for STEM literacy with their young learners. This exhibit delivers high-quality playful learning experiences rooted in STEM that will leave kids wanting more!"

Visitors to "Thomas & Friends™" will be delighted as they find themselves surrounded by the Island of Sodor's iconic locations: Knapford Station, Sodor Steamworks, and much more. In the exhibit, children help Thomas and his friends solve a variety of challenges, from a simple sorting and shape identification activity to more complex engineering obstacles, such as completing a train track using track pieces with different levels of elevation. As children confront new challenges and test their abilities, the smiling faces of Thomas, Percy, Victor and others are there to offer encouragement and remind children how "really useful" they all are.  

EXHIBIT DETAILS

• Climb into Thomas' cab and explore the engine's inner workings. Flip levers and investigate other moveable parts that trigger train noises such as braking, whistles and steam.
• Fix Percy's wobbly wheel by removing and replacing parts and experimenting to find a combination of wheels, rods and bolts that work.
• Explore the favorite Island of Sodor destinations including: Tidmouth Sheds, Brendam Docks and the Sodor Search & Rescue Station on an over-sized Thomas Wooden Railway train table.
• Work with old and new friends loading luggage, livestock and other freight into the coaches of two train cars.
• Collaborate with others to get Percy moving by loading coal into his coal box and filling his tank with water from a water tower.
• Suit up as the conductor to exchange money and sell tickets to other visitors taking a ride on the train.
• Wander through a Thomas & Friends™ retrospective featuring model engines from the original live action series produced in London, copies of the original drawings and manuscripts from the Rev. W. Awdry, the creator of Thomas & Friends™, and a collection of memorabilia documenting the history and evolution of Thomas & Friends™ through books, television, and toys.

The "Thomas & Friends™: Explore the Rails" exhibit was designed and developed by Minnesota Children's Museum with Mattel, Inc. Fisher-Price, the #1 Infant/Preschool Toys manufacturer, as the presenting sponsor for the exhibit.

Admission to "Thomas & Friends™: Explore the Rails" at DCLA is $15.95 for adults and $13.95 for children 3 to 14 years; free for children under 2 and museum members.

Discovery Cube Los Angeles is located at 11800 Foothill Blvd, Sylmar, CA 91342 and open Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT.  

About Discovery Cube  
Established in 1989, the Discovery Cube is an award winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's science museum committed to serving the needs and interests of children, educators, and the community at large. With locations in Los Angeles and Orange County, the Cube has hosted over one million children to date to INSPIRE, EDUCATE, and IMPACT young minds with more than one hundred engaging science-based programs, activities, and exhibits. Discovery Cube is focused on four core initiatives - STEM proficiency, early childhood education, healthy living, and environmental stewardship – and offers a range of free and discounted STEM programs, field trips, and digital resources for schools to maximize access for children and educators. For more information, visit discoverycube.org.    

About Thomas & Friends™  

Thomas & Friends™ was created by a father for his son nearly 70 years ago and today is enjoyed by families in more than 185 territories and in 30 languages. The #1 blue engine and his friends invite children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story. Children embark on adventures with their engine friends while experiencing timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and teamwork. Thomas & Friends™ is the #1 preschool toy license in the US, according to The NPD Group, Inc., and makes tracks to great destinations on PBS KIDS® and Sprout® in the US and on Treehouse and Télé- Québec in Canada and with downloadable episodes available through iTunes. For more information, please visit www.thomasandfriends.com. Follow Thomas on Facebook at facebook.com/thomasandfriends and Twitter @ThomasParent. 

About Minnesota Children's Museum
As the nation's leading developer of traveling children's museum exhibits, the Museum is a trailblazer in creating immersive learning environments, reaching more than 15 million children and adults in the United States, Canada and Mexico through the nation's largest collection of children's traveling exhibits. The Museum is consistently rated as one of the top children's museums in the country by national media outlets like Forbes and Parents and was recently named as a finalist for an Institute of Museum and Library Services Medal of Service, the nation's highest honor conferred on museums and libraries.

About Mattel

Mattel is a global learning, development and play company that inspires the next generation of kids to shape a brighter tomorrow. Through our portfolio of iconic consumer brands, including American girl, Barbie, Fisher-Price, hot wheels and Thomas and friends, we create systems of play, content and experiences that help kids unlock their full potential. Battell also creates inspiring and innovative products in collaboration with leading entertainment and technology companies as well as other partners. With a global workforce of approximately 28,000 people, Mattel operates in 40 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Visit us online at www.mattel.com. 

Erika Maya 
Discovery Cube Los Angeles 
(818) 686-2816 
[email protected] 

SOURCE Discovery Cube